Where are we working?

The project is being implemented in seven farming communities of Bhutan: Bongo, Tading, Dorokha, Orong, Wangphu, Yalang and Boomdeling, covering four districts (Chukha in the west, Samtse in the south, Samdrup Jongkhar and Trashi Yangtse in the east). The project focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of three crop species, namely finger millet, foxtail millet and little millet. Farmers grow these crops in small pockets as an insurance against crop failure, as food and nutritional supplements, and for traditional and religious values. However, these crops are being neglected due to several factors, such as replacement by other improved crops, limited attention from research and development programmes, lack of quality seed production and supply, inadequate awareness of the nutritional properties, shortage of farm labourers, and the use of labour-intensive manual milling and processing techniques. Given these issues and challenges, the project is focusing on innovative approaches of on-farm conservation of neglected and underutilized crop species (NUS) in conjunction with enhanced production, value addition and product diversification, thereby contributing to resilient farming systems, food and nutrition security and livelihoods.

What are we doing?

The project is focusing on the conservation and sustainable use of neglected and underutilized crop species in Bhutan that include three millet species, namely, finger millet (Eleusine coracana), foxtail millet (Seteria italic) and little millet (panicum miliaceum). Seven on-farm conservation sites have been established with seven farming communities based in the west, south and east of the country. The project activities implemented so far include: i) the establishment and management of field trials on participatory varietal selection and promotion of selected varieties; ii) phenotypic characterization of the finger millet varieties collected from the project sites at the research and development centres; iii) evaluation of the foxtail and finger millet accessions from the national gene bank at the Research and Development Centre of Khangma to select promising varieties for promotion through participatory variety selection with project farmers; iv) strengthening the technical capacity of project stakeholders in on-farm conservation and sustainable use of NUS through various initiatives, such as workshops and training; and v) the collection of NUS germplasm from the project sites and deposition at the Bhutan National Gene Bank for medium- and long-term conservation.

What has been achieved to date?

The NUS project activities are being mainstreamed as part of the Plant Genetic Resources Programme of the National Biodiversity Centre, within the 12th Five Year Plan of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests. The project has supported the formation of a national team for the on-farm conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) in general, and NUS in particular. The national team comprises representatives from the Agriculture Research and Development Centres, the National Centre for Organic Agriculture and the National Biodiversity Centre. The project has established seven sites for on-farm conservation and sustainable use of NUS, focusing on three millet species, namely finger millet (Eleusine coracana), foxtail millet (Seteria italic) and little millet (panicum miliaceum).
Key activities and results of the project to date include:

1. Evaluation and participatory varietal selection (PVS) – finger millet: In 2020, the Agriculture Research and Development Sub-Centre, Khangma, based in eastern Bhutan, evaluated and screened 49 accessions of finger millet from the national gene bank. Of those, five promising accessions were selected. These five accessions were promoted at two project sites, Boomdeling and Yalang, through PVS trials during the 2021 cropping season.
2. Evaluation and PVS – foxtail millet: The Agriculture Research and Development Sub-Centre, Khangma, under the Agriculture Research and Development Centre, Wengkhar, evaluated 26 accessions of foxtail millet during the 2021 cropping season. The promising accessions will be disseminated to the project sites for promotion through PVS in the 2022 cropping season.
3. Millet diversity block: A total of 17 millet varieties were collected from the 7 project sites and diversity blocks were established in 7 gewogs (groups of villages) for assessment and selection of millet varieties at the respective sites.
4. Phenotypic characterization: The Agriculture Research and Development Centre, Samtenling, based in southern Bhutan, carried out phenotypic characterization of 13 varieties of finger millet varieties collected from the project sites at Dorokha and Tading.
5. Training in seed selection, production and value addition: The Agriculture Research and Development Centre, Samtenling, provided training in seed selection, improved production technologies, product development and diversification of NUS crops to 75 project farmers (35 male and 40 female) from two project sites at Dorokha and Tading in 2021.
6. Education and awareness: The project conducted education and awareness-raising activities on the importance of PGRFA diversity, including NUS crops, as well as on conservation and sustainable utilization, to 16 participants representing different project stakeholders through various initiatives, such as workshops and meetings.
7. Academic inclusion: The importance of crop diversity, including NUS, is integrated in the Structured Internship Programme for students at the National Biodiversity Centre.
8. Sensitization of members of parliament: As part of lobbying activities to influence and seek support, information about the importance of crop diversity, including NUS, has been communicated to the Environment and Climate Change Committee of the country’s National Assembly.
9. Enhanced production: As part of a crop diversification programme, the Agriculture Research and Development Centre, Samtenling, introduced and promoted three improved finger millet varieties (Samtenling membja1, IE4225, HR911) at the Dorokha and Tading project sites.

Who has benefited?

The project beneficiaries include farmers, extension officials, Dzongkhag and Gewog agriculture officers, researchers, and policy-makers. Currently, a total of 406 beneficiaries are directly involved in implementing the project. These include 375 farmers (180 male and 195 female), 8 agriculture extension officers (8 male and 1 female), 4 Dzongkhag agriculture officers (3 male and 1 female), 8 researchers (5 male and 3 female) from the Agriculture Research and Development Centres, 6 policy-makers (4 male and 2 female), and 5 researchers from the National Biodiversity Centre (3 male and 2 female). The indirect beneficiaries of the project are estimated to be more than 1 500. A total of 15 students from the College of Natural Resources, Royal Thimphu College and Kanglung Sherubtse College were attached to the PGR programme at the National Biodiversity Centre, during which they studied various topics linked to biodiversity, including the importance of NUS.

Best practices and success stories

The project focuses on the maintenance of diversity and sustainable use of NUS crop species. It is contributing to enhanced livelihoods for both project and non-project farmers by promoting and helping them to access suitable varieties, as well as value addition and product diversification. Project implementation started in May 2020 and the initiative has so far only produced a few experiences and success stories. In this early phase of implementation, the project is concentrating on field trials to screen and select suitable varieties, for dissemination to the project farmers.
Some of the good practices and transferable practices that have emerged from project implementation include the following:

1. Identification of 5 promising accessions from the gene bank: Farmers selected 5 out of 49 accessions of finger millet, based on the traits of their interest, using a PVS tool. Farmers’ preferred traits include yield, adaptation, days to maturity, tolerance to drought, and resistance to pests and diseases. These 5 promising accessions were promoted at two project sites – Yalang and Boomdelling – benefiting 88 households. The impact of these varieties will be studied towards the end of the project period.
2. Improved seed selection: The farmers' training in seed selection and variety maintenance is proving highly effective in improving and sustaining farmers’ traditional seed systems, which support on-farm conservation. In 2021, researchers from Agriculture Research and Development Centre, Samtenling, provided training in seed selection and improved production technologies, as well as product development and diversification of NUS crops to 75 project farmers (35 male and 40 female) at the Dorokha and Tading project sites.
3. Improved representation of millet germplasm in the National Gene Bank: This was achieved through the inclusion of 14 varieties of finger millet and foxtail millet, thereby linking on-farm conservation and ex-situ conservation.
4. Promotion of education and awareness: The project has raised awareness among project stakeholders (farmers, researchers, extension officials), academics, policy-makers, parliamentarians etc. on the importance of crop diversity, including NUS, for food and nutrition security and climate change adaptation. Prior to this project, knowledge of the importance of NUS was very limited.