The Department of Livestock (DoL), Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, conducted a two-day Initial planning Meeting starting 27 July 2026 in Gasa on the “Assessment of Rangeland Carrying Capacity Using Forage Species Diversity and Biomass in the Highland Areas of Bhutan (Phase III).” The meeting brought together 22 officials from highland Dzongkhags and Gewogs, relevant research centres, and the Department headquarter.
The meeting aims to strengthen participants’ understanding of the research methodology, standardize data collection procedures, enhance coordination among stakeholders, and provide the necessary technical guidance for successful field implementation. The technical staff from the field are trained by local experts from the Department, National Livestock Research Center and National Center for Animal Nutrition, Bumthang.
The Phase III assessment seeks to:
🌱 Identify and document additional rangeland forage species, including grasses, sedges, rushes, forbs, and herbs, and establish a live herbarium of important forage species.
🌱 Analyse the nutritional composition of edible forage species and generate baseline information on rangeland soil health, the impacts of climate change on rangeland ecosystems, and other key parameters essential for sustainable rangeland management.
As different forage species grow and mature at different growing seasons, the research activity requires year-round data collection. Therefore, the trained field teams will conduct data collection across Bhutan’s highland areas starting August 2026 for this phase using standardized protocols and specialized field equipment. Further, the team will collect data on Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) to showcase at the relevant platforms like the Royal Highland Festival.
This activity will build on the field assessments conducted during Phase I (May 2025) and Phase II (October 2025). Once the department completes year round data collection, it will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of Bhutan’s rangeland resources and provide evidence to support sustainable rangeland management and informed policy and planning.
The research activity for this phase is funded through the GEF-Umbrella Support Project for the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (NBSAP), implemented through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The Department of Livestock sincerely acknowledges the valuable financial support provided by the project in implementing this important initiative.
