factors influencing yak herding in upper haa
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The document examines socio-economic factors affecting yak herding in Upper Haa, Bhutan, highlighting the cultural significance and economic importance of yaks in the region, where yak farming represents 5.2% of the total livestock population. It identifies challenges such as labor shortages, pasture land degradation, conflicts with Tibetan herders, and health issues affecting yak mortality, while also noting government efforts to support yak herding. Despite these challenges, the study concludes that yak herding remains a profitable but increasingly difficult livelihood due to various external and internal pressures.
factors influencing yak herding in upper haa
- 1. Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Yak Herding in Upper Haa Kinley Dorjee B.Sc Sustainable Development Guide tutor Dr. Tshering Gyeltshen
- 2. ? Yak herding is practiced in areas located at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 5,600 masl ? Yak farming is Practiced in the ten northern Dzongkhags in Bhutan ? Accounts for 5.2% of the total livestock population and total population of yak in 2013 was 38011 yaks (Department of Livestock, 2013). ? Yaks are main source of livelihood in the higher elevations and are associated to culture, religion and social life of its herders, their families and communities ? Yak population is declining in most part of the country and especially in Haa Introduction
- 3. Trend in Yak Herders in Haa 2010, 56 2011, 54 2012, 50 2013, 59 2014, 52 2010, 23 2011, 23 2012, 19 2013, 29 2014, 19 2010, 10 2011… 2012, 5 2013, 9 2014, 6 2010, 89 2011, 89 2012, 74 2013, 97 2014, 77 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Chart Title Bje Katsho Esu Total Figure 1: Trend in yak farming households in 3 Gewogs
- 4. Trend in Yak Population in Haa 3227 3944 3514 3511 2872 1093 727 727 947 657 575 440 520 428 313 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 Bji Katsho Esu 4761 4886 3842 2011 20132012 20142010 Figure 2: Trend in yak population in 3 Gewogs 4895 5111
- 5. Objectives a. Identify socio-cultural factors influencing yak herding in upper Haa b. Analyze the economic benefits of Yak Farming
- 6. Materials and Methods Figure 3: Map of Haa Dzongkhag showing the study area Study Area ? The study was conducted in Bjee, Katsho and Esu Gewogs ? Located at latitude of 27° 15' 54" N and longitude of 89° 10' 14" E ? About 33.06 % of the total area is under Tsamdro (pasture land) (Dorji, 2013). ? Altitudes ranging from 1,400 - 4,800 masl, Bjee Katsho Esu
- 7. ? Forty household were selected for the survey ? Bjee Gewog-23 respondents ? Katsho Gewog- 11 respondents ? Esu Gewog-6 respondents Sample Size Sampling Method ? Stratified randomized sampling was carried out using lottery ? Each Gewog was considered as different cluster ? Took 40% of the total yak herders from each Gewog based on data of 2010
- 8. Data Collection ? Structured questionnaire was used for data collection ? Information such as people’s comments on the yak rearing was collected through open ended questionnaires ? Data collection was carried out from 20th December 2014 -1 January 2015 Data Analysis ?Data was analysed using IBM-SPSS version 22.0 ? Inferential and descriptive statistics was used to analyse data ? Means of the different variables were compared using t-test ? Correlation was performed to see association between the variables
- 9. Results: Factors Influencing Yak Herding
- 10. Labor Shortage Availability of labour Frequency Percent Easily available 4 10 Not very easy 17 42.5 Not available at all 19 47.5 Total 40 100 35% 47% 18% very_high high average ? The average wage for the hired labor is Nu. 6,000 per month ? The high labor charge was the result of shortage of labor and demand for labor Figure 4: Respondents views on labor charge in the study area Table2: Availability of labor in the study area
- 11. Pasture land degradation ? Yak herders of Haa moves to Tsamdros situated on the border for the summer months and shares Tsamdros with 3 hh’s on average ? Their winter pastures are shared by the cattle, mainly the Thanors that are kept during the summer months (Northue) and horses 45% 35% 20% yes no no change Figure 5: Pasture land degradation and decrease in palatable grasses in the tsamdros
- 12. Geographical and Boarder issues Encounter conflict Plans to shift to other activities Encounter conflict 1 0.8 Plans to shift to other activities 20 1 ? The yak herders share pasture land with Tibetan Autonomous region’s (TAR) yak herders during the summer months ? Bhutanese herders were denied to follow traditional grazing rights and collect firewood ? TAR herders asks for Threl ? Bhutanese herders are not allowed to replace or graze in the Tsamdros of those who abandon yak herding. Table 2: Correlation table showing the correlation between conflict encountered and plans to shift to other activities
- 13. Mortality and Disease in Yak 72% 11% 12% 4% 1% gid wild animals poisonong dogs others ? At least one animal dies either due to Gid, predators, poisoning or the stray dogs ? Attack of stray dog is however expected to decrease due to intervention of JKSNR ? The gid alone caused 114 deaths in 2014 from the 20 YFH interviewed Figure 6: Causes of yak mortality in the study area
- 14. Sources of Livelihood and Income Generation 0 2 4 6 8 10 business taxi/hire vehicle carpentery/masonary labour YHAH YFH ? Average household income from business is Nu.268,750 ? Those with low income level from the agricultural activities focuses more on off farm activities ? For the YFH, 65% of the respondents doesn’t do any of the off farm activities ? mean annual income generated from agricultural activities including horticulture in 2014 was Nu.17300 and 11075 respectively for the YFH and YFAH. Figure 5: Off-farm activities taken by YFH and YFAH
- 15. Government Policies and Regulation 15% 25% 20% 17% 23% not effective at all effective to some extend effective very effective excellent ? Government policies such as targeted highland development and establishment of Chhundugang Yak Century supports yak herding in the area. ? Unlike in other dzongkhags, 60% of the respondents didn’t encounter any conflicts due to declaration of pasture land as state property. ? Restriction on controlled burning for better regeneration hinders their traditional management system ? Declaration of Tsamdro areas as Strict nature Reserve helped the herders to combat loss of yaks to poachers Figure 6: Level of effectiveness of government policies
- 16. Economic Benefit of Yak Farming A. Cost Total variable cost (TVC) 200,000 Total fix cost (TFC) 8,100 Total cost=TVC+TFC 208,100 B. Benefit Total benefit 335,500 Annual net saving (B-A) 127,400 Table 4: Summary of cost benefit of yak herding Amount in Nu.
- 17. Conclusion ? Yak herding is declining due to the various factors such as labor shortage, diseases and trans-boundary issues. ? Small family size due to increasing number of youths going to educational centers discourages them from taking up of yak herding as livelihood ? Despite animal health care from the extension centers, the Frequency of Gid is still high in the Dzongkhag ? Market constrain is another issue in the locality. During the summer months their only market for the yak and its products is markets across the border ? Yak herding is a profitable job although it involves hardships
- 18. Acknowledgement I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the following person for their time and effort in shaping my study: ? Dr.Tshering Gyeltshen, guide tutor ? Kuenga Lhendup, Younten Jamtsho and Sonam Tshering for their effort during data collection ? DLO of Haa dzongkhag ? Golo Tshering, focal person, Chhundugang Yak Century ? Dr. Sonam Lhamo, dzongkhag vetenary hospital, Haa ? Rinchen Choden, data manager, livestock statistics section ? Jojo Tshampa and Penjor ? My parents, siblings and relatives for their support
- 19. THANK YOU