Thimphu, Bhutan – [3rd July 2025]
The Department of Energy (DoE), Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR), in collaboration with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) organised a high-level dialogue on Advancing Renewable Energy (RE)-powered lift irrigation systems in Bhutan as part of the Women’s Empowerment through Renewable Energy-Powered Lift Irrigation Systems in Bhutan (WERELIS – Bhutan) project funded by International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada.
The Secretary of the MoENR, Dasho Karma Tshering chaired the event, joined by Head of Resilient Economies and Landscape, ICIMOD, Regional Director of IDRC, Canada, the Director General of the Department of Energy, the Director of the Department of Agriculture, the Director of the Department of Water and representatives from various government agencies, Civil society organisations and private sector. The event also marked the launch of two publications and a PURE tool.
- Landscape Assessment of renewable energy-powered lift irrigation systems, identifying institutional challenges and proposing governance mechanism for more coordinated development, and
- The Multi-Criteria Assessment Framework, which introduces a systematic framework for prioritising competing lift irrigation projects based on technical, socio-economic, environmental, and gender-inclusive criteria.
- Launched the Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) Platform, a satellite-based decision support tool for optimal irrigation system design.
The Secretary, MoENR, in his remarks, stated “Renewable energy-powered lift irrigation systems represent more than technology; they are vehicles of empowerment, tools to unlock productivity, and a bridge toward climate-smart agriculture. It will allow us to unlock year-round cultivation and production while reducing drudgery for women and improve the livelihoods of farmers, especially in places where terrain and climate have long posed barriers.”
The Director General of DoE highlighted that “While Bhutan, thanks to our early investments in hydropower, has made strong progress in renewable energy, we have yet to fully explore the potential of a decentralized and distributed power-generation network. Doing so will help diversify our energy sources and enhance productive applications.”
“It’s clear this is the next great green innovation in Bhutan, and that it holds tremendous transformative potential for our crucial food-growing sector,” stated Head of Resilient Economies and Landscape, ICIMOD, Sarala Khaling.
The dialogue helped in bringing together government officials, development partners, and renewable energy experts to advance the role of clean energy in powering Bhutan’s lift irrigation systems, a move that could transform the country’s agriculture sector and strengthen its resilience to climate change
The event was followed by a series of technical panel sessions centered around policy coordination, financing models, and technical innovations needed to scale up renewable energy-powered lift irrigation systems. Keynote speakers emphasized the urgency of transforming Bhutan’s irrigation infrastructure to meet the challenges of a warming climate, and outlined the government’s commitment to strengthening local adaptive capacity while upholding the nation’s carbon-neutral pledge.
The event called for action to scale up renewable energy-powered lift irrigation systems by strengthening institutional coordination, adopting gender-responsive policies, and establishing a dedicated nodal agency. Key priorities include introducing tailored electricity tariffs for agriculture, enabling private investment, closing technical capacity gaps, and ensuring women’s equitable participation across project lifecycles.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Karma Cheki, Media Officer
MoENR
Email: kcheki@moenr.gov.bt
For media inquiries, please contact:
Raz Tuladhar, Media Officer
ICIMOD
Email: media@icimod.org
