Consultation Workshop

Consultation Workshop | Reviving Fallow Lands & Expanding Rural Biogas Units | 10+
Million Trees by 2030 & 10,000 Biogas Units

Bhutan Ecological Society, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (DoA) and
Department of Livestock (DoL) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) is
hosting a 2-day consultation workshop on Reviving Fallow Lands and Expanding Rural Biogas
Units from 19th to 20th August, 2024 for Samdrupjongkhar and Pemagatshel Dzongkhags at
Samdrupjongkhar.

The workshop aims to estimate the extent of fallow lands and co-develop plan for phased fallow land restoration and improve homestead farms with high value fruit and wild trees from 2025 to 2030. A comprehensive value chain development of some of the key fruit species will also be discussed with the stakeholders.

Realizing the great potential for enhancing farmers’ livelihood and access to clean energy,
besides other environmental co-benefits, we plan to scale up rural biogas units. About 10,000
units of high efficiency bio-digesters “Sistema. Bio” is targeted to be installed in interested
households over the next two years on a cost sharing basis.
We will discuss the prospects of rolling out the state-of-the-art rural biogas units for interested
farmers of Pemagatshel and Samdrupjongkhar.

Key partners and stakeholders from the Department of Livestock, Department of Agriculture,
Department of Forest and Park Services, Dzongkhag Thrizins and Dzongkhag Sectors Heads are
attending the two days consultative workshop. Hon’ble Dasho Tashi Wangmo, Dzongda of
Samdrupjongkhar graced the opening session.

Similar workshop is being planned for other eastern dzongkhags Trashigang, Trashiyangtse,
Mongar and Lhuntse from 22nd to 23rd August, 2024.

The consultation workshop is supported by Bhutan Foundation and Conservation International as
part of the “The Great People’s Forests of Eastern Himalayas” initiative