•RNRNewsletter

A bimonthly publication of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests

Vol. VII Issue No. VI www.moaf.gov.bt 1- 15 May 2019

INSIDE Bio-digester for nutrient

management in organic farming

Page 3

The Ministry's Week

Page 6

CHBPP and CAIT Programme: A Symbiotic Package for Dairy Development Initiative in

TrongsaBy Dzongkhag Livestock Sector, Trongsa

Cont...on Pg 2

A month long training programme on Community based AI Technician (CAIT) concluded in Langthel, Trongsa on 23rd May, 2019 which was organized by the Dzongkhag Livestock Sector in collaboration with the National Dairy Research and Development Centre (NDRDC), Yusipang. Theoretical and practical evaluations were conducted and cash prizes awarded for those excelling in both the fields.

Trongsa envisions to become

Participants with Chief Guest and Other officials

A participant trying to locate cervix

a “socio-economically vibrant Dzongkhag, living in harmony with Nature” according to its 12th Five Year Plan document, 2019-2023. The Dzongkhag Livestock Sector has no less part to play in realizing the vision and therefore, reaffirms its commitment and dedication to the sacred duty.

Among the multitude of avenues available for carrying forward the mandates of the Department of Livestock and, the sector in particular, Dairy sub-sector

which has traditionally remained as the most important farming activity, is being re-prioritized on a whole new level. Many farmers have benefited from the variety of technologies disseminated to improve dairy production, among which Artificial Insemination (AI) has been the driving force for breed improvement although, natural service continues to fulfill the requirement in areas where AI is not feasible.

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

Cont...from Pg 1

Participants

A makeshift practical Training Center

A CHBPP programme under full swing

A total of ten participants selected from various Dairy Farmers Groups (DFGs) took part in the training programme, who will henceforth, perform AIs in their respective areas which are otherwise difficult to cover by the Geog Extension Centres.

The AI Centres in Beyling and Nimshong under Langthel and Korphu geogs respectively, which remained closed for years, shall start providing services to benefit the communities, and especially those operating the MPUs are expected to gain most out of it.

Few interested staff from the sector also took the opportunity to learn the technique by actively engaging throughout the programme. The Langthel Geog Extension Incharge, Mr. Sangay Tempa inseminated his first two cows immediately after the training.

The sector also initiated the Contract Heifer and Bull Production Programme (CHBPP) in the three geogs of Drakteng, Langthel and Korphu. With this, the programme now covers all the five geogs in the Dzongkhag. A total of 66 households and 82 animals were registered under the programme.

Mr. Lokay Thapa and Mr. Yuvraj Giri from NDRDC and Mr. Tashi Penden from Brown Swiss Cattle Farm (BSCF) implemented the programme in coordination with Mr. L.B. Rai from Dzongkhag Livestock Sector.

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

Bio-digester for nutrient management in organic farming

Bio-digester is waterproof containers made using bricks and cement to ferment the biomass that are available in the farm. Making manure from weeds and other plants available in the field provides a cheap and effective way of increasing and maintaining nutrient in the soil. The liquid can also be used for controlling the pest and disease in all the crops.

Ingredients

• Green plants (weeds, waste plant that have no use etc)

• Animal manure

• Cattle Urine

Preparation Methods

• An effective brew is made from green plants.

• Combination of tree leaves, grasses and soft and hard weeds will result in a good mix

• The materials are filled up to the brim of the tank

• A layer of cattle manure of 15cm height is spread on the waste

• If cattle urine is available in plenty the tank can be filled with urine otherwise potable water can be used

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

How to Use

• The degradation of the materials will be completed within 30-45 days.

• The outlet of the tank at the base can be opened to collect the solution.

• One part of the solution is diluted in 10 parts of water and sprayed on the foliage of the crops.

Benefits of Bio-digester.

• To provide nutrient to crops by foliar sprays

• Help to avoid the use of synthetic chemicals like fertilizers

• The local resources can be used efficiently

• Helps to save cost in crop production

• The preparations are environmentally friendly and protects the beneficial organisms

• Helps to use the local and traditional knowledge

• Utilizes farms wastes efficiently

• Empowers the farmers to be self reliant

Main Effects

Excellent in nutrient management in vegetables and fruit crops as soil nutrient improvement and plant health improvement.

