Author: NBC

The National Biodiversity Centre took part in one-day Food festival/exhibition on the theme “Food Diversity and Exchange-The Way to Rural Development” at Royal Institute for Tourism and Hospitality (RITH) on 29^th October 2013 at RITH, Motithang.

The objectives of NBC’s participation were:

• To create awareness amongst the policy makers on the extent of local/traditional crop and animal diversity we have in Bhutan.
• To convey the message that ‘agro-biodiversity is important for food diversity’.
• To create awareness to tourism and hospitality sector as agrobiodiversity is a resources  base to diversify products for tourism sector
• To promote agro-eco tourism

It was jointly organized by Department of Agriculture Marketing and Cooperative (DAMC) and Royal Institute for Tourism and Hospitality (RITH). The objective of the festival was to showcase the Bhutanese cuisines and products to outside world.

The program was graced by Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests as a chief guest. Other dignitaries present were Oposition Leader, Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Hon’ble Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Vice Chancellor, Royal University of Bhutan, Member of Parliament, representatives from College of Natural Resources, representatives from tourism affiliated hotels and representative from Portland wine industries.

Prior to exhibition, different authors from Bhutan and France presented their thematic papers on food diversity and exchange. The papers include Food Diversity and Exchange: Sharing the French experience, Geographical food: A future for Humanity, Food and Culture in Bhutan, Bhutanese Food: Opportunities for Innovation and Creativity and Bhutanese Food Diversity.

Different food items developed by RITH, wine, jam, pickles from National Post Harvest and France, buckwheat products from Bumthang, local brew “Araa” from different region and agro-biodiversity from national Biodiversity were display items during the Food festival.

The guests were all full of excitement testing all the food items displayed and expressed their feeling of contentment. Moreover, the hoteliers had an opportunity to directly contact with the local producers and opened market for certain commodities. They also scanned their eyes over the exhibits of NBC and appreciated the diversity. The jubilant joyous program came to an end at around 7.30 pm.

The stakeholder consultation workshop for the revision of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) was held for the western region from 17^th to 18^th October 2013 at the National Biodiversity Centre, Serbithang. This is first of the series of consultation workshops that will be held throughout the country.

About 35 participants representing livestock, agriculture, forestry sector and environment from the western dzongkhags of Haa, Paro, Punakha, Wangdue Phodrang, Thimphu, Gasa and Chukha and Forests Division Office of Thimphu, Paro and Wangdue participated in the workshop.

This consultation workshop was organized with the objective to gather and discuss ground issues, challenges and priorities to be incorporated into the national document. It was also with the aim to formulate a NBSAP that will be practical, realistic and implementable by all concerned stakeholder agencies.

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action plan (NBSAP), commonly known as Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) in Bhutan, is a strategic document which provide framework of action to enhance and ensure the productivity, diversity and integrity of biodiversity and natural systems. It is also one of the instruments to implement the objectives of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to which Bhutan became a party in 1995.

The first Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP I) was formulated in 1998 and since then, in order to address the changing needs and priorities, as well as to monitor the progress made, the BAP was revised twice, in 2002 (BAP II) and 2009 (BAP III).

The current revision of NBSAP/BAP is undertaken to address the gaps in conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of biodiversity, bearing in mind the emerging needs and challenges that the country faces. It is also in line with the global effort to achieve the 2020 Global Biodiversity Targets, which were adopted in 2010 by the 10^th Conference of the Parties, after the world at large failed to meet the 2010 Targets.

Starting from 17^th of October 2013, a two days stakeholder consultation workshop for western region on the revision of NBSAP is under way at National Biodiversity Centre, Serbithang. This is the first of the regional consultation series planned for the revision of NBSAP.

The National Biodiversity Centre is hosting a three day Program Management Committee (PMC) Meeting for the On-farm Conservation Program at the Namgay Heritage Hotel from 8^th October to 10^th October 2013. The On-farm conservation Project titled “Biodiversity use and Conservation in Asia Program (BUCAP)” is supported through the South East Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE) based in the Philippines. It is implemented in six countries namely the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Bhutan. Eighteen participants from the project implementing countries are taking part in the meeting.

The project focus is on the conservation, development and sustainable use of our crop genetic resources in the region. In view of the fact that conservation and sustainable utilization of crop genetic resources is a collective responsibility of all the nations in the region, SEARICE is committed to strengthen cooperation among the nations in the region and enhance the institutional linkages to support on-farm conservation programs.

Throughout the implementation of this project for the last three phases spanning a decade in the country, the project has greatly benefited farmers through capacity building in seed selection and yield improvement, value addition and access to market, and enabling farmers’ access to adapted varieties. It has also provided support for the capacity-building of research and extension collaborators, and project staff through trainings, workshops/ seminars and study visits.

Further, the project has played a vital role in strengthening institutional linkages between relevant institutions involved in on-farm conservation and sustainable utilization activities at national as well as regional and global forums.

The current meeting is organized to assess the project activities and accomplishments in the six countries and also to share lessons and outcomes of the project as well as to deliberate on the way forward.