Category: Biodiversity News

Friday, October 20^th, 2017: A seminar on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and legal framework with an emphasis on Biodiversity conservation for RITH students were held at NBC conference hall on 20^th October 2017. The objective of the seminar mainly aimed at creating awareness on the biodiversity conservation and its sustainable utilization.

Group photo with the participants

The seminar covered an overview of the national and international conventions, protocols and legal framework on biodiversity such as United Nations Convention in Biological Diversity (CBD), Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, Access and Benefit Sharing Policy of Bhutan 2015 and the Access and Benefit Sharing regime adopted in the country.

The students were also briefed on the different programs and activities carried out by the National Biodiversity Centre and were introduced to Bhutan Biodiversity Portal, which act as an online biodiversity repository contributed by the biodiversity enthusiasts. The seminar was attended by 25 students and 3 faculty members. The seminar was supported by Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund implemented by the National Biodiversity Centre in collaboration with UNDP Bhutan.

Submitted by: National Biodiversity Center.

October 13, Thimphu: The Project Management Unit of Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF) Project in partnership with BioBhutan, Menjong Sorig Pharmaceuticals and UNDP CO coordinated a half day field visit of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) Members of the NPIF Project to the natural product development sites at Kawangjangsa and Begana as part of the ongoing GEF funded project “Implementing the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing in Bhutan”.

The field visit was aimed at providing the PSC members with hand-on experiences on natural product development processes as well as to connect and interact with the local communities involved in the value chain. Further, it is also to serve as a platform for the PSC members to monitor and guide the project activities.

The PSC members led by the Chairperson, Dasho Secretary, MoAF were provided with a brief tour of the product manufacturing facilities at Menjong Sorig Pharmaceuticals, Kawajangsa. The tour also included a short demo on the development of natural products at the laboratory by Menjong Sorig Pharmaceuticals and National Biodiversity Centre with regard to their respective products under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) schemes initiated by the project.

At Begana, the team visited the steam distillation facility of Biobhutan and interacted with the Jom Dagam Ngomen Tshogpa of Dagala community who supplies Rhododendron anthopogon to BioBhutan for distillation of its essential oil to develop various natural products under the ABS schemes. The Chairperson of the PSC, also expressed his appreciation to the Jom Dagam Ngomen Tshogpa members for their level of awareness on conservation and sustainable management of biological resources and advised them to continue their strong efforts towards strengthen conservation initiatives of the Ministry.

The visit ended with exhibition of the products developed by BioBhutan with support from the Jom Dagam Ngomen Tshogpa through the ABS initiatives.

Submitted by: National Biodiversity Centre.

A day long workshop on “Understanding the Seed System in Bhutan” was conducted by National Biodiversity Center on 28^th September 2017 at Metta Resort, Paro. The workshop was attended by 26 participants from the Department of Agriculture, Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority, Bhutan Alpine Seeds, Department of Forest and Park Services, RDC Yusipang, RDC Bajo, Legal Unit- MoAF, FAO-Bhutan, Royal University of Bhutan, UNDP CO, College of Natural Resources and National Biodiversity Centre.

The Primary objective of the workshop was to create a better understanding of the National Seed System, Plant Variety Protection and Plant Breeding in Bhutan amongst the participants.

The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Thomas Osborn, Senior Technical Advisor at FAO’s Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Services and was funded by Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund Project.

Submitted by: National Biodiversity Centre.

The National Biodiversity Center (NBC) in collaboration with Bioversity International conducted a one day capacity building tandem workshop on “Mutually Implementation of Nagoya Protocol (NP) and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)” on 29^th September 2017 at Metta Resort, Paro.

The workshop was attended by twenty three participants from the Department of Agriculture, Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority, Bhutan Alpine Seeds, Department of Forest and Park Services, RDC Yusipang, RDC Bajo, Legal Unit- MoAF, Royal University of Bhutan, UNDP CO, College of Natural Resources and National Biodiversity Centre.

The main aim of the workshop was to build national capacity and share knowledge on mutually supportive implementation interface between the NP and ITPGRFA in the context of broader national policy goals as well as to identify the core issues of the interface of the ITPGRFA and the NP. Presentations on seed system, ways to strengthen national capacity to implement the ITPGRFA and mutually supportive implementation of the Plant Treaty and Nagoya Protocol were one of the highlights of the workshop which was followed by case studies.

The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Ronnie Vernooy, Genetic Resources Policy Specialist, Bioversity International and jointly funded by Nagoya Protocol Implementation Framework Project & Bioversity International.

Submitted by: National Biodiversity Centre.