To promote yak farming as a vibrant and sustainable programme for highlanders, a four-day consultative meeting was carried out at the National Highland Research and Development Centre (NHRDC) in Bumthang to form the first-ever Yak Federation in the country, from April 5-8.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, the federation will ensure aggregation, standardisation, quality assurance and cooperative marketing of yak products as well as developing the brand value of Bhutanese yak products nationally and globally. It is also expected to empower the highland communities in terms of governance and decision making for the improvement and sustainability of their livelihoods and their living environment.
During the meeting, by-laws were drafted for the governance of the federation and action plans adopted to come up with product identification, processing, standardisation, labelling and marketing. Other activities such as livelihood support, yak nutrition and health were also prioritised and planned accordingly.
It was agreed that all yak development activities for herders will be monitored and planned by the federation in close consultation with relevant stakeholders. The election of the office bearers for the federation was also carried out as per the Cooperative Act of Bhutan 2009 and bonds were signed by the elected leaders of the federation.
Organised by the Department of Livestock and co-funded by DAMC, officials from the Department of Agricultural and Marketing Cooperatives (DAMC), the Dzongkhag Livestock Sector with highland communities in their jurisdiction, Regional Livestock Development Centres, NHRDC, Livestock Production Division and the Livestock Research and Extension Division attended the meeting. It was organised by the Department of Livestock and co-funded by DAMC.
Sonam
