8-12th September 2025, Tsirang: A five-day capacity building on Organic Regulation and Certification, mainly for the private sector and farmers, was held in Tsirang by the National Centre for Organic Agriculture (NCOA) with the funding support from the EU Technical Assistance for Agrifood Systems (EU-TAAS) project implemented by FAO Bhutan.
The overall capacity-building program aimed to strengthen organic agriculture and certification systems in Bhutan. Other specific objectives were to i) provide a comprehensive understanding of the organic regulation through the Bhutan Organic Guarantee System (BOGS), which includes Bhutan Organic Standards (BOS). Also, provide the infor
mation on the Local Organic Assurance System (LOAS) scheme operated by NCOA, ii) educate participants on how to maintain a farm diary and institute an Internal Control System (ICS) iii) understand the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA’s) third-party organic certification system and iv) spread awareness and build capacity on soil fertility and plant protection technologies under organic management.
This initiative is in line with MoAL’s 13th Five-Year Plan, which aims to develop high-value organic exports and
transform the agrifood industry. The program addresses recurring problems in the organic industry, including inadequate understanding of certification procedures, disease and pest problems, a lack of bio-inputs, and limited market options. To improve their knowledge and abilities in organic standards and certification, 50 participants, including farmers, farmer groups, processors, aggregators, and Sanam Japchorpas, came together for the training session. Such a gathering is also expected to enhance the linkage between the farmers, aggregators, processors, and others and enhance organic marketing and value-chain.
Apart from the resource persons from the NCOA and BFDA, the Tsirang Assistant Dzongkhag Agriculture Official also presented on organic agriculture promotion in the district and organic fertilizer promotion. The five-day training programme ended with a field trip to the nearby gewog, Mendrelgang, namely the organic technology hub and vegetable farm.
Submitted by:་Dr.་Norden Lepcha
Principal Agriculture Officer
Policy Regulation and Coordination Programme (PRCP)
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