The Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) plays a vital role in supporting high-altitude livelihoods in the mountainous country of Nepal. DDC procures milk from yak herders and produces cheese and butter in the Himalayan regions at elevations ranging from 2 500 to 4 100 metres. The cheese factory in Langtang, Rasuwa District, was established in 1954 as Nepal’s first formal and modern agricultural industry, with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and financial assistance from the Government of Switzerland. The cheese produced here became globally recognized under the name "uak cheese". The yak is the only domesticated animal suited for life in Nepal’s high mountain regions and is the primary source of livelihood for many communities living there. Grazing on natural alpine pastures rich in medicinal herbs, yaks produce milk of exceptional quality. This results in yak cheese that is not only rich in flavour but also highly regarded both within Nepal and internationally.