Category: Biodiversity News

The Bhutan Biodiversity Portal (www.biodiversity.bt ) was officially launched on 17^th 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.

Bhutan has ratified International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), 2003. In order to strengthen national capacity to implement ITPGRFA, Bhutan is in the process of implementing project entitled ‘Strengthening National Capacity to implement ITPGRFA’ funded by Bioversity International.

There are five themes under this project and theme 5 of above project deals with studies on ‘Future levels of interdependence due to climate change’.

This theme involves the use of range of programs including but not limited to DIVA GIS, Maxent and climate modeling tools, sourcing identified germplasm, field trials of selected varieties and providing access to locally adapted and improved seeds to help farming communities to cope with the effects of climate change.

The Training Workshop on ‘Resilient seed systems: tools and techniques for climate change adaptation commenced from 26^th to 28^th November 2013.

This training is targeted to stakeholders who are involved in Plant Genetic Resources conservation and those stakeholders involved in selection, evaluation and utilization of various germplasm through varietal trails. The training is participated by 28 participants from Nepal and Bhutan.

The objectives of Training workshop is to strengthen technical capacity of stakeholders on Resilient Seed Systems that include  DIVA GIS, Maxent and Climate Analogue tools for its application in conservation, evaluation and utilization crop varieties.

These climate analogue tools will help the researchers and policy makers to plan for a resilient farming system in the face of climate change.

The training is organized by National Biodiversity Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, with technical and financial support from the Bioversity International based in Rome and New Delhi.

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.