A team from the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), Mr. Choki Gyeltshen and Ms. Jamyang Choden presented on Bhutan’s biodiversity, Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Policy and Bhutan Biodiversity Portal (www.biodiversity.bt) to the staff of UWICER and trainees on the morning of 8 th November, 2017. They had hordes of information to be shared with the faculty and trainees of the institute on the works carried out by NBC and on the presentation.

National Access and Benefit Sharing policy covers the research and commercial utilization of Bhutan’s genetic resources, their derivatives, and associated Traditional Knowledge. ABS policy ensures fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from research and commercial utilization of Bhutan’s genetic resources and Traditional Knowledge.

They presented on the advantages of being a registered member of Bhutan Biodiversity Portal. In there, you can either download image files, video files or acoustic files, upload data and have your specimens identified with the assistance of identified curators across the country registered with the Portal.

Presentation saw active discussions and clarifications making participants little more wiser on Bhutan’s Biodiversity and renewed appreciation for the works Bhutanese foresters do everyday.