Category: News

The Regional Livestock Development Centre (RLDC) Kanglung, in partnership with the National Dairy Development Centre (NDDC), is currently conducting a 14-day Artificial Insemination (AI) refresher training for field staff from six eastern Dzongkhags and farms, including participants from CNCD and CYCD under NBC. The training is taking place at CNCD, Tashiyangphu, Wamrong under Trashigang Dzongkhag. Funded by the CARLEP project, the program began on 17 October 2025 and will conclude on 30 October 2025. A total of 31 participants, including seven female extension officers, are attending.

The training aims to enhance the technical capacity and practical skills of field staff to deliver efficient AI services that improve conception rates and support sustainable genetic improvement of cattle in the region. It also focuses on strengthening participants’ understanding of reproductive management, record keeping, and problem-solving related to livestock breeding. The program combines theoretical sessions with hands-on practical exercises, covering heat detection, semen handling and thawing, insemination techniques, reproductive health management, and field demonstrations.

The training is facilitated by experienced resource persons from NDDC Yusipang, RLDC Kanglung, and veterinary officers from the eastern Dzongkhags. By the end of the course, participants are expected to demonstrate improved proficiency in AI procedures, make informed reproductive management decisions, maintain accurate breeding records, and provide better technical support to farmers, ultimately contributing to higher conception rates and enhanced productivity of the livestock sector in the region.

The Department of Livestock with support from the EU-funded Technical Assistance for Agrifood Systems, and administered by FAO BT, recently trained more than one hundred farmers on the installation, operation and maintenance of biogas systems. The training was facilitated by resource persons from the National Dairy Development Centre under the Department of Livestock and was attended by farmers from Trongsa and Punakha Dzongkhags, along with identified Gewog Livestock Supervisors who also serve as biogas focal persons in these two Dzongkhags. The program was conducted in Trongsa.

Since the introduction of the biogas program in 2011, thousands of units have been installed across the country, with many households already benefiting from clean energy for cooking and heating. The Department will support a total of 5000 family sized biodigesters during the 13th Plan period, which will include both new installations and the renovation of existing units. Alongside household units, medium scale biodigesters have also been established in government and private livestock farms, helping to manage waste, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and supply renewable energy for farm operations.

The benefits of biogas are wide ranging. Farmers gain from access to clean energy, reduced reliance on firewood, improved waste management and nutrient rich organic fertilizer that enhances soil fertility. On a larger scale, biogas directly contributes to Bhutan’s national goals of renewable energy development and climate change mitigation.

In recent years, new models of biodigesters are also being introduced to the country. Prefabricated fiber reinforced digesters and SISTEMA.Bio digesters are being piloted in different Dzongkhags. The SISTEMA.Bio initiative, introduced in collaboration with the Bhutan Ecological Society, has shown encouraging results in improving efficiency and ease of use for farmers. These innovations are expected to further expand adoption and make biogas technology more accessible, reliable and farmer friendly.

The training program is therefore more than a technical exercise. It equips farmers with practical skills while also strengthening their role in building a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future for Bhutan.