The target crop are all vegetables and fruits. The scale of application needs to be maintained with one part of the solution diluted in 10 parts of water. There is no limitation of application, can be used weekly or fortnightly on crops.

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

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

JOKES

D i d y o u k n o w ?

The two old boys go fishing in the lake

There were two old boys from Lunana who loved to fish. They wanted to do some ice fishing so off to Lunana lakes they go. The lake was frozen solid, so they stopped just before they got to the lake at a little bait shop and got all their tackle. One of them said, "We're going to need some ice picks." After they got their equipment, off they went to the lake. A couple of hours later, one of them was back at the shop and said, "We're going to need more ice picks." He paid for the picks and left. An hour later, he was back at the shop again and said, "We're going to need all the ice picks you've got." The bait man couldn't stand it any longer. "By the way," he asked, "how are you fellows doing?" "Not very well at all," the boy said. "We don't even have the stupid boat in the water yet."

• Goats and sheep don’t have teeth on their upper jaw. They have a hard palate that helps them grind their food.

• Goats are great companions for other farm animals, including horses, cows, and chickens.

• Goats were the first animal to be domesticated, according to many historians.

• The goat is among the cleanest of animals, and is a much more selective feeder than cows, sheep, pigs, chickens and even dogs. Goats do eat many different species of plants, but do not want to eat food that has been contaminated or that has been on the floor or the ground.

Damping off is a disease that occurs in nursery and when it occurs the whole nursery is destroyed within a short period of time.

Therefore, to avoid the occurence of this disease, farmers are advised to raise nursery in a well drained soil because this disease occurs in moist soil with inadequate drainage.

It is a soil-brone disease and partial steriliztion of soil can be done by burning trash on the nursery beds before sowing the seeds.

In addition farmers are invariably advised to treat the seeds with Thiram or Captan (fingicides) before sowing @2g per kg of seed.

Alternatively, drench the nursery with Mancozeb solution @ 3g per litre of water as soon as the symptoms appear.

Damping-off

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

Junior Ranger club launched at Sakteng lower secondary school

Published by:InformationandCommunicationTechnologyDivision(ICTD)MinistryofAgricultureandForestsPostBox:1095,Thimphu-BhutanTel.(PABX):02-323765/321142Fax:02-324520Email:ictd@moaf.gov.btWebsite:www.moaf.gov.bt

Towards food safety enhancement

Developing competency-based framework for Livestock Produc-tion Officers

The Ministry's week

Thirty eight officials attended the first consultative workshop to develop a set of potential national food safety indicators with a One Health approach that can be used to assess the effectiveness of the national food safety systems form 2- 4 May in Paro.

The goal of strengthening the national food control system was discussed during the FAO

regional workshop on food safety indicators in the Asia Pacific held in Singapore where participants from the member countries finalised around 40 draft food safety indicators. Bhutan along with Cook Island, Philippines and South Korea volunteered to conduct the pilot projects to develop the national food safety indicators and verify its usefulness.

Junior Ranger club has been launched at Sakteng lower secondary school on 9th May, coinciding with the monthly cleaning campaign. Based on the International Red Panda Network program, the aim of Junior Ranger clubs is to involve youth in learning biodiversity and its importance with emphasis on red panda conservation and research. Twenty students listened to SWS

The Department of Livestock under the directives of Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) conducted four days (8- 11 May) consultation workshop to develop competency-based framework for Livestock Production Officers (LPOs).

Competency-based Framework (CBF), an initiative of RCSC organised in collaboration

with Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Foundation International, Singapore will institute a structured approach for capacity development of public servants. It is aimed to identify skill needs of employees, assist continuous development and professionalise the public servants to deliver responsibilities effectively and efficiently.

staff talk about red pandas, watched videos and learnt the importance of Red panda in biodiversity conservation. Students were given activity books to draw and color the red pandas to make them aware about the basic features of Red panda like their ecology and diet. The day concluded with the presentation of a certificates to confirm their role as junior rangers.