New ICIMOD publications about yaks
21.07.2016
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, Nepal, announces the release of several new publications on its online library, HimalDoc. The publications span a range of topics, including value chain development in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, the impact of Nepal’s 2015 Gorkha earthquake, water conservation in Nepal and the welfare of mountain people, forests and the environment in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region.
Among ICIMOD’s 2016 publications are two texts involving the yak, a flagship species for the HKH region. See the descriptions below:
Yak on the Move: Transboundary Challenges and Opportunities for Yak Raising in a Changing Hindu Kush Himalayan Region
Yak is specially adapted to high-altitude environments and is a flagship species for the HKH region. It plays a key role not only in agrobiodiversity conservation and maintaining high-altitude rangeland ecosystems, but also in cultural traditions, livelihood strategies and all aspects of socioeconomic development in high mountain areas of the region. But yak are coming under increasing pressure with closed borders and restrictions on grazing and movement, and yak herders are facing immense livelihood challenges.
Despite the importance and significance of yak in high-altitude areas of the HKH region, there is a lack of up-to-date, empirical and adequately documented scientific knowledge regarding the current status and management practices of yaks.
This volume aims to enhance our understanding of yak in the region by bringing together 14 articles from Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan covering a wide range of subjects related to yak raising in the Hindu Kush Himalayas. It provides valuable insights that will help in developing plans for yak genetic conservation, pastoral development and management measures to enhance system resilience and the adaptive capacity of local communities to ongoing and potential changes.
Communication Booklet for Yak and Horse Transportation Team in the Kailash Sacred Landscape
Spanning over territories of three countries, the Tibet Autonomous Region in China, India, and Nepal, Mount Kailash is one of the most culturally and naturally significant and diverse mountain regions in world.
Scenic serenity and sacredness of the landscape entices visitors, mostly from four religions; Bön, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism for centuries expanding scopes for heritage tourism as a means to protect and promote cultural heritage as a sustainable livelihood options for inhabitants.
The ‘Kailash Mansarovar Yatra: Communication Booklet for Yak and Horse Transportation team’ has been developed as a skill enhancement tool to improve communication skills of local herders on safety measures and encourage participation of local communities in responsible tourism. The illustrative booklet comprises captions in Chinese, Tibetan and English on General Rules (GR), Safety Measures (SM), Health Measures (HM and Basic communication (BC) intends to enhance visitor experience in the landscape and further.
These publications and more are available for full download in PDF format from ICIMOD’s online library.
Photo: ICIMOD
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