Arunachal CM calls for yak economy roadmap, cooperative society for herders

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has called for a coordinated plan to conserve yak populations, improve the incomes of herders and develop commercial markets for yak-based products, with a proposed cooperative society and insurance scheme among the measures under consideration.

Addressing the Yak Economy Summit 2026 and Yak Mela at Mago in Tawang district, Khandu said yak-rearing communities in the Himalayan region needed targeted policy support from the state and Central governments.

He said yak rearing was not only a source of livelihood but also an important part of the social, cultural and strategic landscape of the Himalayas.

"From the perspective of national security, it is our duty to support our Brokpa communities and yak herders through appropriate policy interventions," Khandu said, highlighting the importance of sustaining pastoral communities in remote and strategically sensitive areas.

The chief minister proposed a comprehensive roadmap involving the Army, the ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak (ICAR-NRCY), government departments and other stakeholders to address the challenges faced by herders and improve the long-term viability of the sector.

He said yak associations had been established in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh and brought together under the Yak Federation of India. A federation meeting would be convened in February to review progress and discuss the next steps, including policy measures required from the state and Central governments.

Khandu stressed the need to map yak populations, identify herders and document their seasonal migration patterns before developing infrastructure and support programmes. Recording summer and winter grazing camps, he said, would help authorities plan facilities for herders and ensure sustainable management of yak herds.

He also called for the formation of the Arunachal Pradesh Yak Herders and Products Development Cooperative Society to organise herders, strengthen their bargaining power and improve access to markets. A cooperative framework, he said, could help pastoral families pool resources and build businesses around yak-derived products.

The proposed measures also include scientific yak-rearing practices, capacity-building programmes and basic amenities at the summer and winter settlements used by Brokpa communities. Khandu said such interventions must improve living conditions without undermining traditional grazing practices and livelihoods.

The Brokpa are a nomadic pastoralist community primarily found in Tawang and West Kameng districts. Their livelihoods revolve around high-altitude yak rearing, seasonal migration and the production of dairy products.

Khandu said yak milk, cheese, ghee and fibre offered opportunities to increase earnings if supported by better processing, branding and marketing. He expressed confidence that yak cheese and ghee could compete with established brands if their quality was maintained and effective market linkages developed.

He called for stronger dairy infrastructure and value chains, alongside greater participation by investors and entrepreneurs to improve processing capacity and expand access to consumers.

Developing value-added products, he said, could provide Brokpa families with additional sources of income while creating local employment and opportunities to acquire new skills.

The proposed roadmap is also expected to cover the preservation of indigenous yak germplasm, improved breeding practices, systematic herd records and the supply of quality breeding animals to herders.

To reduce financial risks, Khandu called for exploring a dedicated yak insurance policy and a bankable yak-farming scheme that could encourage investment while protecting herders against potential losses.

He also pointed to opportunities to diversify yak-based livelihoods beyond animal husbandry, including homestays, guiding services and the sale of local handicrafts. Such activities could help connect the region's pastoral economy with tourism while generating additional income for communities in remote Himalayan areas.