• RNRNewsletter

A bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

Vol. VII Issue No. XVII www.moaf.gov.bt 1 - 15 November 2019

INSIDE LUC Tsendung making

good progress with integrated farming

Page 3

The Ministry's Week

Page 6

A Contract farming by a group of Youth begins in TrashigangARDC Wengkhar

Around 16.5 acre pine apple and chilli plantation by 5 youths for Bhutan Agro Industries was inaugurated on 9th Nov 2019 by HRH, The Gyaltshab at Marpheng, Kanglung Trashigang.

The Marpheng Youth Commercial Organic Farm (MYCF) is one of commercial farming site for youths under His Majesty’s People Project initiated by the Office of Performance Management, HMS and implemented by Trashigang Dzongkhag and ARDC Wengkhar, DoA MoAF on land granted through Land Use Certificate (LUC).

Cont...on Pg 4

1 - 15 November 20192 RNRNEWSLETTERA bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

Cont...from Pg 1

MYCF is funded jointly with support from OGZ/NLC/ MoF, Credit investment by Youth from BoB, Equity contribution from BAIL and DoA, MoAF ( CARLEP - IFAD support to ARDC Wengkhar, MoLHR stipend GES and machinery support from CMU, DoA MoAF.

Total estimated cost of the project is Nu. 11 million.

1-15 November 2019 3RNRNEWSLETTERA bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

Cont...on Pg 4

LUC Tsendung making good progress with integrated farmingARDC Wengkhar

Land Use Certificate ( LUC) Tsendung, Yangtse with 8 youths making good progress with integrated farm-ing - Poultry, vegetables, mushroom. Other crops such as pear, sweet buckwheat and asparagus are under cultivation. The crop cultivation and poultry farming is supported by Yangtse Dzongkhag with funds from RGOB and CARLEP-IFAD program to Dzongkhag and ARDC Wengkhar.

LUC Tsendung is one of the Youth Project as a part of His Majesty’s People Project initiative with 14 acres land granted under Land Use Certificate Program and establishment fund provided last year through LUC fund.

LUC Tsendung now earns about a Nu. 100,000 every month from the sale of farm produces mainly eggs, vegetables and mushroom.

1 - 15 November 20194 RNRNEWSLETTERA bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

Cont...from Pg 3

More pictures for integrated farming

1-15 November 2019 5RNRNEWSLETTERA bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

Please submit your articles for RNR-Newsletter at communication@moaf.gov.bt

JOKESFamily Ranch

Two sisters, one blonde and one brunette, inherit the family ranch in 1875. Unfortunately, after just a few years, they are in financial trouble. In order to keep the bank from repossessing the ranch, they need to purchase a bull so that they can breed their own stock. Upon leaving for another ranch to check on the possibility of buying a bull, the brunette tells her sister, When I get there, if I decide to buy the bull, I'll contact you to drive out after me and haul it home. The brunette arrives at the man's ranch, inspects the bull, and decides she wants to buy it. The man tells her that he will sell it for $499.

After paying him, she drives to the nearest town to send her sister a telegram to tell her the news. She walks into the telegraph office, and says, I want to send a telegram to my sister telling her that I've bought a bull for our ranch. I need her to hitch the trailer to our pickup truck and drive out here so we can haul it home. The telegraph operator explains that he'll be glad to help her, then adds, It's just 99 cents a word. Well, after paying for the bull, the brunette only has $1 left. She realizes that she'll only be able to send her sister one word. After thinking for a few minutes, she nods, and says, I want you to send her the word comfortable. The operator shakes his head. How is she ever going to know that you want her to hitch the trailer to your pickup truck and drive out here to haul that bull back to your ranch if you send her the word, comfortable? The brunette explains, My sister's blonde. The word's big. She'll read it real slow (com-for-da-bull)

The import conditions may vary from one consignment to another depending upon the consignment and the country of origin, the general requirements are:

1. Imported plants and plant products shall regulate and inspected.

2. The consignment must be free from soil and weed seeds.

3. The consignment must be accompanied by an official Phytosanitary certificate with endorsement from competent agency of the exporting country.

4. The planting materials should be packed with the permitted package materials as provided in Plant Quarantine rules 2003.

5. Can import only those plant species that are released by the Technology released committee which is comprised by competent heads of related agency and department under MoAF.

6. The consignment should be imported only through declare entry point since the imported consignment may be subjected to quarantine measures depending upon the conditions stated in the import permit.

7. The importer should provide necessary information for the import permit for ornamental, seeds and plant and planting materials as required in import application form. http://www.bafra.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Application-form-for-import-of-ornamentals.pdf

Import Procedures for Plant/Plant Products

1 - 15 November 20196 RNRNEWSLETTERA bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

White-bellied Heron sighted at Dagachhu Dam Site

Published by:Information and Communication Technology Division (ICTD)Ministry of Agriculture and Forests Post Box: 1095, Thimphu-BhutanTel. (PABX): 02-323765/321142Fax: 02-324520Email: ictd@moaf.gov.btWebsite: www.moaf.gov.bt

Fourth National Codex Committee Meeting

Extensions agents learn dairy post production technologies

The Ministry's week

The fourth National Codex Committee (NCC) meeting was held on October 31 under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Agriculture Secretary, Dasho Rinzin Dorji. The meeting was held to endorse the revised Codex Procedural Manual for Bhutan and get the approval for formulation of 11 technical regulations for prioritised food and agricultural commodities.

Two White-bellied Herons (WBH) were sighted at Dagachhu Hydro Power dam site on October 22 at around 10:32:01 am when a team comprising of officials from Dagana Forest Division and Dagachhu Hydro Power Corporation (DHPC) visited the dam site at Gewthang under Kana gewog for inspection of sand deposit. However, the team couldn’t take the picture as the

Twenty extension agents from GEF project areas of Wangdue, Tsirang, Haa, Paro, Punakha and Thimphu attended a training, ‘Capacity enhancement on Dairy Post Production Technologies (Farm-To-Table)’ with theory and hands on practical production of yogurt, paneer, rasgulla and mozzarella.

The theory session was conducted

birds shied away or flew away to inaccessible areas.

The forestry officials requested DHPC to monitor the bird through the management’s closed-circuit television camera installed at the dam site for security purpose. On October 31, DHPC while checking the footage found the image of WBH being captured on October 28 at around 08:50:56 am at the same site.

In his opening remarks, the chair highlighted the importance of NCC to perform its functions towards fulfilling the mandates as per Food Act of Bhutan 2005 and contributing to the works of Codex Alimentarius Commission. He reminded the members on the roles and responsibilities of NCC as technical advisory committee on the matters related to food safety and standards.

at the Regional Livestock Development Centre (RLDC), Wangdue while the practical session was held at the milk processing unit in Kuruthang, Punkaha.

The National Dairy Research and Development Centre, Yusipang and RLDC-Wangdue organised the training with fund from GEF-LDCF.