Category: News

The Regional Livestock Development Centre (RLDC) in Kanglung successfully conducted a weeklong Dairy Product Diversification Training for field staff, Milk Processing Unit (MPU) operators, and Milk Collection Centre (MCC) operators from six eastern Dzongkhags, along with participants the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC). The training, funded by the CARLEP Project, was held from 5 to 11 November 2025.

𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐞

The training aimed to enhance participants’ technical capacity and practical skills in dairy product diversification and value addition. It was aligned with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s 13th Five Year Plan (FYP) 2024 to 2029, which emphasizes the transformation of the agrifood sector through commercialization, innovation, and rural entrepreneurship.

Under the 13th Plan, the Department of Livestock seeks to increase livestock productivity, promote high value dairy products, and strengthen value chains to raise the agrifood sector’s contribution from Nu 31 billion in 2023 to Nu 50 billion by 2029.

Dairy product diversification is a key initiative under this framework to improve market competitiveness, enhance rural income, and promote self-sufficiency in dairy production.

Traditionally, farmers and processors in eastern Bhutan have focused on producing butter and cheese. This training introduced participants to the processing of a wider range of dairy products including yogurt, paneer, mozzarella, tomme, gomdel cheese, and Rasgulla. This initiative has helped participants diversify their product range, enhance income opportunities, and meet changing consumer demands.

𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡

The program combined theoretical sessions on clean milk production, milk quality testing, and quality-based payment systems with practical training on processing diversified dairy products. Participants gained hands-on experience and confidence to replicate these practices in their respective processing units and cooperatives.

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞

The sessions were facilitated by experts from the National Dairy Development Centre (NDDC), National Highland Development Centre (NHDC), and National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC). Their technical support helped bridge the gap between traditional practices and modern dairy technologies, equipping participants with advanced knowledge to improve milk handling and processing standards.

𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

The completion of this training marked a significant step toward enhancing rural entrepreneurship and improving dairy value chains in eastern Bhutan. It demonstrated the Department of Livestock’s continued commitment to empower farming communities, promote value addition, and strengthen local economies through knowledge and skills development.

Through this initiative, RLDC Kanglung has contributed to building a more diversified and resilient dairy sector that supports the Ministry’s broader vision of Transforming the Agrifood Sector for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development as outlined in the Thirteenth Five Year Plan.

The program concluded with participants expressing confidence and enthusiasm to apply their newly acquired skills within their respective milk units and cooperatives, reinforcing the Department’s goal of achieving sustainable and inclusive rural growth through innovation in dairy processing.

𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲:

The Department of Livestock, led by the Livestock Production Division has initiated the sensitization program on the Livestock Strategies and Action Plans to build a common understanding and readiness for implementation among key technical institutions and field teams. The 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐦𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟖 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, involving the National Development Centre for Animal Nutrition (NDCAN), National Sheep Farm (NSF), and the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC). This marks the start of a sensitization effort, which will be extended to other major centres and farms in the coming weeks to ensure a coordinated and effective rollout of the strategies across the country.

These strategies and action plans were 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟔 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 by the Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, as part of the broader national effort to achieve the targets of the 13th Five Year Plan (FYP). They have been developed for major livestock commodities, including dairy, animal nutrition, sheep, and other priority subsectors that are central to national food security and rural economic development.

Importantly, these documents are primarily 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. By clearly outlining the major interventions and strategies, these documents aim to ensure consistent and reliable delivery of critical services such as breeding, input supply, feed and fodder support, genetic improvement, value chain development, and technical backstopping. This structured service delivery is essential to achieve the production targets and transformation goals of the 13th FYP.

The strategic framework emphasizes increasing productivity, improving input and breeding systems, enhancing value chains, promoting climate-smart and sustainable practices, and enabling stronger institutional coordination. It also places emphasis on leveraging digital systems and private sector engagement to scale up impact.