ITANAGAR, Oct 17: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday called for a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen yak conservation, improve the livelihoods of yak herders and unlock the economic potential of yak-based products, stressing that the traditional yak-rearing communities of the Himalayan region deserve focused policy support from both the State and Central governments.

Addressing the Yak Economy Summit 2026 and Yak Mela at Mago in Tawang district, Khandu said yak rearing was not merely a source of livelihood but an integral part of the social, cultural and strategic landscape of the Himalayan region, stretching from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.

“From the perspective of national security, it is our duty to support our Brokpa communities and yak herders through appropriate policy interventions,” he said, underlining the importance of strengthening pastoral communities living in remote and strategically significant areas.

The Chief Minister said yak associations had been formed in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, with the regional bodies brought together under the Yak Federation of India. Recalling his virtual participation in the Federation’s first programme in Ladakh, he said the deliberations at Mago were significant not just for Arunachal Pradesh but for the entire country.

Khandu announced that a follow-up meeting would be convened in February to review progress and finalise a roadmap outlining policy interventions required from the State and Central governments to improve the livelihoods and incomes of yak herders.

Emphasising the need for reliable data, he called for comprehensive mapping of yak populations, herder communities and their seasonal movements, including summer and winter grazing camps. Such information, he said, would help in planning infrastructure, managing herds sustainably and addressing the needs of pastoral communities.

He also stressed the need to organise herders into cooperatives and proposed the establishment of the Arunachal Pradesh Yak Herders and Products Development Cooperative Society.

A cooperative framework, he said, would enable herders to pool resources, improve bargaining power, access markets and develop sustainable businesses around yak-based products.

The proposed roadmap is expected to involve the Army, the ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak (ICAR-NRCY), relevant government departments and other stakeholders to ensure a coordinated approach to yak rearing and pastoral development.

Khandu called for capacity building and the adoption of scientific yak-rearing practices, including the semi-intensive model developed by ICAR-NRCY. He also stressed the need to provide basic amenities at summer and winter satellite stations for Brokpa communities while safeguarding traditional grazing practices and livelihoods.

He further called for consideration of a Brokpa-friendly grazing tax regime, particularly in winter grazing areas.

Highlighting the commercial potential of yak products, the Chief Minister said yak dairy products offered opportunities for market expansion because of their distinctive quality and taste. He expressed confidence that yak cheese and ghee could compete with established brands if properly processed, packaged and marketed.

He called for developing value chains for yak milk products and fibre, encouraging investment and entrepreneurship, and improving processing facilities and market access. Value addition, he said, could raise household incomes, generate local employment and create new opportunities for Brokpa families.

The proposed interventions also include conservation of indigenous yak germplasm, improved breeding practices, systematic herd records and the supply of quality breeding animals. Khandu stressed the need to explore a yak insurance policy and a bankable yak-farming scheme to reduce risks and encourage sustainable investment.

He said yak-based livelihoods could also be diversified through homestays, guiding services and the sale of local crafts. Linkages with the Vibrant Villages Programme and Ranbhoomi Darshan could further connect pastoral communities with tourism and related economic opportunities.

The summit also discussed education-related proposals for yak herders under the National Livelihood Mission framework and targeted support for Brokpa communities. The possibility of extending special-category recognition to the Brokpa and Puroik communities was also raised for consideration.

Khandu thanked the stakeholders who participated in the summit, particularly the Brokpa herders who travelled from remote villages in West Kameng district to attend the deliberations.

The summit sought to bring yak conservation, scientific animal husbandry, community welfare and market development under a common framework to protect traditional Himalayan livelihoods while making the yak economy more sustainable and commercially viable.(Source: EoA)