Chhimi Dema

The Tarayana Foundation yesterday launched a program to document and research the impacts of climate change facing Bhutanese communities and find adaptation strategies in consultation with policy makers for the benefit of the communities.

The program, Bhoutanese Knowledge for Indigenous Development (B-KIND), is undertaken by the Tarayana Center for Social Research and Development, the foundation’s research and think tank, in collaboration with the College of Natural Resources and the College of Language and Culture. Studies.

The program received a grant of approximately US $ 1 million from the Government of Canada through the International Development Research Center (IDRC).

B-KIND’s program coordinator Ritu Verma (PhD) said the program is action-oriented research that focuses on climate change adaptation, sustainable organic farming, holistic food systems, gender equality and well-being.

She added that the B-KIND project aims to document the experiences or impacts of climate change that communities face while trying to find ways to adapt to the changes.

“From the start of the B-KIND program, we will interact with policy makers and discuss how these [voices from the grassroots] can be continued at the national level, ”she said, adding that critical research must come to life and influence policy and decision-makers.

According to the press release from the Tarayana Foundation, the program aims to generate knowledge through scientific and citizen research on locally appropriate organic agricultural food systems and to implement action-oriented research on l ‘use of best organic farming practices.

The program would also strengthen transdisciplinary expertise and help develop an evidence-based policy for resilient organic agriculture, an agenda to tackle climate change, gross national happiness, gender equality, and food and nutrition security.

Rita Verma said the B-KIND program is transdisciplinary with an equal number of biophysics researchers, natural scientists measuring climate vulnerabilities and socio-cultural scientists researching human impacts and how climate change affects intangible aspects of Culture.

“It’s also transdisciplinary in a way that involves citizen research,” she said.

For example, the research involves local communities through visual ethnography where farmers would get smartphones to capture images and explain through visuals how climate change is affecting them.

Rita Verma said: “If you allow farmers to capture their own stories, it comes to life. “

The images would be part of a photo exhibition and a photographic book.

The B-KIND program will support eight doctoral scholarships in philosophy (PhD) and two masters scholarships.

According to the press release, four scholarships will be hosted in the College of Natural Resources Climate Studies PhD program and PhD scholarships are expected to be hosted in the new Anthropology PhD program being developed at the College of Language and Cultural. Studies.

The program will be implemented in three dzongkhags – Gasa, Punakha and Wangdue.

“The field sites represent climatic, biophysical, socio-cultural, gender, geographic, elevation, topographic and context-specific variability under the widely diverse conditions of Bhutan,” the press release said.

Edited by Jigme Wangchuk