Onderwerp scriptie
Yak herding in Bhutan, a tradition at a cross road of survival and extinction - Naiten Wangchuk
Yak is the dominant livestock species that support livelihoods for pastoralist of the Tibetan plateau and nearby Himalayan regions. In Bhutan, Yaks are reared by transhumant pastoralists at an altitude ranging from 3000-5000 masl. Lately, rapid decline of yak herding households has been noted, mostly in areas where households have land for crop cultivation and access to other resources that facilitate diverse sources of livelihoods.
This thesis attempted to understand differences in access to capitals and income diversity by yak herding regions that differed in access to roads and marketing potential and by household’s poverty status within region, with the objective to find if diversity and access to capital could displace yak herding as a source of livelihood.
By region, it was found that Sakteng with less access to roads and markets, had significantly (p<0.001) better social capital than Sephu. Households with savings in the bank were 5 times more in Sephu than in Sakteng, probably due to their high income from gathering cordyceps. On the remaining capital variables they were comparable. Between poor and non-poor households in Sakteng, poor significantly (p<0.05) had larger household size. Non-poor households in Sephu had significantly (p<0.001) larger livestock holding than poor households. Poor and non-poor households in both regions, for the remaining capital variables were similar. Livestock in Sakteng and cordyceps in Sephu contributed highest to household income. Absolute contribution from yaks in the two regions was comparable but relative contribution from yaks towards household income was 2 times more in Sakteng than in Sephu. Among capitals, yak income was significantly influenced only by number of yaks both in Sephu (p<0.001) and Sakteng (p<0.05). Diversity index was positively correlated to yak income in Sephu and it significantly (p<0.05) affected the yak income. Diversity index in Sakteng was negatively correlated and it significantly (p<0.05) reduced yak income with a unit increase in index. Majority of herders in Sakteng were pessimistic about the future of yak herding. In Sephu opinions were divided between survival and extinction of yak herding. Yak herding may survive if we ingeniously blend it with other income generating activities like eco-tourism and conservation activities.
Student Naiten Wangchuk
Supervisors Dr. Ir. H. Udo, Ing. F. Steenstra
Ects 36