Agency: In response to the 33rd Session of the National Council (NC)’s six resolutions regarding compensation policies for human-wildlife conflicts (HWC) and crop damage caused by natural disasters, the government has provided updates on its efforts.
NC had called for the harmonization of policies and strengthening of inter-sectoral collaboration to mitigate the escalating challenges posed by HWC, natural disasters, and wildlife-induced crop damage.
To which the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL), in collaboration with the Department of Forest and Park Services (DoFPS) under the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR), has drafted a proposal for a National Crop and Livestock Insurance Scheme. This initiative consolidates various compensation policies into a unified framework for sustainability, better risk management, accountability, and economic benefits.
The second resolution recommended that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) include key stakeholders such as the Prime Minister (as ex-officio Chairperson), the Minister of Home and Cultural Affairs (ex-officio Vice Chairperson), the Finance Minister, Secretaries of all Ministries, the Head of the National Environment Commission, the Secretary of the Gross National Happiness Commission, the President of the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Head of the Department of Disaster Management (as Member-Secretary). It also suggested co-opting additional members as required under the rules.
Responding to this, the government affirmed that the NDMA, chaired by the Prime Minister, is already in place and includes key stakeholders. In response to third resolution to initiate an insurance scheme in collaboration with RICBL and BIL at the earliest. MoAL said that in collaboration with the DoFPS and insurance companies RICBL and BIL, is finalizing a national crop and livestock insurance scheme. The proposal includes technical inputs from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to refine the plan. The government intends to roll out the scheme by July 2025. This insurance initiative aims to provide a safety net for farmers, covering damages caused by HWC and natural calamities.
To ensure the scheme’s sustainability, MoAL has worked on various modalities for annual premium payments, with the government covering 80% to 20% of the share depending on the model finalized. The subsidy rates are being fine-tuned in consultation with the MoF to balance government affordability and farmers’ benefits.
MoAL has committed to exploring and implementing scientific farming practices that promote coexistence with wildlife and adopt practical approaches to mitigate conflicts and support sustainable farming.
While no specific relocation initiatives have been undertaken, the MoAL emphasizes that the ongoing Cross-Sectoral Task Force for the Model Rehabilitation Program under the Office of the Gyalpoi Zimpon (OGZ) and the National Land Commission Secretariat (NLCS) addresses such concerns. The task force is expected to include mitigation measures for HWC in its programs
