24 September, Thimphu: Their Excellencies, Mr. Daniel Hachez, Minister Counsellor, Head of Cooperation, European Union, Bangkok and Lyonpo Yeshey Penjor, Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Royal Government of Bhutan inaugurated the Mushroom Spawn Laboratory at National Mushroom Center, Serbithang, Thimphu.
A total of Nu. 23.68 million was supported from the EU Budget Support Program for the construction of spawn laboratory. In addition, Nu 2.49 million was supported for procurement of lab equipment. The new lab will develop pure cultures, develop mother culture, produce and supply mother spawn to spawn production unit at NMC, regional units and private spawn producers, produce and supply cultivation spawn with focus on sawdust spawn for shiitake mushroom cultivation and conduct research and trials; and variety release amongst others.
The EU has supported the Renewable Natural Resource (RNR) sector in Bhutan since 1984. Over the last four decades, the support has evolved from a modest water supply project to the current budget support programme, which aims to strengthen the food system resilience, in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic.
The EU has also been collaborating with the Bhutanese Government to mainstream climate change in the RNR sector through Global Climate Change Adaptation flagship initiative (GCCA+) as well as by providing budgetary support during the last programming period (2014-2020). The EU has reaffirmed its commitment of EUR 31 million for the first phase of its Multi-Annual Indicative Programme (MIP 2021-2027) for Bhutan.
-PPD
