11th May 2021: A benefit sharing ceremony between the Bio Bhutan Pvt. Limited and the Jom Dagam Ngomen Tshogpa, a community-based group in Dagala under Thimphu was held on 11th May 2021 at Dagala Gewog in presence of the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), MoAF, a national focal agency for the implementation of the ABS regime in Bhutan.
The Bio Bhutan Pvt. Ltd and NBC with the support from the UNDP-GEF Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF) project “Promoting the Application of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing in Bhutan” had implemented the ABS scheme with the Jom Dagam Ngomen Tshogpa. The Bio Bhutan Pvt. Limited has been granted access to leaves of the Rhododendron anthopogon (Dz Balu) for the production of Drizang perfume, Tshalung massage oil and a natural handmade soap based on the mutually agreed terms and conditions through negotiations and execution of an ABS agreement on 21st June 2017. This ABS scheme is a tripartite (Government-Private Company-Local Community) ABS agreement.
As per the terms and conditions of the ABS agreement, the Bio Bhutan Pvt. Limited agreed to share 7 % of the profit to the Jom Dagam Ngomen Tshogpa annually from the sale of the products developed from the R. anthopogon leaves. Further, an agreement was reached to share 2 % of the profit to the Bhutan Access and Benefit Sharing (BABS) Fund as a symbolic contribution by the company and the local community to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable initiatives in the country. A cheque amounting to Nu. Nu. 19374.49 was handed over to the chairman of the group as a benefit for the year 2018-2020, while Nu. 5535.50 was deposited into the BABS Fund. In addition to receipt of the profit, one each of the products was handed over to the office-bearer of the group to be shared with the rest of the members of the group as the gathering of all the members was discouraged to uphold COVID 19 restrictions. In addition to the above, the group had also received other benefits in the past which included the payment of the premium price for the raw materials, harvesting tools and the sustainable harvesting capacity building training. Although the amount received by the community may be small in the beginning and because of the impact on the business due to COVID 19 pandemic, it is going to be substantial in the coming years as the products capture a better market.
The main objective of supporting such ABS initiatives is to create a platform for the enhancement of livelihoods of the local communities and promote the participation and leadership of the local communities in the conservation of biological diversity, their sustainable utilization as well as adopt ABS principles by the partners involved under the ABS agreement. Bhutan being one of the biodiverse rich countries, has the potential to tap benefits from biodiscovery research engaging local communities and companies creating a niche market for the nature-based products in the national as well as international market.

A benefit sharing ceremony between the Bio Bhutan Pvt. Limited and the Jom Dagam Ngomen Tshogpa, a community-based group in Dagala under Thimphu was held on 11th May 2021

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