A Climate Disaster in Mongolia

By Asian Development Bank

April 14^th, 2016

A YEAR OF HARSH WEATHER

Mongolia is being hit by a serious livelihood and food crisis arising from a slow-burning but deadly climate disaster unique to the country known as a “dzud.” The dzud consists of a summer drought followed by a heavy winter snow and especially cold temperatures during winter and spring.

Informal “ger” settlements populate the outlying snowy hills on the perimeter of Ulaan Baatar.

Black smoke belches into the air in Bayankhongor provincial center, which relies on coal furnaces for heating in the harsh winter.

Slim pickings for the horses and cattle on the frozen hills in Bayankhongor province.

According to the National Emergency Management Authority, snow this winter covered 90% of the country, while temperatures plummeted to -50°C. This created devastating grazing conditions for herders and their livestock, already reeling from a summer drought in 2015 that resulted in a 40% reduction in wheat harvests and grazing pasture in some areas.

Cattle struggle to graze amidst the widespread snow coverage.

livestock dying

The number of animals lost to the heavy snow and cold weather reached almost 700,000 by the end of March, the government said. The number of animal deaths could reach 1.2 million by the spring, when—based on past experience—weak emaciated livestock often die in large numbers, according to the United Nations.

A guard dog picks at a carcass of another animal lost to the elements in Bayankhongor province.

a nomadic life

Mongolian herders generally have a solitary nomadic lifestyle remote from towns and communities. Their traditional ger dwellings—round tents of animal skin or felt around a wooden frame—can be pitched by a family within two hours. These days, most gers have modern amenities such as solar power for appliances and satellite TVs, while the herders themselves are often seen rounding up their animals on motorbikes rather than horses.

In winter, some areas are almost impassable to regular vehicles, making delivery of assistance more difficult.

The snow and lack of roads makes delivery of assistance difficult—even well equipped vehicles get stuck.

Traditional herders’ ger tents combine the ancient and modern with solar panels and satellite dishes.

Provinces like Bayankhongor are sparsely populated, with ger tents dotted around the hills .

Herders these days are more often seen tending to their livestock on motorbikes rather than horses.

Some families can afford to buy fodder in the winter like Uranchimeg, 51, and are able to keep their cattle, sheep, goats, and horses relatively healthy. But others such as Ariunaa, 54, are not so fortunate. She and her family are forced to live on food stamps in a ger on the outskirts of Bayankhongor provincial capital after losing her entire herd to cold and starvation in the last serious dzud 16 years ago.

Uranchimeg, a “distinguished herder” has managed to weather the storm so far.

Ariunaa lost her entire herd in the last major dzud and is forced to live off food stamps.

Emergency response

The United Nations (UN) has indicated that $14.3 million is required for immediate assistance for the most vulnerable herder households in the 98 dzud-affected districts. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a quick release emergency assistance grant of $2 million to complement $2.4 million being provided by the UN to address the most urgent needs of the affected populations.

The money will provide critical food, hay, forage, medical supplies, and fuel for the survival of the most vulnerable herders and their animals. ADB plans a further $3 million grant to strengthen resilience to dzud and forest fires in Mongolia

A young herder boy plays with his lamb in front of his ger.

Two herders chat on the way to tend their livestock.

Local officials have to travel miles through difficult terrain to reach herders.

Dead animals are piled up against a makeshift wall.

Herders’ children are forced to rely on dilapidated dorms for their schooling.

Footnotes

Photos by Graham J. Dwyer

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FootNotes

Photos by Graham J. Dwyer