•RNRNewsletter

A bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

Vol. VII Issue No. IV www.moaf.gov.bt 1-15 April 2019

INSIDE Farmers of Ney Village

take up soya bean plantation

Page 4

The Ministry's Week

Page 6

Seventh annual Rhododendron festival held

Reported by Tashi Yangzom and photos by Choidup Zangpo, ICTD

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19-21 April, Lampelri: The Seventh annual Rhododendron festival was held at Royal Botanical Park in Lampelri. The festival was joinly organised by Lampelri Rhododendron Tshogpa, Tourism council of Bhutan and Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. The festival was inaugurated by Hon’ble Sanam

Lyonpo in presence of National Council member and Member of Parliament, Punakha.

During the inaugural ceremony Hon’ble Lyonpo stated that environmental conservation is one of the pillars of Gross National Happiness. The festival which emphasised on conservation of

flora and fauna, Hon’ble Lyonpo said is in fulfilling one of the pillars of GNH.

The Royal Botanical Park is the first recreational park in the country covering an area of 47 sq kms and a home to rare species and critical watersheds for Wangchhu

1-15 April 20192 RNRNEWSLETTERA bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

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and Punatsangchhu river systems. The park is a home to 29 out of 46 Rhododendron species found in Bhutan.

The Rhododendron festival aims to preserve the unique culture and tradition of the country for the future generations. Such festival will promote tourism creating a platform where people can gather together for the cause of conservation.

It also reveals the incredible wealth of knowledge the communities have about forests and the environment they live in. The festival is also aimed to ensure commitments from the communities in save guarding the environment. It was noted in Lyonpo’s key note address that ‘Preservation and promotion of culture and conservation of environment’, the two pillars of GNH is what the festival is preserving and promoting.

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1-15 April 2019 3RNRNEWSLETTERA bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

The three days festival included the display of the local cuisines and beverages and the schools and the local residents performed cultural programs to display their rich culture and tradition.

The festival is not only an effort to showcase ecological and cultural diversity to the tourist and foreign visitors but also to benefit the local communities as a result of which the park management will be enhanced. It also reveals the incredible wealth of knowledge the communities have about forests and the environment they live in. The festival ensures the commitments from the communities in save guarding the environment.

Other features of the festival included rhododendron garden walk and exhibition, local culture and cuisines, arts and crafts.

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1-15 April 20194 RNRNEWSLETTERA bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

Farmers of Ney Village take up soya bean plantation

ARDC Wengkhar

The Agriculture Research and Development Center (ARDC) Wengkhar, Lhuentse Dzongkhag and Bhutan Care Credit are assisted the farmers of Ney Village under Lhuentse to grow soya bean for processing. A total of 40 farmers (male: 9, female: 31) from the village will be cultivating soybean, local variety sup-plied through NSC in 30 acres of land.

Along with their mass production, an on farm trial for five soybean varieties viz. Khangma libi-1, Khang-ma libi-2, TGX early, Japanese white and local brown have been set up so that farmers can opt for the preferred variety next year.

A similar program on ground nut has also started in Khenadrang, Pemagatshel. The credit from Bhutan Care Credit and ARDC Wengkhar’s field crops program supports this program.

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Please submit your articles for RNR-Newsletter at communication@moaf.gov.bt

JOKES

D i d y o u k n o w ?

Difficult divorce

A farmer who wants a divorce goes to see a lawyer.

The farmer says: “I wants to get one of them dayvorces”

Lawyer: “Do you have grounds?

Farmer: Yes, i gots me 40 acres.

Lawyer: No you don’t understand,

do you have a suit?

Farmer: Yes, oi wears it to church on Sundays.

Lawyer: No, i mean do you have a case?

Farmer: No, but i got a john deere.

Lawyer: No, i mean do you have a grudge?

Farmer: Yes, that’s where i park the john deere.

Lawyer: Does your wife beat you up?

Farmer: No, we both get up at 5:30.

Lawyer gets annoyed and tries one last question…”Is your wife a nagger?”

Farmer: No, she’s a white girl, but the baby’s a nagger, that’s why i want a dayvorce!

The tallest, biggest trees or bushes do not always yield the most fruit. Controlling the height of plants helps produce more fruit in less space. Farmers may also change a tree’s shape by cutting branches or forcing branches to grow in a certain direction. The shape of the tree affects its lifespan and the size of its fruit.

1. Boar: intact male pig, used for breeding

2. Sow: Female pig that has farrowed at least one litter

3. Litter: group of piglets born to a sow during one farrowing; normally 8- 12 piglets

4. Weaner Pig or Nursery Pig: growth phase from weaning up to feeder phase, generally 40lbs.

5. Farrow to Finish operation: production system that contains, breeding, to farrowing, to nursery, to grow-finishing to market

6. Feeders: a young pig weighing 30-90 lbs

7. Finishers: a pig beyond the feeder stage

8. Market-Weight: pigs that have reached 240-280 lbs

Swine Terminology

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Promotion of Yak Value Chain through trans-boundary cooperation in Kangchenjunga Landscape

Published by:InformationandCommunicationTechnologyDivision(ICTD)MinistryofAgricultureandForestsPostBox:1095,Thimphu-BhutanTel.(PABX):02-323765/321142Fax:02-324520Email:ictd@moaf.gov.btWebsite:www.moaf.gov.bt

Haa yak herders attends Cooperative formation training

Dairy processing and product diversification training held for Lhuentse farmers

The Ministry's week

The Integrated Yak Service Centre based at the National Research Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries and the Dzongkhag Livestock Sector (DLS), Haa conducted the first ever yak herders primary cooperative formation training from 27-30 March as per the guiding principles set by the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives

(DAMC) with resource persons from Paro Dzongkhag, DAMC, National Highland Research & Development Centre (NHR&DC) and DLS.

The objective of the training was to form yak herders primary cooperative for effective rangeland utilisation in the region to enhance sustainable yak husbandry.

The transboundary Kangchenjun-ga Landscape (KL) in the eastern Himalaya is shared by Bhutan, India and Nepal. Yak herding cul-ture and economy have connected this landscape for centuries. How-ever low returns associated with lack of socio-economic develop-ment besides issues around cli-mate change is leading to gradual

With the objective to increase dairy product diversification and improve marketing value chain, the two operating dairy farmer groups namely, Tangmachu and Minjey consisting of 82 participants were trained on dairy processing and product diversification. During the entire training, farmers attended a practical session on processing of yoghurt, lassi and paneer.

“Out of many training we attended, today’s training program is practical one and useful for making organic and local yoghurt, lessi and paneer. With this training, our group will be able to generate more income through diversifying the dairy products which can be easily sold at local markets.

decline in yak farming across the landscape.

ICIMOD through its Kangchen-junga Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative (KL-CDI) initiated policy dialogue for the KL member countries for col-lective action in addressing these common challenges faced by the yak herders.