Mongolia – Gov’t-led efforts improve livestock sector; alleviate suffering of herders during winter  

Location: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Language: Mongolian

Duration: 00:04:12

Resource: A24

Restrictions: Subscribers of A24

Dateline: 02-26-2022

Storyline

In its efforts to improve and develop the livestock sector, Mongolia’s Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry organizes on a yearly basis winter and spring preparations for livestock. It takes measures to organize the wintering and springing of more than 67.7 million head of livestock, that is meant to protect them from the cold and harsh weather conditions. More than 16.7 million livestock were put into economic circulation in the fall of 2021. This was made possible due to the favorable weather conditions the animals live in now and the ready-made fodder nationwide, according to D. Batmunkh, who heads the Industry’s Animal Husbandry Policy Implementation Coordination Department in the ministry. A farmer said that previous winters were rough on both herds and herders. Winters now, however, are easier due to the new measures, as the animals now are calving and in much better conditions.

Shotlist

(Soundbite) B. Ochiroo, a herder

“In the past, the winter was hard. It snowed a lot. We spent the winter feeding fodder to our sheep and herds. This winter, however, this was not the case. It’s been a good winter. It’s been a wonderful winter with no losses. Now, sheep in the winter are calving. I got some offspring yesterday. Today, it’s snowing and the sky is overcast. If it snows a lot, I think it will be a little harder in the spring.”

(Soundbite) D. Batmunkh, the head of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry’s Animal Husbandry Policy Implementation Coordination Department:

“Every year, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Light Industry organizes this work in the winter and spring. The important thing is that we gave the Mongolian government an estimate of how many animals will spend the winter and spring in November 2021. A total of 67.7 million head of livestock have been organized for the winter and spring, according to our estimates. As a result, in the fall of 2021, we will organize the work to reintroduce livestock into the economy. We estimate that 16.7 million livestock will be put into economic circulation.”

(Soundbite) D. Batmunkh, the head of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry’s Animal Husbandry Policy Implementation Coordination Department:

“Our country’s winter is currently relatively stable. Animal husbandry can be described as stable. This is due to a number of factors. The stable winter and spring conditions of Mongolia’s livestock are largely due to favorable weather conditions. First and foremost, it has been determined that livestock losses will be reduced as a result of the relatively well-fed livestock. Second, there is a plentiful supply of fodder in the country.”

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