The Royal Government of Bhutan is one of the founding members of ICIMOD, along with seven other member states. Bhutan has been a partner of ICIMOD since its inception and has been helping to meet its major objectives of poverty alleviation and environmental conservation in the Hindu Kush Himalayas. Bhutan contributes core support to ICIMOD, with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MoAF) as the designated nodal agency. The incumbent Secretary of the MoAF formally represents Bhutan on the ICIMOD Board of Governors. Bhutan and ICIMOD has been working in the area of capacity building, institutional strengthening, internships, research and demonstration, and regional and international workshops and conferences, among other activities. ICIMOD`s partner institutions in Bhutan include government agencies, development agencies, academic and research institutions, universities, NGOs and private sector. The formal letter of agreements for ICIMOD programs is routed and approved through the Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC) in close coordination with MoAF.
Regional Programme 1: Adaptation and Resilience Building
Enhance resilience of women and men of the HKH to socioeconomic and environmental changes, including climate change.
Regional Programme 2: Transboundary Landscapes
Conservation and sustainable use of natural resources (biodiversity, rangelands, farming systems, forests, wetlands and watersheds) in landscapes defined by ecosystems rather than administrative boundaries
Regional Programme 4: Atmosphere
Use science-based knowledge on air quality, atmospheric processes and climate to shape policies and actions leading to air pollution mitigation for improved environment and human health.Regional Programme 5: Mountain Environment Regional Information System (MENRIS)Strategic and Policy Partner:
Partners in this category support development and formulation of mountain-specific development strategies, policies and legislation. These key partners include focal ministries, national and regional organisations, and global partners, and the partnerships are usually formalized through a MoU.
Implementation Partner:
Partners in this category include operational partners and research partners. They support regional programme implementation either individually in the RMCs or through the consortium of partners, usually formalized through a LoA with financial obligations.
Knowledge Partners and Network:
Partners in this category include universities and academic institutions; regional and global network organisations; science partners and thematic networks; institutions engaged in advocacy, outreach, knowledge sharing and exchange and dissemination including media organisations and publication houses.