Purpose
Create diversified and nature-friendly livelihoods by establishing incense processing units for communities in Jigme Dorji National Park.
Climate Impacts
Communities in Jigme Dorji National Park reported the following impacts:
• Decline in natural resources and wild food
• Increased human-wildlife conflict as both compete for dwindling resources
• Water scarcity due to heat and the disappearance of glaciers
• Shortages in income due to low crop yields, lack of pasture, and declines in non-wood forest products
Activities
Community consultation
Communities in Soe and Yaksa were consulted with to determine what intervention would best help them adapt to impacts of climate change. Based on the consultations, the communities decided an incense processing unit—one per site— would be most beneficial.
Shed construction
Structures were needed to house each processing unit. In Yaksa, an adequate structure already existed, but in Soe, community members assisted with the construction of a shed, built with locally available materials.
Equipment procurement
For both communities, equipment for incense processing was procured. Each incense processing unit comprises of three machines: one for drying raw materials, one for grinding, and one for packaging with labels. In Soe, there is no motorable road, so the machines had to be transported by people and mules from the closest road to the newly constructed shed. For Yaksa, although the community is not connected to a motorable road, the community decided to establish the processing unit at an existing shed with access to a motorable road, so the machines were delivered by vehicle.
Community training
In Soe and Yaksa, a training for community members involved in incense processing was held. The training focused on capacity building regarding machine operation and maintenance, sustainable management and harvesting of natural resources for incense making, and basic business management, including marketing and accounting. Each training was aided by the Department of Forest and Park Services and other local government administrations.
project outcomes
project design
The Yaksa and Soe communities, located in Jigme Dorji National Park, both rely primarily on a semi-nomadic pastoralist lifestyle, focusing on yak herding and income generation from non-wood forest products (NWFPs). However, they face significant challenges brought upon by changes in weather and climate, including human-wildlife conflict, reduced pastureland, and diminished availability of NWFPs, ultimately affecting income generation.
Consultations conducted in Soe and Yaksa confirmed the decline in pastureland and NWFP availability. During community consultations in Soe and Yaksa on potential climate adaptation interventions, the communities unanimously decided to establish incense processing units—one in each community—to diversify their livelihoods in a sustainable and nature-friendly manner. These units add value to raw materials that were previously collected by NWFP groups in each community and sold at low prices through auctions. The incense is made from natural materials such as leaves, roots, and bark of plants, including Juniperus spp. (juniper), Nardostachys jatamansi (spikenard), Tanacetum tibeticum, Artemisia spp., Rhododendron anthopogon, Abies densa (Bhutan fir), and Rhododendron setosum. By processing, drying, grinding, and packaging these raw materials, the communities can sell incense products at a premium price, supplementing their other sources of income like agriculture and livestock.
The communities also recognized the need for capacity building and training in sustainable natural resource management and the operation and maintenance of machinery. Their training, aided by the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives and the Cottage & Small Industry Market, included lessons on accounting and marketing, so the enterprises remain viable after project completion. The processing units are managed by NWFP management groups (locally called Ngomen Tshogpas), which oversee the collection and marketing of NWFPs.
Left to Right:
Community consultations in Soe. View of the Himalayas from Soe. Community consultations in Yaksa. View of the Himalayas from Yaksa.
