YK Poudel

In an effort to promote sustainable agriculture in the country, the Himalayan Agroecology Initiative (HAI) has been launched to bolster the resilience of farmers against the climate crisis.

To complement the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s (MoAL) efforts in implementing agrifood system, the Tarayana Foundation, a civil society organisation dedicated to grassroots development, will work to address the unique challenges faced by remote communities. This would be done through preparation of a roadmap that would guide the implementing agencies.

With support from the World Future Council and IFOAM, Organics International, a global network of organic farmers and researchers, will provide financial assistance of 50,000 Euros.

The Foundation aims to enhance biodiversity, support and mainstream sustainable agricultural practices into national policies and into community development, and foster durable value chains.

Chhimi Dorji, the Director of the Tarayana Centre for Research and Development, Tarayana Foundation, said that through a series of consultations, the initiative would develop a comprehensive roadmap for Bhutan. “These roadmaps will be presented at an international conference in 2025.”

HAI, he added, is a collaborative effort to improve livelihoods and sustainability in the region. “Our focus is on bridging national initiatives with local needs to drive meaningful development.”

Looking ahead, the director said that the process for developing the roadmap would begin with drafting the initial version and submitting it to both the Advisory Committee and Technical Working Group for review and endorsement. “Once approved, consultations will be held with various stakeholders, including bureaucrats, food industries, and businesses, across two dzongkhags and four gewogs.”

The revised version will then be resubmitted to the Advisory Committee and Technical Working Group for further review and endorsement.

“Following this, the final roadmap will be presented to policymakers, including representatives from MoAL, Ministry of Health, and Members of Parliament (MP) from both the National Assembly and National Council,” he said.

The Foundation will also convene a high-level national dialogue to bring together government officials, farmers’ organisations, businesses, food industries, and MPs.

Since its official launch in May 2024, the HAI has made significant strides. Initially, formation of the Agroecology Himalayas Task Force and the development of initial roadmap documents had been carried out. The task force composed of experts from Bhutan, India and Nepal would finalise the roadmap and launch it at a high-level conference in early next year in New Delhi, India. Following the discussion, the projects and initiatives will be implemented in the respective countries.

According to the director, the initiative has also engaged in preliminary consultations with relevant experts and stakeholders. “The development process involves reviewing existing laws and policies, forming advisory committees and technical working groups, and conducting extensive consultations with stakeholders at various levels.”

Progress so far, he said, included initial meetings with experts from the MoAL and ongoing reviews of relevant documents. “The next steps involve preparing the draft roadmap, conducting stakeholder consultations, and refining the roadmap based on feedback.”

A high-level national dialogue will consolidate recommendations and finalise country-specific roadmaps.

Ravi R Prasad, the executive director of IFOAM – Organics International, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative. He said that establishing agroecology and sustainable food systems was at the core of IFOAM’s mission.

“We are excited to scale up our efforts in the Himalayas with the World Future Council and our partners to create food systems resilient to climate change and beneficial to smallholders’ livelihoods,” he said.

Ulaç Demirag, the IFAD Representative and Country Director for India, also highlighted the importance of the initiative in aligning with national development goals.

“Sustainable food systems and natural farming are crucial to India’s development objectives. This collaborative effort will strengthen Himalayan food systems, which are vital for regional food security,” she said.