ITANAGAR, Oct 18: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has proposed a coordinated strategy to conserve yak populations, improve herders’ livelihoods and expand markets for yak-based products, including the formation of a cooperative society and a dedicated insurance scheme.
Addressing the Yak Economy Summit 2026 and Yak Mela at Mago in Tawang district, Khandu called for targeted support from the state and Central governments to sustain yak-rearing communities across the Himalayan region.
He said yak rearing extended beyond livelihoods, forming an integral 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,” he said, stressing the need to support pastoral communities in remote and strategically sensitive areas.
Khandu proposed a comprehensive roadmap involving the Army, the ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak (ICAR-NRCY), government departments and other stakeholders to address challenges faced by herders and ensure the sector’s long-term sustainability.
He said yak associations in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh had been brought together under the Yak Federation of India. A federation meeting would be held in February to review progress and discuss further action, including policy support required from the state and Central governments.
Emphasising the need for reliable data, Khandu called for mapping yak populations, identifying herders and documenting their seasonal migration patterns. Records of summer and winter grazing camps, he said, would help authorities plan infrastructure and support services while ensuring sustainable herd management.
He also proposed establishing the Arunachal Pradesh Yak Herders and Products Development Cooperative Society to bring herders together, strengthen their bargaining power and improve market access. The cooperative would help pastoral families pool resources and develop businesses around yak-derived products.
The proposed roadmap includes promoting scientific rearing practices, providing capacity-building programmes and improving basic amenities at seasonal settlements used by Brokpa communities. Khandu said these measures should improve living conditions without disrupting traditional grazing practices or livelihoods.
The Brokpa are a nomadic pastoralist community primarily found in Tawang and West Kameng districts, where high-altitude yak rearing, seasonal migration and dairy production form the basis of their livelihoods.
Khandu said yak milk, cheese, ghee and fibre had the potential to generate higher returns through improved processing, branding and marketing. He expressed confidence that yak cheese and ghee could compete with established brands if quality standards were maintained and effective market linkages developed.
He called for stronger dairy infrastructure and value chains, alongside greater participation by investors and entrepreneurs to expand processing capacity and reach consumers.
Value-added products, he said, could diversify household incomes, create local employment and provide opportunities for skill development among Brokpa families.
The roadmap is also expected to address the preservation of indigenous yak germplasm, improved breeding practices, systematic herd records and the supply of quality breeding animals.
To protect herders against financial losses, Khandu called for exploring a dedicated yak insurance policy and a bankable yak-farming scheme to support investment in the sector.
He also highlighted opportunities to diversify livelihoods through homestays, guiding services and the sale of local handicrafts. Linking these activities with tourism, he said, could create additional income opportunities for communities in remote Himalayan areas.
