[ad_1]
YK Puddle
The Directorate of Livestock (DoL) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) has launched a new project to improve yak wool production and the livelihoods of highland communities.
Through this initiative, modified tents and advanced machinery are distributed to highland communities to improve the quality of yak wool products and support income generation.
On August 5, the Ministry of Labour distributed newly renovated tents to 30 families in Lingzhi village in Thimphu. The project has distributed 91 tents in Thimphu, Haa and Paro at a cost of approximately Ngultrum 4,391,802. Made of nylon and cotton, the tents are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and benefit highland communities.
The program is a collaborative effort funded by the Bhutan Foundation with a grant of US$76,765. The grant agreement was signed on June 12, 2023 and is valid until December 30, 2024.
Towchu Rabgay, chief livestock production officer at Aluminium of Mozambique, said key activities to promote yak breeding and yak wool production included the distribution of modified tents, installation of felting and spinning machines and distribution of carding equipment.
The project also installed felting and spinning machines at the yak farm in Chonaphu, Ha’a Province, to support yak wool processing.
According to the DOL, the project aims to preserve traditional customs while promoting economic diversification by distributing improved tents and equipment. This approach is expected to promote a symbiotic relationship between humans and wildlife and contribute to the conservation of the Chomulari Mountain landscape.
The project also aims to address the challenges of conflict and habitat loss for snow leopards and reduce retaliatory killings by supporting nomadic communities in Yaktsa, So, Naro, Nubuli and Nyingchi under the Jomolali landscape, and Bjee, Esue Katsho and yak farms in Jonap in Hajongkha.
The project aims to improve the livelihoods of the Zhuomulali community, protect snow leopards, and promote sustainable income. The project will also create livelihood opportunities through yak wool enterprises, community mobilization, and yak wool processing and marketing training programs.
Yak farming has declined in recent years due to the emergence of more profitable alternatives such as cordyceps harvesting. In response, the Ministry of Labor and the Bhutan Foundation have developed the Yak Union Strategic Action Plan 2023-2027 to improve livelihoods through value addition and product diversification. The strategy aims to make yak cooperatives economically viable, create jobs and contribute to national development.
In 2023, Bhutan produced 8.7 metric tons of wool, a sharp drop from 12.5 metric tons in 2022. Only 35% of this wool comes from yaks, mainly in Trashigang, Thimphu and Gaza.
During the same period, 3,367 yaks were recorded dead across the country. Out of a total population of 29,699 people in the 11 highland Tsongkhapas, about 787 people were involved in yak farming.
[ad_2]
Source link
