National Organic Program

Adres: Post Box No. 392 1
Postcode: 1111
Plaats: Semtokha
Provincie: Thimphu
Land: Bhutan
Routebeschrijving
Telefoon: +975 (2) 351077

Website

Beschrijving

The NOP under the Department of Agriculture (DOA), Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MOAF) is the focal agency for coordinating and implementing activities for promotion of organic agriculture (OA) in Bhutan in consultation with relevant stakeholders. The program was initiated as a component of Rural Enterprise Development Program (REDP) in 2003 under Horticulture Division, DOA, the then Ministry of Agriculture. It got its program status in the year 2006.

The program is currently carrying out its functions from the old National Plant Protection Centre (NPPC) building at Semtokha, which is around 6 km west of Thimphu. It lies on the road below Semtokha Dzong and across the river (Ola Rong Chhu) from the Royal Institute of Management (RIM). The program objectives are to attain food self sufficiency – safe, healthy, nutritious and food diversity, environmental conservation and natural resource management, biodiversity,enhance rural income, generate employment opportunities,promote holistic integrated farming system (horticultural and field crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, and livestock) promote enabling policy environment, provide appropriate OA technology and information. Bhutan has around total area of 39,921 acres under organic farming of which 38,558 acres are certified/wild collection and 1363 acres under cultivated crops with intention inline with the NOP guidelines.

The NOP is comprised of eight sections: Research and Development, Training, Production, Marketing, Information and Communication, Policy and Program Development, Finance and Administrative section, Standards Regulation and Certification Management Section. Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) has been supporting the program.