Project name: Forage production, experimentation, and research to reduce pastureland grazing and improve carrying capacity
Entity information: Munkh Nogoon Mandal cooperative has been operating since 2006 and is experienced in studying pasture plants, cultivating fodder plants to prevent and protect against diseases, pests, rodents, and external influences. In 2017, the cooperative initiated the Agropark project in Uvurkhangai province to develop greenhouse cultivation, farm forage, and cultivate vegetables.
Partner entity: Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geography and Geo-ecology, and the Department of Geographic Information Systems-Cartography
Project objective: The project aims to rehabilitate the degraded pastureland using basic and facile methods by experimenting with the cultivations of nutritious sorts of plants, reducing the pastureland grazing, and improving carrying capacity by establishing additional fodder reserves for livestock at the Arvaikheer soum of Uvurkhangai province. Furthermore, based on the results of the experiment, we aim to develop a policy recommendation for 19 soums of Uvurkhangai province, supplying the decision-makers of all levels with scientifically proven information concerning pastureland management.
Planned activities:
Cultivate forage and improve soil condition,
Irrigate cultivation area, and select drought and frost tolerant and dry-soil plant varieties,
Develop basic and facile agrotechnological methods of rehabilitation of degraded pastureland, using remote surveillance and mapping methods, and
Organize experimental cultivation and training of fodder and pasture perennials at the Arvaikheer soum.
Proposed solutions: In the current situation of overgrazed pasture land carrying capacity with exceeding headcounts of livestock, it is necessary to reduce pasture land degradation and improve its conditions by increasing the productivity per headcount without reducing the herders’ income. By cultivating mixed fodder plants in cooperation, the herders will become able to produce forages and reduce their fodder expenses. By involving the herders in mixed green forage cultivation, the herders will gain experience and knowledge on forage farming, which will be a valuable investment in their business and the further solution of problems faced.
Beneficiaries: 28265 herders of 16087 herder households of 19 soums of the Uvurkhangai province, out of which 12417 are women.
Project location: Arvaikheer soum, Uvurkhangai province
