Bhutan is an agrarian society where more than 70% of people are engaged directly or indirectly in farming. However because of the scattered nature of their farms compounded by low volumes of produce, has resulted in the non viability of commercialization. As a mostly matriarchal society, women inherit property however these usually translate to isolated far flung farms where women live their lives as custodians.
Adopting the Fountain Effect method, BAOWE has engaged with farmer of Wangbama, Nadu, Kasakha and Wangsemo who previously carried small quantities of vegetables which they sold on the Thimphu-Phuentsholing Highway. This entailed a whole day with no guarantee of success including the risk of their highly perishable vegetables spoiling.
The Fountain Effect method builds a supply chain connecting them to the entrepreneur at Nangyi –Aum, Bhutanese Restaurant, who processes, value adds and provides them a sales outlet including ploughing back a share in the profits thereby creating the fountain effect.