Stakeholders’ Consultation Workshop on Phase II of the Biodiversity for Opportunity, Livelihood and Development (BOLD) – Work Package 3: Enhancing Seed and Food Security through a Resilient Seed System in Bhutan
On 19th June 2025, the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC) and the Department of Agriculture (DoA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock jointly organized a Stakeholders’ Consultation Workshop on Phase II of the Biodiversity for Opportunity, Livelihood and Development (BOLD) – Work Package 3. The workshop, held at Jambayang Resort in Thimphu, focused on strengthening a Resilient Seed System to enhance seed and food security in Bhutan.
Objectives of the Workshop:
The primary goals of the consultation workshop were to:
- Present background information on the BOLD Work Package 3 – Seed System Research Phase Project.
- Share details of the Main/Pilot Project (Phase II) on developing a Resilient Seed System to ensure seed and food security in Bhutan that was developed based on the Interactive sessions with the seed stakeholders in 2023 and Round Table Workshop in 2024 and with technical support from the Technical Resource Person from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences..
- Collect and incorporate feedback from stakeholders involved in the seed sector on the proposed activities under Phase II.
Participation:
The Round Table Workshop brought together 23 participants from diverse institutions and sectors associated with seed systems, including:
- Department of Agriculture (DoA)
- Agriculture Research and Development Centres (ARDCs) in Bajo and Samteling
- National Centre for Organic Agriculture
- National Seed Centre
- Dzongkhag Agriculture Sectors of Bumthang, Trashigang, and Samdrup Jongkhar
- Bhutan Food and Drug Regulatory Authority
- College of Natural Resources
- Representatives from the private seed sector, such as Bhutan Alpine Seed and Green Horti
- Officials from the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC)
Key Outcomes:
The workshop resulted in several important outcomes:
- Increased awareness among stakeholders regarding the critical role of a resilient seed system in achieving food and nutritional security.
- Dissemination of results from Phase I of the BOLD–Seed System Research Project, highlighting research findings and progress.
- Presentation of a Draft Project Proposal outlining a range of activities for implementing a resilient seed system in Bhutan under Phase II.
- Stakeholder feedback was actively solicited during the workshop and has since been integrated into the finalized proposal for Phase II.
