National Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (NBSAP)

21^st – 22^nd July: A two-day National Stakeholder Consultation Workshop was held  from 21^st to 22^nd July 2014 at the National Institute of Traditional Medicine (NITM) hall, Thimphu, to discuss the draft National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (NBSAP). The workshop was organized by the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), Serbithang with technical support from the National Task Force for the revision of NBSAP.

Participants for the workshop

The draft NBSAP is the outcome of a series of meetings and consultative workshops, including three at the regional level, carried out by the task force members over a period of more than two years. The current draft NBSAP is the 3^rd revision of the Biodiversity Action Plan, in keeping with the principle of maintaining a “living” document which takes into account the changing needs and priorities of the country in biodiversity management. It also demonstrates the national commitment to global efforts in biodiversity management by aligning the national targets with the global Aichi Biodiversity targets, which was endorsed by the Heads of the countries in 2010 during the 10^th COP at Nagoya, Japan.

The National Stakeholder workshop was aimed at receiving critical feedback on the draft NBSAP in order to deliver a realistic and implementable action plan. It was also to ensure that relevant issues and stakeholder concerns were adequately captured and addressed in the action plan since the NBSAP, once endorsed by the government will become a national guiding document for biodiversity management in the country.

More than 30 participants attended the workshop representing the Department of Forests and Park Services, Department of Livestock, Department of Agriculture Marketing and Cooperatives (DAMC), Council of RNR-Research (CoRRB), Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Services, National Soil Services Centre, National Plant Protection Centre, National Organic Program, RNR-RDC, Yusipang and Darla, Information and Communication Services (ICS) and the Policy and Planning Division, MoAF. Other participants included the SAARC Forestry Centre, National Environment Commission Secretariat (NECS), Menjong Sorig Pharmaceuticals, BTFEC, UNDP, SGP-GEF, WWF-Bhutan Program, RSPN and Green Public Procurement Project (GPP).