Itanagar, Oct 18 (PTI): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has called for a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen yak conservation, improve livelihoods of herders and unlock the economic potential of yak-based products, an official statement said.
Addressing the ‘Yak Economy Summit 2026 and Yak Mela’ at Mago in Tawang district on Saturday, Khandu said traditional yak-rearing communities of the Himalayan region deserve focused policy support from both the state and the Centre.
Yak rearing is not merely a livelihood but also an important part of the social, cultural and strategic landscape of the Himalayas, he said.
“From the perspective of national security, it is our duty to support our Brokpa communities and yak herders through appropriate policy interventions,” the chief minister said, underlining the importance of strengthening pastoral communities living in remote and strategically important areas.
Khandu said yak associations have been formed in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, bringing these regional bodies together under the Yak Federation of India.
He said a meeting of the federation would be convened in February to review progress and share a roadmap for taking the initiative forward.
The roadmap, he said, would identify the policy interventions required from the state government and the Centre to ease the lives of yak herders and improve their income.
Khandu said comprehensive mapping of yak populations, herders and their seasonal movements must be undertaken before planning could progress.
Mapping of both summer and winter grazing camps would be essential for developing appropriate infrastructure and ensuring the sustainable management of yak herds, the CM said.
The state’s yak economy, he noted, could not be strengthened without organising herders into cooperatives. He called for the establishment of the Arunachal Pradesh Yak Herders and Products Development Cooperative Society, stressing that a cooperative framework would help herders pool resources, improve bargaining power, access markets and develop viable businesses around yak products.
The proposed roadmap is expected to bring together the Army, the ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak (ICAR-NRCY), government departments and other stakeholders to develop a coordinated and sustainable approach to yak rearing and pastoral livelihoods.
Khandu also called for capacity building and the adoption of scientific yak-rearing practices. He stressed the need to develop basic amenities for Brokpa communities at summer and winter satellite stations, while ensuring that traditional grazing practices and livelihoods are protected.
The Brokpa are a nomadic pastoralist community in Arunachal Pradesh, primarily inhabiting Tawang and West Kameng. Renowned for their high-altitude yak rearing, they sustain a unique, traditional lifestyle centred around seasonal migration and dairy production.
Highlighting the commercial potential of yak products, the chief minister said the quality and taste of yak dairy products could help them establish a strong presence in the market.
He expressed confidence that yak cheese and yak ghee, if developed and marketed effectively, could compete with established brands.
He called for stronger dairy development and value chains for yak milk products and fibre, along with the involvement of investors and entrepreneurs to improve processing, marketing and market access.
Developing value-added products, he said, would create greater economic incentives for Brokpa families while generating local employment and skills.
The proposed interventions include preserving indigenous yak germplasm, improving breeding practices and herd records, and ensuring the supply of quality breeding animals to herders. The chief minister also stressed the need to explore a yak insurance policy and a bankable yak-farming scheme to reduce risks and encourage sustainable investment in the sector.
Yak-based livelihoods, he said, could extend beyond animal husbandry to include cottage stays, guiding services and the sale of local crafts.
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