New Hand-in-Hand Initiative data for Bhutan

New data has been published under the FAO Hand-in-Hand (HiH) Initiative as part of the Technical Cooperation Programme, Innovative evidence-based solutions and investments in agrifood systems transformation and rural development in Bhutan in the context of the Hand-in-Hand Initiative. FAO Bhutan, in collaboration with the Digital FAO and Agro-informatics Division, released three open geospatial datasets to support agrifood systems planning, infrastructure investments, and crop strategies.

The first dataset focuses on agro-ecological zones (AEZs). It contains information on AEZ classification by integrating climate, soils, terrain, and land cover, with complementary layers for seasonal calendars and climate risk (fallow months, LGP, multi‑cropping, permafrost, thermal climate/zones).

The second dataset focuses on crop suitability under current (1970–2022) and future climate scenarios (RCP 4.5/8.5, 2070) for priority/NUS crops. It uses FAO EcoCrop and is refined via multi‑criteria analysis incorporating AEZ, topography, and land‑use constraints.

The third layer provides crop storage location scoring data. It uses multi-criteria geospatial scoring that blends supply, demand, and accessibility to identify high-potential sites for crop storage and post‑harvest infrastructure.

These layers are documented in the FAO Agro-informatics Data Catalog and are accessible via the FAO Agro-informatics Platform, supporting Bhutan’s HiH investment pathway from deficit to surplus through climate‑smart, inclusive agrifood systems.

New HiH Initiative data for Bhutan: https://data.apps.fao.org/?lang=en&share=f-6e05c702-a14e-4bd5-8b67-f59b8bb97f58