Consultation Meeting Highlights Bhutan’s Bioprospecting and ABS Initiatives

A consultation meeting was held with participants from the SAFE Forest Ecopreneur Programme and a team from the Loden Foundation to improve understanding of Bhutan’s bioprospecting (BP) and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) initiatives. The participants came from different entrepreneurial journey such as Yoering-ma, Argro Organic Innovation, Griva BAMBOO & Carbon, igyel Enterprise, SER, Dragon Harvest, YOEBAR, SHE-CYCLE Solutions, Mushroom Home and GU-MAR.

The session started with a breif introduction, where participants shared their work and experiences. One of the main parts of the meeting was a presentation on Bhutan’s bioprospecting and ABS framework highlighting Bhutan’s rich biodiversity and traditional knowledge as valuable resources that can support growth in the global bioeconomy.

The session further explained how ABS is being implemented in Bhutan, including the rules, processes, and institutions involved in accessing biological resources.

During the discussion, the importance of sharing benefits fairly with local communities was strongly emphasized. Participants showed great interest in using the ABS framework to improve the value and sustainability of their products.

The meeting provided a useful platform for sharing knowledge, building connections, and encouraging partnership between entrepreneurs, researchers, and institutions. It also reflected Bhutan’s commitment to developing a bioeconomy that is not only economically beneficial but also fair to communities and respectful of the environment.