COUNTRY BACKGROUND - Gross National Happiness Commission

Renewable Natural Resources
17.49 The objectives for the agricultural sector are:
· sustainable development of arable production to enable self sufficiency in food production;
· improvements in the incomes, living and nutrition standards of the rural population;
· sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
Food Self Sufficiency and Food Security Food Self Sufficiency and Food Security
17.50 Food self sufficiency has been the major objective in the agricultural sector, at the national and household
level. Rising levels of cereal imports have raised concern over the potential for achieving food self sufficiency,
particularly with increasing urbanisation, combined with limited arable land and low yields. Increases in production
and export revenues from horticultural crops have presented the possibility of attaining household and national
food security, i.e. sufficient revenue can be earned from the production of horticultural crops for households and the
country to purchase cereal food requirements. The returns to horticultural crops have been shown to be
significantly higher than cereal production, indicating Bhutan's comparative advantage
in horticultural production. While it has been accepted that food self sufficiency is not a realistic goal for Bhutan,
the achievement of a percentage of food self sufficiency remains an important objective, in meeting the national
objective of reducing dependence on external resources. This is particularly important for farmers who cannot
obtain income from the production of cash crops or other sources. The achievement of self sufficiency is also an
objective for the livestock sub sector.
Sustainable Utilisation of Natural ResourcesSustainable Utilisation of Natural Resources
17.51 Sustainable utilisation entails the use of resources in such a way as to ensure that production requirements
of both current and future generations are catered for. This does not imply that to preserve the environment, it is
necessary to restrict agricultural production, a concept associated with conservation of natural resources.
Sustainable utilisation implies that agricultural production can be increased as long as soil fertility is not depleted
and such increases can be continued in the future. Thus soil conservation, afforestation, agroforestry, organic
fertilisers, crop rotation etc, can be used to allow for sustainable increases in agricultural production. These
increases will not be as great as those possible without consideration of sustainability.
B. Strategies for Achieving ObjectivesB. Strategies for Achieving Objectives
17.52 In order to achieve the above objectives, the following strategies have been formulated for the improvement
in MOA assistance to the agricultural sector.
Integration and Strengthening of Project Planning and ImplementationIntegration and Strengthening of
Project Planning and Implementation
17.53 One of the main weaknesses of the MOA has been the fragmented nature of its planning and
implementation activities, particularly as each of the 3 Departments has been fairly autonomous, with little
integration of operations. The MOA has recognised the interdependence of arable, livestock and forestry
production at the farm level and therefore the need for greater integration of the planning and implementation of
MOA activities under a Renewable Natural Resource strategy.
17.54 This has been addressed through the formation of a Policy and Planning Division in 1990, however the
planning capabilities of the PPD will need to be strengthened further during the 7FYP. The PPD will also provide
technical support to planning activities at the Zonal and Dzongkhag levels, where area specific plans are also drawn
up. This will ensure greater integration of activities at the Regional, Dzongkhag and Headquarters levels, as well as
increased integration of Departmental activities. With assistance from ISNAR, MOA will examine the potential for
integrating the research activities of the Departments of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Forestry, to develop a
farming systems approach to research. This could also reduce the financial and manpower resource requirements of
the MOA. Improved coordination with other agencies such as BDFC, Department of Health and Survey of Bhutan
is also necessary.
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