Karma Tshering

What Karma Tshering does

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) is the Royal Government of Bhutan's national authority for agricultural policy, livestock development, food security, and biodiversity conservation. Operating from Thimphu, it serves Bhutanese farmers, farmer groups and cooperatives, rural communities, and internal government departments through four specialized agencies — the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives, the Department of Livestock, and the National Biodiversity Centre — alongside a Secretariat. MoAL delivers extension services, crop and livestock insurance, market facilitation, and rural vocational training across all 20 dzongkhags of Bhutan via dzongkhag-level offices, Agriculture Research and Development Centres, and project management units.

MoAL operates a portfolio of digital systems underpinning service delivery, including the Agricultural Commodity Market Initiative (BCMI), Bhutan Biodiversity Portal, Veterinary Information System, Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for NCAH and BAFRA, Plant Protection Product Information Management System, ePest Surveillance System, and the e-RNR Crop Advisory Mobile Application for farmers. Internal systems include the MoAL Help Desk (powered by osTicket) and a Leave and Attendance System. The flagship commercial-adjacent program is the National Crop and Livestock Insurance Scheme (NCLIS), launched with Nu. 800 million in funding from the Government of India, offering a 50% government subsidy on premiums delivered through Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan Limited (RICBL) and Bhutan Insurance Limited (BIL). Digital infrastructure operates primarily within the .gov.bt domain.

MoAL has no commercial revenue model and is funded through Royal Government of Bhutan budget allocations supplemented by international development financing. Core grantor and implementation partners include the World Bank (projects P506825 and BRECSA), the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Government of India, the European Union (EU-TCP, EU-TACS), the Pandemic Fund Project, IFC, ICIMOD, Maejo University, and the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan. Recent strategic activity centers on commercial value-chain transformation, AI capability-building in livestock research, One Health and antimicrobial resistance programs with FAO, and expansion of organic product retail channels through the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives.

Name

Karma Tshering

Legal name

Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock

Website

https://moal.gov.bt

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL) is the Royal Government of Bhutan's authority on agricultural policy, livestock development, and food security. It serves Bhutanese farmers across all 20 dzongkhags through specialized departments, digital systems, and the National Crop and Livestock Insurance Scheme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Services

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Animal Production (11521)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAEANAB

Livestock & Farm Animal Veterinary Services

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Animal Health & Veterinary Services

SECONDARYAFACAEAG

Herd Handling, Sorting & Restraint Services (Chute Work, Weighing, Tagging)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Livestock Services (Breeding, AI, Pregnancy Checking, Handling)

SECONDARYAFACALAG

Reproductive Health & Herd Fertility Programs (Preg Checks, Calving/Lambing Support)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Animal Health Services (Vaccination Programs, Biosecurity, Parasite Control)

SECONDARYAFACADAI

Nutrition & Production Medicine Advisory (Transition Cow, Performance Optimization)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Veterinary Services (Farm Animal & Herd Health)

SECONDARYAFAEALAE

Livestock Contract Growing & Farm Labor Services

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Animal Welfare, Boarding & Production Support Services (non-veterinary)

SECONDARYAFAEALAG

Livestock Weighing, Sorting & Handling Facility Services

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Animal Welfare, Boarding & Production Support Services (non-veterinary)

SECONDARYAFACAEAH

Livestock Identification & Recordkeeping Services (RFID Tagging, Traceability Setup)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Livestock Services (Breeding, AI, Pregnancy Checking, Handling)

SECONDARYAFACAJAL

Livestock & Herd/Flock Operations Management Advisory (Nutrition, Housing, Performance)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Farm Management & Operational Advisory Services

SECONDARYAFACAEAL

Livestock Performance Monitoring Services (Weighing Programs, BCS, Data Capture)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Livestock Services (Breeding, AI, Pregnancy Checking, Handling)

SECONDARYAFACAEAJ

Hoof Care & Livestock Husbandry Services (Trimming, Dehorning, Castration Support)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Livestock Services (Breeding, AI, Pregnancy Checking, Handling)

Keywords

• Agricultural extension services
• Livestock development programs
• Crop insurance schemes
• Agricultural market facilitation
• Biodiversity conservation services

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is the Royal Government of Bhutan's central authority for agricultural policy, livestock development, food security, and biodiversity conservation. It delivers subsidized crop and livestock insurance, agricultural extension services, market access programs through cooperatives, research and development, and a suite of digital systems including the BCMI market platform, the Bhutan Biodiversity Portal, and the Veterinary Information System. Services are provided free or subsidized to Bhutanese farmers and rural communities, funded through state budget allocations and international development partners.

