Mustang Celebrates Second National Yak-Chauri Day

Mustang. The second National Yak-Chauri Day was celebrated with various programs at Ghatte Khola in Thasang Rural Municipality-2. The event was organized by the Himalayan Chauri Rearing and Conservation Committee with financial support from Thasang Rural Municipality.

With the objective of preserving, promoting, and passing down the centuries-old traditional yak-chauri farming business to the next generation, the National Yak Day was celebrated this year in Mustang, as well as in Rasuwa and Panchthar districts.

Inaugurating the event, Thasang Rural Municipality Chairman Pradip Gauchan emphasized the need to protect and promote traditional yak-chauri farming as a historical and cultural heritage. He noted that the National Yak-Chauri Federation was officially registered last year to advocate for the rights and welfare of traditional farmers in the Himalayan region.

He stressed the importance of conserving this practice, which contributes significantly to biodiversity and the ecosystem, as it is currently in a state of decline. Highlighting that the business is expensive and risky, Chairman Gauchan stated that the state must implement concrete programs for its sustainable management.

According to Chairman Gauchan, 80 percent insurance coverage has recently been provided for the business, offering partial relief to farmers against losses caused by natural disasters and wildlife in high-altitude pastures.

Central Secretary of the National Yak-Chauri Federation, Sojan Hirachan, stated that the second Yak Day was organized in Mustang following the government's cabinet decision last year to declare Baisakh 7 as National Yak Day.

Thasang Rural Municipality Vice-Chair Somal Hirachan expressed the municipality's commitment to supporting yak-chauri farmers through financial, physical, and technical assistance.

During the event, the Himalayan Chauri Rearing and Conservation Committee honored Rajendra Tulachan from Thasang-2, Larjung, for his 20 years of dedication to the profession, recognizing his contribution to cultural preservation and local economic development. Sojan Hirachan from Thasang-2, Sauru, was also honored for excellence in yak-chauri farming.