French Cheese from the Himalayas

Diversifying and adding value to yak milk in the Dagala Range above 4,000 meters

At more than 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) above sea level, life in Wangdro and Dungdro revolves around the yak. Yaks are at the heart of a way of life that has adapted over generations to the difficult conditions of the highlands.

Last month, a team from the Bhutan Foundation, Thimphu District Administration, Department of Energy and Bhutan Food and Drugs Authority traveled to Dagala to meet the communities and better understand the opportunities and challenges around highland livelihoods.

What we learned gave us hope.

A Traditional Livelihood. A New Opportunity.



For generations, households have processed yak milk into butter, chogo (hardened cheese) and other dairy products. Without a proper processing unit, much of this work is done at home, an incredibly tedious process. Once the products are made, individual households have to find buyers themselves or mainly produce for their own consumption.

But for many families, earning a reliable income from this traditional way of life is becoming increasingly difficult.

Then a simple idea formed: yak milk could become a higher-value product. In 2024, the Bhutan Foundation's Small Grants Program supported training for yak herders from Wangdru and Dungdru in French cheese processing.

The idea has since taken root.

For many households, income has doubled by selling their milk to the processing unit.

Today, almost all households in the two communities bring their milk to a shared processing unit. An entrepreneur in Thimphu purchases and markets the cheese, while farmers receive payment each month for the milk they supply.



For many families, monthly income has doubled, increasing from around Nu. 15,000 ($156) to Nu. 30,000 ($313).

But the impact goes far beyond income.

People walk more than an hour to the milk collection center every day.

More Income. Less Work. More Time.

Traditionally, processing yak milk at home meant hours of churning and boiling over smoky fires. Families also had to collect firewood from much lower down the mountain, which requires several hours of walking.

With collective processing, families can now milk their yaks and bring the milk to the processing unit, leaving much of the labor-intensive work behind.

For the women we met, this change was especially meaningful.

Less time churning and boiling means:

• Less exposure to smoke
• Less firewood to collect
• More time for their families, livestock, and other activities

It's a simple change that is making everyday life in the highlands a little easier. And because the community is using less firewood, the benefits extend to the fragile highland environment as well. 

Collecting firewood requires several hours of walking. The processing unit helped them reduce use of firewood and working in smoky conditions.

Community consultation meeting in Dagala with the Bhutan Foundation team and relevant stakeholders.

A Future of Possibilities: Building a solar-powered milk processing facility

During our recent visit to Dagala, the Bhutan Foundation team saw firsthand what this community has already accomplished. But we can go further.

Now, we need your support to raise $80,000 to build and equip a solar-powered milk processing facility.

This facility will give families the infrastructure they need to take this promising initiative to the next level. Your support will help provide:

1. Better Equipment - Improved and safer milk-processing equipment
2. Cold Storage - Reliable refrigeration and cold storage
3. More Production - Greater capacity to produce cheese and other dairy products
4. Solar Power - To provide dependable, cleaner energy
5. Expanded Opportunity - more families across the Dagala Range can benefit

Every gift can help move this project forward. A contribution can help purchase processing equipment, refrigeration and storage materials, solar components, or other essentials needed to make the facility operational.

Whether you give $50, $100, $500, or more, your support becomes part of a larger community effort to create more dependable incomes for yak-herding families and strengthen a traditional highland livelihood.

From yak milk to French cheese, the communities of Wangdro and Dungdro are finding a new way to milk this traditional product for all its worth and, in the process, make highland life a little easier.

Norbu Dema

Country Director

Bhutan Foundation

Support the Dagala Yak Herders

Why Your Gift Matters

We support communities like this by creating practical, targeted solutions with transformative impact.

Every gift helps bring this new facility one step closer.

Our Field Notes in Video

Meet the people behind this story and see the community, landscape, and work firsthand. Watch our latest video from Dagala and experience a glimpse of this remarkable community for yourself:

The Bhutan Foundation has received a platinum rating from charity watchdog Candid and a four-star score from Charity Navigator. These hold the highest standards for evaluating non-profit organizations and advise supporters like you so that you know every dollar is making the largest possible impact.