The National Centre for Organic Agriculture (NCOA) is located at Yusipang which is about 15 km from Thimphu city on the Thimphu-Punakha highway. The Centre falls under Chang geog of Thimphu dzongkhag and is located at an altitude of 2700 m above sea level. The Centre has a very rich and dynamic history that dates back to Bhutan’s second Five Year Plan. The important historical events and shifts in organogram ever since the establishment of the Centre is presented below in a chronological order:
1969 His Majesty, the Third Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk marked the opening of the Centre on 21st May, 1969 as the Horticulture Research Station. Since then, the Centre has been working on the evaluation of temperate fruits and promotion of improved horticulture production technologies.
1987 Between 1981 and 1987 the International Potato Centre (CIP) initiated a nationwide program on Potato which was coordinated from Yusipang. This led to the establishment of the Applied Research Centre with a focus on the potato. With support from SDC/Helvetas new infrastructures were developed and the research scope expanded to other crops.
1989 The Department of Agriculture (DoA) initiated the organization of the research programs by setting up commodity-focused Agriculture Research Centres. Accordingly, the Applied Research Centre Yusipang was renamed as Agriculture Research Centre (ARC) and was recognized as one of the then five research Centres in the country. The Centre was also assigned with the national mandate to lead potato research and promote potato-based farming system.
1994 Livestock, forestry and agriculture which are the three sectors under Ministry of Agriculture and Forest were functioning independently until 1994. With ministry’s new objective of integrating all sectors under one umbrella was yet another historic move to enhance collaboration between different sectors. The three sectors were formally consolidated and were renamed as Renewable Natural Resources Research Centre (RNRRC) with Field Crops, Horticulture, Livestock, and Forestry as the four major research programs. Council of Renewable Natural Resource Research of Bhutan (CoRRB) was created as the administrative apex body to coordinate and regulate various research across all RNRRCs. RNRRC Yusipang was given the national mandate to coordinate forestry research.
2009 The MoAF further felt the need to strengthen the research and extension linkages among the line departments at the regional level by assigning development mandates to all RNRRCs. Accordingly, all four RNRRCs were re-designated as RNR Research and Development Centre (RNR RDC). By its national mandate RNR RDC Yusipang was administratively realigned to the Department of Forest and Park Services (DOFPS).
2016 The first Organizational Development Exercise (ODE) recommended the restructuring of all RNR RDCs under their respective departments (Forestry, Livestock and Agriculture). Accordingly, the mandate of RNR RDC-Yusipang was shifted from Forestry to Agriculture and was subsequently renamed as the Agriculture Research and Development Centre (ARDC)-Yusipang. It was also identified as a potential Centre to coordinate the National Organic Program (NOP).
2017 The second ODE recommended the realignment of the National Organic Program (NOP) at Semtokha to be shifted to Yusipang and to function as one unit under ARDC, Yusipang and ARDC Yusipang was assigned the national mandate to coordinate and lead the Organic Agriculture (OA) research and development programs. The same exercise recommended transfer of National Potato Program (NPP) from National Seed Centre (NSC), Paro to ARDC Yusipang and was assigned national mandate to coordinate potato research and development programs.
2020 ARDC-Yusipang was renamed as the National Centre for Organic Agriculture (NCOA) and was identified the apex body to coordinate and facilitate the overall development of organic plans and programs in the country. NCOA is also responsible foe regulation and certification of organic farms in accordance with Bhutan Organic Guarantee System (BOGS) and Local Organic Assurance System (LOAS). NCOA is administratively under the Agriculture Research and Extension Division (ARED) of Department of Agriculture (DoA). To strengthen efficient service delivery for low altitude areas, a new sub-Centre under NCOA Yusipang has also been approved at Khaibeytar, Samphelling Gewog under Chhukha Dzongkhag.
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