Product overview

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock operates a suite of digital systems and programs supporting Bhutan's agricultural sector. The core offerings include the Agricultural Commodity Market Initiative (BCMI) for market facilitation, the Bhutan Biodiversity Portal for environmental data, and various specialized systems including the Veterinary Information System, Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), Plant Protection Product Information Management System, and ePest Surveillance System for research and monitoring. The ministry also manages the National Crop and Livestock Insurance Scheme (NCLIS) providing subsidized insurance to farmers, supported by internal systems like the MoAL Help Desk and Leave and Attendance System. The digital infrastructure operates primarily within the .gov.bt domain serving government operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Crop and Livestock Insurance Scheme (NCLIS) Insurance scheme providing crop and livestock coverage against losses from natural disasters, pests, and diseases, with a 50% government subsidy on premiums, delivered in partnership with Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan Limited (RICBL) and Bhutan Insurance Limited (BIL). Targets Bhutanese farmers and rural communities.
• Agricultural Commodity Market Initiative (BCMI) Digital platform for agricultural commodity market information and trade facilitation, supporting market access for Bhutanese farmers and cooperatives.
• Bhutan Biodiversity Portal Online portal for biodiversity information, monitoring, and data management in Bhutan, operated through the National Biodiversity Centre.
• Veterinary Information System Information system for managing veterinary data and animal health records across Bhutan, supporting the Department of Livestock's veterinary service delivery.
• Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) System for managing laboratory data and samples at the National Centre for Animal Health (NCAH) and Bhutan Food and Drug Regulatory Authority (BAFRA).
• Plant Protection Product Information Management System System for managing plant protection product information and regulatory compliance in Bhutan.
• ePest Surveillance System Electronic system for pest monitoring, surveillance, and crop protection across Bhutan.
• e-RNR Crop Advisory Mobile Application Mobile application providing farmers with easy access to a repository of instructions on agricultural practices.
• Registration and Information Management of Farmer Groups and Co-operatives Citizen services portal for the registration and information management of farmer groups and cooperatives in Bhutan.

Quantifiable outcome

• National Crop and Livestock Insurance Scheme launched with Nu. 800 million funding from Government of India under Economic Support Programme, offering 50% government subsidy on insurance premiums

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability1 record

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2025FAO collaborates with MoAL on regional consultations for sustainable agrifood systems, One Health initiatives, antimicrobial resistance awareness, and pandemic prevention projects. The collaboration includes support for veterinary paraprofessional training and World AMR Awareness Week activities.
• ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2025ICIMOD provides virtual training support for Resilient Mountain Solutions (RMS) and related activities in Bhutan, supporting mountain community resilience.
• Maejo University, Chiang Mai, ThailandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for Masters scholarship programs in Organic Agriculture Management and Innovative Agricultural Products for November 2026 intake.
• Royal Monetary Authority of BhutanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on financial mechanisms for agricultural programs including the NCLIS insurance scheme launch attended by Dasho Governor.
• Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan Limited (RICBL) and Bhutan Insurance Limited (BIL)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInsurance implementation partners for the National Crop and Livestock Insurance Scheme (NCLIS), with CEOs attending the scheme launch ceremony.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• World Bank Agriculture and Food Global Practice: The World Bank is MoAL's largest financial partner across BRECSA, CARLEP and P506825. As an enabler rather than direct operator, it is the most relevant ecosystem peer influencing MoAL's modernization roadmap.
• CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International): CABI's PlantwisePlus programme supports countries with plant health advisory and pest surveillance systems closely analogous to MoAL's ePest Surveillance System and Plant Protection Product Information Management System.
• CGIAR System Organization: CGIAR operates the international agricultural research portfolio that underpins MoAL's ARDC research and crop advisory work. It is a global adjacent peer on agricultural research, breeding and innovation pipelines used by ministries like MoAL.

Broad incumbents

• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): IFAD funds smallholder commercialization and rural value chain programmes that map directly onto MoAL's BRECSA, CARLEP and P506825 portfolio, positioning it as a globally active incumbent peer in smallholder agriculture and rural finance.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): FAO is MoAL's core strategic partner on agrifood systems, One Health, AMR and veterinary paraprofessional training. As a global policy and technical assistance incumbent in the same agricultural development domain, FAO is the closest multilateral peer.
• Department of Agriculture, Thailand: Thailand's Department of Agriculture is a larger, established agricultural research and extension agency within a regional ministry. It is comparable as a broader incumbent offering agricultural R&D, plant protection and digital information systems analogous to MoAL's ARDC and Plant Protection portals.

Direct peers

• Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, India: India's central agriculture ministry is the most direct structural counterpart to MoAL, running nationwide departments, extension and digital agri-services, and is also the funder behind NCLIS via the Economic Support Programme, making both policy partner and donor role highly comparable.
• Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Nepal: Nepal's agriculture ministry mirrors MoAL's combined crops-livestock scope, farmer-group and cooperative focus, and Himalayan, donor-dependent operating context, making it a tight structural peer for extension, veterinary and digital service delivery.

Regional players

• Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR: Laos' agriculture and forestry ministry pursues a near-identical mandate of crop production, livestock development, cooperatives and market access in a small, donor-supported economy, making it a close regional comparator even though it operates in a different territory.
• ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Integrated Mountain Development): ICIMOD delivers Resilient Mountain Solutions training to MoAL and works across the Hindu Kush-Himalaya on resilient agriculture and mountain livelihoods, making it a regionally focused peer with closely overlapping mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ministryofagricultureandforests

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Karma Tshering