𝐋𝐚𝐣𝐚 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐍𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐍𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲

…𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑪𝑬𝑭 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑

By Tashi Tshewang

The Dagana Dzongkhag Administration has formally acknowledged and celebrated the launch of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) supported NectarNest – Honey Production initiative in Laja Gewog, a project aimed at empowering rural youth and strengthening local economic opportunities. The programme, led by a six-member youth group, focuses on sustainable and modern beekeeping practices, combining apiculture with entrepreneurship to create long-term livelihood options in the gewog.

The initiative was inaugurated on December 8, 2025, in the presence of gewog and dzongkhag officials, marking a significant step toward promoting innovation and youth-led development in the region. As the project begins its operations, the Dzongkhag Administration expressed gratitude to UNICEF for its support and reaffirmed its confidence that the initiative will boost rural income generation and contribute meaningfully to Dagana’s broader socio-economic growth.

Dhan Bahadur Gurung, the Gup of Laja Gewog, said, “I envision the NectarNest initiative as a strong and sustainable opportunity for economic growth and diversified livelihoods for our youth and the wider community. Beekeeping suits our environment, requires minimal land, and offers high returns through honey and other products. It creates meaningful pathways for youth to engage in entrepreneurship and reduces rural–urban migration, while improved pollination boosts agricultural productivity and food security for all households. Ultimately, NectarNest is an investment in the long-term prosperity and resilience of our gewog.”

He emphasized that the Gewog Administration is not just a supervisory body but an active partner in the project, providing technical guidance, conducting field visits, and ensuring that the youth group receives the support required to build a stable and sustainable rural enterprise under the NectarNest initiative.

The Gup further explained, “The Gewog Administration offers continuous monitoring and practical support, from assessing colony health to promoting sustainable apiculture. However, challenges such as pests, disease risks, weather conditions, and market access remain concerns. The youth will also need ongoing skills training and financial backing. Despite these challenges, we are committed to strengthening the initiative through more training, equipment support, and market linkages. We also hope to replicate similar youth-led ventures in other chiwogs, making projects like NectarNest a model for sustainable development in Laja Gewog and beyond.”

Lal Bahadur Rai, one of the youth group members, shared, “In the beginning, we faced several challenges while setting up the beekeeping initiative in SipaChewog, Laja Gewog. Most of us had very limited technical knowledge. We didn’t know how to manage bee colonies properly, prevent diseases, maintain hive hygiene, or harvest honey without harming the bees. Access to quality equipment was another major issue. We didn’t have modern hives, protective gear, smokers, or proper harvesting tools. On top of that, many of us were unsure about the financial risks because beekeeping requires patience before production becomes stable. These challenges made the early stages quite overwhelming for our youth group.”

He explained that UNICEF’s intervention, supported by the Startup First Institute and coordinated by the gewog and dzongkhag administrations, played a crucial role in helping them overcome these hurdles. The hands-on training boosted their confidence and provided them with practical skills, while the starter kits and equipment eased their initial burden. With this support, the group has now begun expanding their hives, improving product quality, exploring market linkages, and planning to diversify into other bee-based products to make the initiative more sustainable and profitable.

He further added, “This initiative has had a meaningful impact on us as rural youth. We now have a reliable additional source of income that aligns with our agricultural activities. More importantly, the skills we gained- from modern beekeeping techniques to business planning- have strengthened our confidence as young entrepreneurs. With the support we received, we feel capable of building a sustainable business, contributing to our community, and creating new opportunities for ourselves and future youth in SipaChewog.”

Raju Gurung, a youth member of the NectarNest group, shared, “Our youth group is planning to gradually expand honey production by increasing the number of hives every year. With proper management and support, we expect to produce honey worth around Nu. 15,000 annually in the beginning, and then scale up as our colonies grow stronger. We are also planning to cultivate mustard seeds, sunflowers, and other nectar-producing plants because they help improve honey quality and boost production naturally.”

He further added, “Besides honey, we also hope to explore other bee-based products in the future to diversify our income. As we gain more experience, we want to look into products like beeswax candles and other value-added items that can support our livelihood.”

Sharing his message to other youth, Raju said, “This initiative is a great opportunity for rural youth to create a steady income. With the right guidance and commitment, beekeeping can become a reliable source of livelihood. I encourage other young people to take up beekeeping. It doesn’t require large land and it can truly help improve income for families in rural areas.”

Kinley Tshering Gurung, another member, shared, “The training from UNICEF and the Startup First Institute has greatly improved my confidence and technical skills. I learned proper hive management, seasonal hive inspection methods, colony health monitoring, and sustainable honey-harvesting techniques.”
He shared that some of the biggest challenges include unpredictable weather conditions that affect nectar flow and colony strength, pests such as wax moths and mites, and the difficulty of ensuring consistent availability of forage around the apiary.

He added, “The NectarNest initiative will support long-term economic development by creating sustainable income opportunities, strengthening local entrepreneurship, and enhancing agricultural productivity through improved pollination.”

Prakash Gurung said, “Our youth group plans to expand honey production by increasing the number of bee colonies, improving hive management, and strengthening market linkages.”
He explained that the group is also exploring value-added products such as beeswax items and propolis to diversify income. These efforts aim not only to boost earnings but to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural youth engaged in agriculture and beekeeping.

He added, “My message to rural youth is to start small, stay committed, and make the best use of the opportunities available in agriculture and beekeeping.”