Drachukha Flower Group, Punakha
Ingredients grown, harvested and processed for the #SecondCampaign:
Tree tomatoes, red rice, coriander, garlic, cornflower (pink, blue and red), calendula, spring onion, reishi mushroom, cardamom, wild mushrooms (shitake and oyster)
The Drachukha Flower Group was founded by four young, educated women from Drachukha in Punakha. After graduating, they decided to stay in their community and to jointly grow organic edible flowers and other crops for Bhutan Blossoms.
Drachukha is a remote community in one of Bhutan’s largest national parks, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Park. Human wildlife conflicts are prevalent and the villagers face difficulties to access markets while there are also limited job opportunities. Hence, like in many other rural communities, there is a high rural to urban migration, especially by educated youths.
The Drachukha Flower Group enables the four women to generate a secure income in Drachukha. Currently, group grows organic edible flowers (cornflower and calendula) and various other crops. The Drachukha Flower Group also supports the entire community to market agricultural products and products harvested from the wild such as shitake and oyster mushrooms, and hence contributes to improving livelihoods in their community. The Drachuka Flower Group has been the primary farming partner of Bhutan Blossoms, and in partnership they established the very first EU Organic certified farm in Bhutan. This project was funded by the European Union with co-funding and implementation support by Helvetas Bhutan.
In 2019, the group received financial support from Society Switzerland Bhutan to build a drying unit in Drachukha. The wooden drying unit was completed in 2023, after delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. Society Switzerland Bhutan, Mountain Grassroots Association and the Royal Government of Bhutan also supported the Drachukha Flower Group with various processing equipment. In the past year, the group already processed more than 1.5 tons of garlic, tree tomato (tamarillo), coriander and wild mushrooms sourced from their and neighbouring communities.
- Founded in 2019
- 4 women from Drachukha
- Previously, EU Organic certified farm of 4 acres on private land
- Currently, in the process of developing a new EU Organic certified farm of 2 acres on government land
- Organic cultivation of edible flowers, soyabean, garlic, spring onion, coriander, red rice, tree tomato, and other crops
- Drying unit for the processing of edible flowers and other crops
Ingredients grown, harvested and processed for the #SecondCampaign:
Tree tomatoes, red rice, coriander, garlic, cornflower (pink, blue and red), calendula, spring onion, reishi mushroom, cardamom, wild mushrooms (shitake and oyster)
- Founded in 2019
- 4 women from Drachukha
- Previously, EU Organic certified farm of 4 acres on private land
- Currently, in the process of developing a new EU Organic certified farm of 2 acres on government land
- Organic cultivation of edible flowers, soyabean, garlic, spring onion, coriander, red rice, tree tomato, and other crops
- Drying unit for the processing of edible flowers and other crops
The Drachukha Flower Group was founded by four young, educated women from Drachukha in Punakha. After graduating, they decided to stay in their community and to jointly grow organic edible flowers and other crops for Bhutan Blossoms.
Drachukha is a remote community in one of Bhutan’s largest national parks, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Park. Human wildlife conflicts are prevalent and the villagers face difficulties to access markets while there are also limited job opportunities. Hence, like in many other rural communities, there is a high rural to urban migration, especially by educated youths.
The Drachukha Flower Group enables the four women to generate a secure income in Drachukha. Currently, group grows organic edible flowers (cornflower and calendula) and various other crops. The Drachukha Flower Group also supports the entire community to market agricultural products and products harvested from the wild such as shitake and oyster mushrooms, and hence contributes to improving livelihoods in their community. The Drachuka Flower Group has been the primary farming partner of Bhutan Blossoms, and in partnership they established the very first EU Organic certified farm in Bhutan.
In 2019, the group received financial support from Society Switzerland Bhutan to build a drying unit in Drachukha. The wooden drying unit was completed in 2023, after delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. Society Switzerland Bhutan, Mountain Grassroots Association and the Royal Government of Bhutan also supported the Drachukha Flower Group with various processing equipment. In the past year, the group already processed more than 1.5 tons of garlic, tree tomato (tamarillo), coriander and wild mushrooms sourced from their and neighbouring communities.