DoL

A three day Farmers Technical Training on Rainbow Trout Aquaculture is being conducted at the National Research and Development Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries in Haa under the Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. The training is taking place from 11-13 December 2025.

Farmers from Dagana, Haa, Samtse, and Wangdue Phodrang are participating in the programme, reflecting a steady increase in interest in cold water aquaculture as a viable livelihood option. Rainbow trout has been identified as a high value aquaculture product under the 13th Five Year Plan due to suitability to local climatic conditions and potential contribution to income generation, improved nutrition, and reduction of dependence on imported fish.

The training focuses on strengthening practical knowledge and skills required for sustainable trout farming. Participants are being guided through key aspects of trout production, including water quality management, feeding practices, biosecurity, disease prevention, and routine farm operations. The programme combines classroom sessions with hands on field demonstrations led by technical specialists from the Centre, enabling participants to observe and practice essential techniques related to fish handling, system maintenance, and basic fish health management.

Through this capacity building initiative, the Department of Livestock aims to support farmers in establishing technically sound and economically viable trout farming enterprises in line with priorities of the 13th Five Year Plan. The training also promotes closer coordination among farmers, Livestock Supervisors, and technical institutions to ensure continuity of technical support beyond the training period.

The National Research and Development Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries will continue to work closely with farmers, Livestock Supervisors, and Dzongkhag Livestock Sectors to support long term development of climate resilient and commercially scalable trout aquaculture across the country.

The activity is supported by the FAO Bhutan Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP)- 3903.

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐀𝐎 𝐓𝐂𝐏 𝐁𝐇𝐔𝟑𝟗𝟎𝟑 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭

The FAO Technical Cooperation Programme TCP BHU 3903, titled “𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠”, was implemented in Bhutan from 2023 to 2025 in collaboration between the Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and FAO Bhutan. The programme aimed to strengthen livestock and fisheries production systems through institutional capacity building, adoption of digital tools, and promotion of high value enterprises, contributing to national food and nutrition security and import substitution.

Key interventions under the programme included development and rollout of national farm registration and recording systems for poultry and piggery farms, modernization of dairy production systems through installation of advanced milking technology, and support for rainbow trout enterprise development. Capacity building of livestock officials, frontline personnel, and farmers formed a core component of the programme, ensuring effective use of technologies, improved production efficiency, and strengthened service delivery across value chains.

Through targeted technical assistance, infrastructure support, and training, TCP BHU 3903 laid a strong foundation for digital governance, precision farming, and commercialization of priority livestock and fisheries subsectors. The programme made a meaningful contribution to sectoral priorities under the 13th Five Year Plan and demonstrated the value of FAO technical partnership in advancing sustainable and climate suitable agrifood systems in Bhutan.

A three day writeshop on the Rainbow Trout Production and Extension Manual is in progress in Haa from 8-10 December 2025. The workshop brings together technical officials from national aquaculture and fisheries centres to consolidate emerging standards for cold water aquaculture in Bhutan. The 13th Five Year Plan highlights diversification of the livestock sector, development of high value products, enhancement of rural incomes, and strengthening of climate responsive agricultural systems. Within this national framework, the Department of Livestock has identified aquaculture development as a strategic priority to expand domestic fish production, improve nutritional security, and create new income opportunities for rural communities. The manual is being developed to advance these priorities by providing clear technical guidance that can increase aquaculture outputs, strengthen technical services, and promote sustainable use of natural resources.

The manual is being designed as an operational reference for Livestock Supervisors involved in field and central programs. It brings together current technical knowledge on habitat conditions, development stages, production systems, feeding strategies, biosecurity measures, and other essential considerations required for efficient and dependable production. It is also being shaped to support both technical staff and aspiring rainbow trout farmers with practical tools and decision making frameworks that can guide implementation on the ground.

In addition, the manual is being structured to provide comprehensive guidance for establishing and technically designing rainbow trout farms. This includes engineering specifications, layout templates, and operational workflow models suited to Bhutan’s hydrological conditions. The development process is being carried out jointly by technical officials from the Department of Livestock, the National Livestock Research Centre, the National Development Centre for Aquaculture, and the National Research Development Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries as the technical lead. The initiative is funded by FAO Bhutan through FAO TCP 3903 Output 3, enabling the incorporation of international best practices while ensuring relevance to national development goals and aquaculture realities.