this presentation is findings of my study on SOCIO_ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING YAK HERDING IN UPPER HAA, BHUTAN. the study was conducted in 2014-2015

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