The National Biodiversity Centre is pleased to call airfare quotation for the following sectors:
Bangkok-Paro-Bangkok
The quotation should be faxed to the office at -2-351219 or e-mailed to pemled12@gmail.com by 3rd Feb, 2014. The rates will be evaluated on the same day at 2:30pm. The quoted rate should be valid for at least three months.
Program Director
The National Biodiversity Centre in collaboration with the Dzongkhag Agriculture Sector Dagana and RNR-RDC Bajo organized a one-day Biodiversity Fair at Dagapela Middle Secondary School on 30th December 2013. The Fair was participated by 119 farmer representatives from various gewogs of Dagana Dzongkhag. The Sector heads, extension agents and gups from nearby gewogs also participated in the Fair. The Chief Guest, Dagana Dzongdhag inaugurated the Fair and briefed the farmers and participants on the importance of agro-biodiversity and food security. The Fair was organized to stimulate farmers to maintain crop diversity in their fields and provide them with opportunity to exchange seeds and knowledge and obtain more information about crops and the diversity in the Dzongkhag.
During the Fair, farmers displayed their seeds and exchanged among farmer groups from different gewogs. The organizers recorded and evaluated the diversity to find out the farmers maintaining the highest diversity. In recognition
of maintaining the highest diversity and to encourage farmers to maintain diversity, agricultural tools and implements were awarded as prizes. Mr. Krishna Bahadur Katwal from Kana Gewog received the first prize for crop diversity with 50 varieties grown on his farm, while Mr. Krishna Prasad Gurung from Gesarling gewog received the second prize for maintaining forty four varieties of different crops. Ms. Som Maya Bhawal of Tsendagang Gewog took the third prize with 42 varieties. All the participating farmers were also awarded agricultural tools and implements as incentives for their efforts as custodians of agro-biodiversity.
The Fair was supported through the on-farm conservation projects funded by International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), and South East Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE).
Such events are regularly organized by the National Biodiversity Centre and its partners as part of the on-farm conservation program. It provides a platform for exchanging seeds and knowledge amongst different farming communities and creates awareness on the importance of maintaining crop diversity and conservation efforts in the country.
Interested candidate within the age of 18-40 years can apply for the post of Gardener at Royal Botanical Garden (Elementary Services Personal) to the above office latest by 13th January, 2013 along with the following documents.
Selection interview will be held on 14th January, 2013 at 10 am.
For details contact: – 02351218
Program Director.
The Bhutan Biodiversity Portal (www.biodiversity.bt ) was officially launched on 17th December, 2013 by Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji, Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests at Namgay Heritage Hotel, Thimphu. The launch was attended by Dasho Paljor J. Dorji, President of the Bhutan Ecological Society and Special Advisor to the National Environment Commission, Dasho Sherub Gyeltshen, Honourable Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Director General, DoA, Executive Director, BAFRA, Program Director, ICS, and heads of the agencies within and outside MoAF including Director, WWF-Bhutan, Director, RSPN and, representatives from all the key biodiversity agencies in the country.
The Bhutan Biodiversity Portal (BBP) is an official on-line repository of Bhutan’s biodiversity, aiming to provide the most updated and comprehensive information on Bhutan’s biodiversity through a single window. It is developed and managed by a consortium of key biodiversity data-generating agencies in the country namely the National Biodiversity Centre, Department of Forests and Park Services represented by the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment, the Wildlife Conservation Division and RNR-RDC, Yusipang as well as the College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan and ICT technical partner- Information and Communication Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. Outside the country, the BBP’s key technical partner is the India Biodiversity Portal.
In addition to providing curated and updated information on Bhutan’s biodiversity through the species page, the portal also has features to promote citizen participation in documenting and understanding the biodiversity of Bhutan. Simply by registering in the portal, anyone can contribute their observation and sightings of any taxa of biodiversity in the form of pictures or videos. These observation records will be aggregated in the portal, which will enable spatial and temporal assessment of our biodiversity in the long run. It also has features to upload and store any publications related to biodiversity of Bhutan, thereby giving easy access to literature on Bhutan’s biodiversity. This citizen science module is expected to accelerate the process of documenting the country’s biodiversity as well as increase awareness and inculcate love for nature and science amongst Bhutanese citizens, especially the youth.
Concurrent to the launch of the Bhutan Biodiversity Portal, the Honourable Minister also released a music video celebrating the rich agro-biodiversity resources of Bhutan and a pictorial book of the ornamental plants and orchids of the Royal Botanical Garden, NBC, Serbithang. The MTV can be accessed through the portal and the book can be purchased at Nu.500 from the Royal Botanical Garden.
The launch ended with the Chief Guest and other distinguished guests, registering as members of the Bhutan Biodiversity Portal.
For details please visit www.biodiversity.bt.