Laya, Bhutan, 24 October 2026 - Yak herders from Bhutan, India and Nepal have come together to establish the Himalayan Yak Herders Network (HYHN), a regional platform designed to strengthen the collective voice of high-altitude pastoral communities across the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
Launched on 23 October 2026 during the 9th Royal Highland Festival in Laya, Bhutan, the network is a herder-led and herder-owned initiative that aims to ensure the knowledge, priorities and concerns of yak-herding communities receive greater recognition in national, regional and global policy and development processes.
Yak herders play a vital role in sustaining the fragile mountain landscapes of the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Their livelihoods are closely linked to high-altitude rangelands, which support biodiversity, livestock production, food security and the preservation of distinctive cultural traditions. Yak herding also contributes to resilient mountain economies, particularly in remote communities where livelihood opportunities can be limited.
However, mountain pastoralists face growing challenges, including environmental change, pressure on rangelands, livelihood uncertainties and the need for greater recognition in development planning. By bringing herders together across national borders, HYHN seeks to create a stronger platform for sharing knowledge, addressing common challenges and advocating for policies that reflect the realities of pastoral life.
The launch also recognises the United Nations’ designation of 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, highlighting the importance of healthy rangelands and the communities that depend on them.
The initiative was co-organised by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Bhutan’s Department of Livestock under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Planning and Policy Division under the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Yak Federation of Bhutan.
The launch builds on years of support for yak-herder organisations across Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, beginning in 2017–18. This regional collaboration has helped lay the groundwork for a platform through which pastoral communities can strengthen cooperation and engage more effectively with decision-makers.
The establishment of HYHN marks an important step towards more inclusive mountain development, recognising yak herders not merely as beneficiaries of development programmes but as essential knowledge-holders, environmental stewards and partners in shaping the future of Himalayan rangelands.
As the Hindu Kush Himalaya faces mounting environmental and socioeconomic pressures, a stronger collective voice for yak herders could help bring local knowledge and community priorities closer to the centre of regional conservation, climate resilience and sustainable development efforts.
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