𝟏𝟒 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑: The annual general meeting of the Bhutan Yak Federation (BYF) was held from 13th to 14th June 2023 at Phuntsho Hotel in Bumthang. The primary objective of this year’s meeting was to empower the board of directors to lead the yak cooperatives in promoting sustainable yak farming in the highland districts. Participants included the board directors of yak cooperatives, livestock officials from the highland Dzongkhags, DAMC, National Highland Development Centre Wangduephodrang and officials from the Department Head Quarter. The house discussed the progress achieved in year 2022 and developed plans and strategies for the year 2023-2024.
Mr. Towchu Rabgay, the chief livestock officer, welcomed all the participants and emphasized the importance of rangeland management, yak product diversification, and wool processing as major activities for the 13th FYP. He also highlighted the role of BYF in promoting highland product diversification and marketing. The concerns on declining yak population and households rearing yak per the annual census and production data published by National Statistical Bureau was shared among the herders.
The board of directors presented their progress and challenges, leading to in-depth discussions on possible interventions. Common challenges faced by the yak cooperatives included Tsamdro issues, inadequate feed resources, breeding difficulties, human-wildlife conflicts, rural-urban migration, and difficulty in marketing of yak products. The meeting also addressed the need for product development for the Royal Highland Festival in Laya and emphasized the importance of creating detailed descriptions and determining value income generated through the festival.
Following the concept of “one cooperative, one product,” group work and presentations focused on product development and marketing. In the next BYF meeting, the board of directors will present their progress and achievements against the targets. Many yak cooperatives emphasized product collection, reworking for value addition, and marketing as their main activities for the coming year. The overall work plan for the BYF was developed focusing on setting up of BYF office, endorsing the workplan with monitoring plans, coordinating annual BYF meeting, maintaining updated cooperative information with gender segregated data, private sector engagement, pricing of highland products, setting up of resource centre/highland club, representing BYF in official forums, yak product development, marketing, and capacity building of the herders.
To enhance service delivery for the yak cooperatives, the BYF office will be relocated from Bumthnag to the National Highland Development Centre in Wangduephodrang. The next federation meeting is scheduled in February 2024 at Wangduephodrang, during which the chair of BYF will present the financial and physical achievements to all the board of directors. The meeting concluded successfully with the development of plans for the yak cooperative and BYF through the exchange of ideas among yak herders, livestock experts, and relevant stakeholders in Bumthang.
Reported from Bumthang
