The Himalayan Yak Herders Network Secretariat was launched at the ninth Royal Highland Festival in Laya, Gasa, yesterday to strengthen cooperation among yak herders in Bhutan, India and Nepal and address common challenges facing highland communities.
The network is the result of almost a decade of cooperation among herders, governments and development partners. Its launch also coincides with the UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026.
Highland communities are facing growing challenges from climate change, rangeland degradation and outmigration. Yak populations are declining, grazing lands are shrinking, and yak genetic diversity is under threat. Wildlife attacks on livestock and the migration of young people are adding to the concerns.
Tawchu Rabgay, Chief Livestock Officer with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, said the network would help yak herders from the three countries share knowledge and experiences and find collective solutions.
“Yak herders face various challenges, including animal diseases and other livestock-related issues. Through this network, yak herders from Bhutan, India and Nepal will be able to work together, share knowledge and experiences, and find collective solutions to these common challenges,” he said.
For herders, the challenges also affect their safety and livelihoods.
Tenzin from Laya, Gasa, said bear attacks on livestock have become frequent, particularly targeting calves. He said the problem had also raised concerns about human safety, recalling that a bear killed a person searching for livestock last year.
Pema Dorji from Merak, Trashigang, said changing weather patterns have disrupted traditional yak herding practices.
“In the past, we could keep our animals near our homes in Merak during summer. However, due to climate change, we can no longer do so and have to take our yaks to higher elevations,” he said.
He added that in Sakteng, herders previously moved their animals by the ninth month of the Bhutanese calendar, but now have to wait until the tenth month because of changing weather patterns.
The regional network will bring together yak herder organisations from Bhutan, India and Nepal to promote sustainable livelihoods, improve grazing land management and conserve yak breeds. It will also support research and the exchange of knowledge among herders.
Tawchu Rabgay said the network would strengthen cooperation on yak breed conservation and pastureland management to address shared challenges across the Himalayan region.
The initiative was co-organised by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Yak Federation of Bhutan.
Yak herding remains closely linked to the livelihoods, cultural heritage and way of life of highland communities, while also supporting food security and biodiversity.
Changa Dorji
Edited by Passang
