YK Poudel

The Department of Livestock (DoL) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) has launched a new project to improve yak hair production and the livelihoods of highland communities.

Through this initiative, modified tents and advanced machinery are distributed to highland communities to enhance the quality of yak hair products and support income generation.

The DOL distributed new modified tents to 30 households in Lingzhi gewog, Thimphu on August 5. The project has already distributed 91 tents in Thimphu, Haa, and Paro, at a cost of approximately Nu 4,391,802. These tents, made from nylon and cotton, are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, benefiting the highland communities.

This initiative is a collaborative effort funded by a grant of USD 76,765 from the Bhutan Foundation. The grant agreement, signed on June 12, 2023, will run until December 30, 2024.

The chief livestock production officer at MoAL, Towchu Rabgay, said that key activities to promote yak rearing and yak hair production include distribution of modified tents, installation of felting and spinning machines, and distribution of combing equipment.

The project also set up felting and spinning machines at the Yak Breeding Farm in Chonaphu, Haa, to support yak hair processing.

According to DOL, the project aims to preserve traditional practices while promoting economic diversification through distribution of improved tents and equipment. This approach is expected to foster a symbiotic relationship between humans and wildlife, contributing to the conservation of the Jomolhari landscape.

The project also aims to address the challenges of snow leopard conflicts and habitat loss and mitigate retaliatory killings by supporting nomadic communities of Yaktsa, Soe, Naro, Nubri and Lingzhi under Jomolhari landscape and Bjee, Esue Katsho and Yak Breeding Farm at Chonaphu in Haa dzongkhag.

The project aims to enhance the livelihoods of the Jomolhari community, conserve the snow leopard and contribute to sustainable income generation. It will also create livelihood opportunities through yak hair enterprises, community mobilisation, and training programmes on yak wool processing and marketing.

In recent years, yak-rearing has declined due to more lucrative alternatives like cordyceps collection. In response, the DoL and the Bhutan Foundation have developed the ‘Yak Federation Strategy Action Plan 2023 to 2027’ to improve livelihoods through value addition and product diversification. The strategy aims to make yak cooperatives economically viable, generate employment and contribute to national development.

In 2023, Bhutan produced 8.7 metric tonnes (MT) of wool, a sharp decrease from 12.5 MT in 2022. Only 35 percent of this wool was from yak, mainly from Trashigang, Thimphu, and Gasa.

During the same period, 3,367 yak deaths were recorded in the country. Of the total population of 29,699 people living in 11 highland dzongkhags, some 787 residents were involved in yak rearing.