Sha Gogona Gouda Cheese - A community enterprise
A community-based rural enterprise has started producing Gouda cheese for the first time in Bhutan. Every month, a model dairy in Sha Gogona produces 300 kg of Gouda cheese which is sold in the market outlets in Thimphu, Paro, and Wangdue. The community members are keen to venture out in the production of exotic products such as Camembert cheese, yoghurt and ice cream to maximize their profit margin.
Sha Gogona, at an altitude of 3,200 metres above sea level is a beautiful valley with vast open meadow. It is approximately a four hour walk from Phobjikha valley, in the district of Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag. The environment is pristine and invigorating, surrounded, as it is, by juniper, spruce, larch, and birch-topped blue mountains, which form part of the famous Gangtey trek. It is indeed an idyllic place worthy of Wordsworth’s poems, especially during spring time, when the rich rhododendrons flower in different colours.
It is also home to a small, close-knit community comprising mostly lay monks and their families. Their lives revolve around the famous Gogona Lhakhang (local temple) and the rearing of livestock. Livestock dominates the farming system as it does in many other high altitude areas of Bhutan. However, with the bold development initiatives undertaken by the government, things are beginning to change for the community - even in a remote place like Sha Gogona. For the first time, Bhutanese have started producing the Sha Gogona brand of Gouda cheese, which is becoming quite popular among the expatriate community and tourists.
The initiative for establishing this model rural dairy enterprise was made possible with the support of Department of Livestock Sector of Wangdue Phodrang, German Embassy (India) and the GTZ project based at Lobesa. It is a community-based rural enterprise, run and managed by the community itself. A group constitution and its by-laws guide the members of the community in the smooth functioning of the day-to-day management. Presently, active members include 33 households.
A management committee is responsible for managing the milk processing unit along with other activities such as group savings and improved pasture development. The group savings was started with a total of 62 members. Each member contributes Nu.100 monthly to the group savings. The rationale behind initiating such a scheme is to instill a sense of thrift and inculcate a habit of saving among the members. It also helps in trust-building within the community and keeps them together. It has been a year since the saving group started its operations and it has already made an enormous contribution to the development of the community and its well being.
Sha Gogona, a model dairy enterprise, has taken many new initiatives. One such initiative is the leasing out of their non-forest barren government land for the purpose of improved pasture development. As most households own very little (or no) land for pasture, the leasing of government land is crucial to the overall success of livestock development. Other initiatives include breeding programme to improve the breed of local cattle for milk production.
The dairy was established in 1970 by the Swiss, but closed down in 1995 due to some disputes. It became fully functional again in July 2004. Dairying is the main income-generating activity of the farmers’ group. Every morning member households deliver milk to the processing unit. They receive payment at the end of the month. After a mere six months of operation, the household members earn an average of Nu.25,000 (about $557) per month. Each month the dairy produces about 300 kg of Gouda cheese and the production is increasing steadily.
Cheese processing is done by local dairy technicians who have received on-the-job training in milk processing. They maintain strict hygiene and produce cheese according to the standard cheese-making technology. The members of the management committee make surprise visits to individual farms to monitor their milking conditions. Milk tests are conducted to ensure that only quality and unadulterated milk is supplied for making cheese. With strict monitoring and the quality assurance system in place, the community produces one of the finest Gouda cheese. It is pure, natural and wholesome.
Every fortnight the cheese is brought and distributed to the market outlets in Thimphu, Punakha and Wangdue. Every penny goes back to the community. The community members are in the driving seat and are involved in all aspects of operations and marketing. The members are keen to venture out in the production of exotic products such as Camembert cheese, yoghurt and ice cream to maximize their profit margin. An organic certification possibility is being studied to facilitate the export of Sha Gogona brand of products to outside premium markets.
Most high-end hotels’ executive chefs have already become dedicated fans of the product. Economic development of the rural community is greatly dependent on the success of this dairy project. The watchword of the community is “Buying Bhutanese is Being Bhutanese, is Helping Bhutanese”.
By: Dr. Karma Tenzin, Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture.