14 June 2023: Currently happening, the sensitization workshop on Biodiversity Rules and Regulations 2023 of the Biodiversity Act of Bhutan 2022 is being currently carried out in Gelephu for the enforcement agencies and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Checkpoints. A total of 15 participants from Royal Bhutan Police, Bhutan Food and Drug Authority, Regional Revenue and Customs Office and Regional Immigration Office are participating the workshop, similar workshops will be conducted in Phuentsholing and Samtse in the coming days.
12th June 2023: The sensitization workshop on Biodiversity Rules and Regulations 2023 of the Biodiversity Act of Bhutan 2022 have begun in the southern region of the Country. The first workshop of the south was successfully carried out in Samdrup Jongkhar for relevant stakeholders for the enforcement agencies and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Checkpoints. A total of 24 participants representing Royal Bhutan Police, Department of Forests and Park Services, Bhutan Food & Drug Authority, Department of Immigration and Department of Revenue and Customs participated in the workshop, similar workshops will be conducted in Gelephu, Phuentsholing and Samtse in the coming days.
On 9th June 2023, the National Biodiversity Center conducted an “Interactive Session” with the Farmers of Samar Gewog, Haa Dzongkhag. This “Interactive Session” was conducted as a part of ongoing study on Seed System in Bhutan under the project “Biodiversity for Opportunity, Livelihood and Development (BOLD)-Work Package (WP3) supported by the Crop Trust and Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Seed security is one among many other important factors to contribute to food and nutrition security. Therefore, the objective of the Study on Seed System is to understand the functioning of Seed System in Bhutan.
The “Interactive Session” was attended by the Gup, Administration Officer and representative farmers from 5 Chiwogs viz. Dorikha Langjogang, Langpa Norbugang, Balamnang, Jenkanang Pudunang and Sharri.
Under this study on Seed systems, the “Interactive Sessions” are being conducted with all the key organizations, institutions, individuals that are involved in works related to seeds viz. from maintaining crop diversity, plant breeding, evaluation, selection, release, multiplication, seed dissemination, cultivation etc.
With this, the NBC completed Interactive Session with 25 stakeholders/actors involved in the works related to seeds. There are still about eight stakeholders to be covered under this study.
The information will be documented, collated, analyzed and synthesized to understand the functioning of the Seed System and develop a Theories of Change which will serve as inputs for the development of the Main project to strengthen the Seed System in Bhutan.
National Biodiversity Centre and Dzedokha Phacheng Detshen: On 8th June 2023, the National Biodiversity Center in the presence of Gewog Administration (Gup, Mangmi & Gewog Administration Officer) and Gewog Agriculture Extension Officer officially handed over the Natural Product Development Facility to the Dzedokha Phacheng Detshen.
The National Biodiversity Centre being the National Focal Point for Nagoya Protocol on Access & Benefit Sharing (ABS) implemented Nagoya Protocol project in 2014 in partnership with UNDP-Bhutan and Dzedokha Phacheng Detshen for sustainable utilization and conservation of the Zingiber cassumnar locally called ‘phacheng’. Total of three projects were initiated with the primary objective of piloting ABS. Of the three, the Dzedokha Phacheng Detshen group focused on utilizing Traditional Knowledge associated with Zingiber cassumunar.
Dzedokha is located in the southern part of Bhutan under the Loggchina gewog. The gewog consists of 5 Chiwogs with a population of little over 2500. Dzedokha Chiwog was chosen as the site to implement the project based on participatory Rural Appraisal.
The main source of income for the community was from citrus, cardamom and ginger. However, due to emergence of pests and diseases in citrus and cardamom their only source of stable income was reduced to ginger. Therefore, to diversity economic opportunities the project worked a zingiber cassumunar to diversify the income . The wild ginger, locally known as ‘Phachang’ has traditionally been used by local communities of Loggchina to alleviate joint and muscle pain for generations. After, phytochemical analysis the essential oil revealed valuable compounds responsible for analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic activity. Therefore, the farmers’ group ‘Dzedokha Phachang Detshen’ was established consisting of 49 members and ‘ZHINOR’ massage was produced as a massage balm and liniment.
The communities are trained on sustainable cultivation, processing and extraction, product development, packaging and marketing including group management and a Natural Product Development Facility was also established at Dzedokha village. The Natural Product development facility is equipped with a mass distillation unit and a product development room.
The Centre is confident that the facility at the community’s disposal will foster more community engagement and ensure optimal utilization of the resources for progressive development of the community, hence the Centre deems fit to hand over the facility to the community to engage them in income generating activity and for sustainable management of TK associated genetic resources.
