Formalising Nepal Yak Federation

About the event

In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), Government of Nepal and the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), ICIMOD is organising a national meeting to formalise the Nepal Yak Federation.

The meeting will bring together a minimum of 11 district-level cooperatives of yak and chauri farmers who will formalise the federation and formulate the two-year strategic plans. The workshop will bring together representatives from MoALD, district-level Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Centre, Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC), academia and the private sector.

Objectives

• Formalise the committee and bylaws of the Nepal Yak Federation
• Discuss the two-year collaborative work plan (strategic plan) of the district and national federation.
• Understand the prospects of collaboration among the government, yak farmers, and private sectors for the promotion of yak/chauri farming and products.

Expected outputs.

• Formalisation of Nepal Yak Federation as community-based institution
• A two-year action plan for the federation and its district chapters
• Consensus among the stakeholders (government, private sector, and communities) on the promotion of the federation

Background

Referred to as ‘Himalayan Diamonds’, yaks (Bos grunniens or Poephagus grunniens) provide ecological balance to the Himalayan ecosystem and support the livelihoods of people in the high mountains. For generations, people from the mountain regions have practiced yak farming for milk and milk products, meat, wool, and fibre.

In recent decades, there has been a drastic decline in Nepal’s yak population. Difficult conditions in the fragile mountain environment, impacts of climate change, and socio-economic drivers limit the competitiveness of yak production systems. Furthermore, yak herders are often marginalised in terms of policy and investments for yak conservation and development.

The Government of Nepal along with the private sector has initiated several programmes to encourage yak and chauri farming. Despite such efforts, yak and chauri farming has received little attention in terms of development and research. Establishing a yak federation is expected to represent the voices of yak farmers at subnational, provincial, and national level for greater policy and investment support to revitalise yak farming. The federation will work towards providing support for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026.  Specifically, the Nepal Yak Federation will provide a platform to:

• Highlight the historic, cultural, social, and economic importance of yaks, and contribute to the preservation of transhumance and natural heritage of yak rearing as part of Nature-based Solutions
• Exchange knowledge and experiences on yak value chains and relevant technologies across different yak herding regions
• Promote mutual understanding and friendship between yak herding communities

The first national workshop on yak and chauri promotion in Nepal was held in May 2022, in Pokhara. The workshop led to the creation of the ad-hoc Nepal Yak Federation, and the task of officially registering the federation has been assigned to the ad-hoc committee.

Registering a federation

A circular released by the Government of Nepal, based on the Associations Registration Act, 1977, guides the process of registering a federation in Nepal. A formally registered national federation comprises a minimum of 11 district chapters/cooperatives representing all the provinces of Nepal. Each cooperative must have a minimum of seven members and must be registered with the District Administrative Office of the relevant district as a district chapter with a clear set of goals, purposes, and bylaws, recognised by the government. These district chapters collectively form the national federation.

The registration process involves the following steps: