The Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) Program was initiated in 2005 with a mandate to oversee ex situ and in situ conservation and sustainable utilization of AnGR in the country. The program has steadily grown in capabilities in animal gene banking, coordination and technical backstopping of in situ conservation and sustainable utilization activities of prioritized AnGR over the course of a decade. After the implementation of the Type Three project supported by the SDS fund in 2005, it was followed by the Integrated Livestock and Crop Conservation Project (ILCCP) funded by UNDP-GEF in the 10th FYP, which also upgraded the National Animal Genebank to a fully functional facility as well as supporting on farm conservation initiatives. Recent projects included the High Altitude Northern Areas of Bhutan (HANAS) project through World Bank-BTFEC support and the Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (AFACI) project which focused on on-farm conservation of Jakar sheep and value addition and improvement of AnGR in Bhutan respectively. Further, the protocol for cryopreservation of semen at the National Animal Genebank was validated through technical support from UNDP and FAO in 2011. Reports on the State of Animal Genetic Resources for food and agriculture were submitted to FAO towards formulating the Global Plan of Action for animal genetic resources in 2009 and 2010. The program is responsible for the management and collection of AnGR data (DAD-IS) and reporting on the state of AnGR in Bhutan to FAO. The Program also has a fully equipped DNA laboratory to undertake basic molecular research and refers samples for advanced genetic studies to the Animal Genetic Resources Research Center, National Institute of Animal Science and the Macrogen Inc. in Korea and the Laboratory of Racing Chemistry and the Kyoto University in Japan.