YK Poudel
Paro—A 71-year-old farmer from Jabjee, Doteng gewog in Paro is reaping the benefits of a biogas plant he constructed as part of an initiative to enhance livelihoods and improve climate resilience.
Zhebdho is among the first in his community to install a biogas plant. His family has already seen significant savings, reducing their reliance on costly liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.
His family of six uses just two LPG cylinders in an entire year, costing about Nu 1,800. Earlier, they used nine LPG cylinders in a year, which cost about Nu 9,000. “We had to travel eight kilometres to town to get the LPG exchanged, or 12 kilometres to Shaba when it is out of stock,” Zhebdho said.
He made a one-time investment of Nu 100,000 to build the biogas plant, with Nu 50,000 covered by a government subsidy. “This alternative energy source has significantly reduced our energy costs,” he said.
The family uses about 60 kilogrammes of cow dung from four cattle each day. The leftover material is used as manure. However, Zhebdho advises against using the manure on apple trees, as it causes the saplings to die.
Zhebdho’s family grows a range of produce year-round, from paddy, millet to green vegetables, among others.
So far, the Bhutan Biogas Programme has installed biogas plants in 17 of the 20 dzongkhags, benefitting over 15,000 people. A total of 14,179 improved biogas stoves were distributed as of 2022.
In the 13th Plan, the government aims to support the establishment of 5,000 biogas plants and introduce climate-friendly dairy housing systems and low-emission feeds.
Biogas as a reliable source of energy in temperate dzongkhags was part of the stakeholder discussions at a three-day workshop on national climate action in livestock production systems for Bhutan, titled ‘Scaling-Up Livestock Climate Action to Enhance Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – Phase II’. The workshop concluded on November 8.
The Department of Livestock (DoL) organised the workshop in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization Bhutan under its Flexible Voluntary Contribution sub-programme.
Around 43.5 percent of the workforce is engaged in the agriculture and livestock sector. The sector’s contribution to the economy has grown significantly, rising from Nu 12.117 billion in 2008 to Nu 33.42 billion in 2022.
A national consultant, Chukey Wangchuk, pointed out that while there are over 50 policies addressing agriculture, livestock, climate change, and their interconnections, none specifically integrate climate resilience measures for the livestock sector.
“The existing climate change adaptation and mitigation policies and strategies do not consider specific inter-linkages between livestock production and climate change,” he said. “There is limited information on the actual impacts of climate change on livestock.”
Chukey Wangchuk said that livestock holding is an integral part of the agricultural system in the country, providing meat, dairy products, manure, and drought power. “The livestock sector must be made more attractive, especially as the number of livestock holders and production continues to decline,” he said.
In 2022, Bhutan imported livestock products worth Nu 3.8 billion. The country’s total requirement was 8,812 metric tonnes, of which 2,262 MT was produced domestically, while the remaining 6,550 MT was imported.
Bhutan is ranked the 38th most vulnerable country and the 62nd most prepared for climate change impacts, according to the Global Climate Change Adaptation Index 2001.
According to a DoL official, key priorities in the 13th Plan include improving manure management through biogas, as well as conducting vulnerability assessments to evaluate the impact of climate change on livestock.
Other priorities include developing resilient livestock breeds, rangeland restoration and development, reducing methane gas emissions, scaling climate-smart livestock farming, and enhancing livestock health and disease management.
The project titled ‘Building Resilience of Smallholder Farmers’ consists of seven components designed to support farmers. In the dairy sector, the expansion of an elite Heifer breeders’ scheme will be rolled out in 30 dairy cluster villages.
In addition, the project plans to promote fodder development, enhance farm biosecurity, introduce solar radiant energy heating systems, support aquaculture, and establish enterprises in these sectors.