Short description of the best practice
The best practice was introduced by the project Sustainable Grassland Management project. The project has 4 immediate objectives to reach the desired achievements and outputs in managing the grasslands sustainable:
1. To strengthen existing customary forms of co-operation among herders within and between local communities of land users
2. To facilitate the articulation of the new herder communities to other communities and to wider governance structures, mainly the Bagh and the soum
3. To build the capacity of herder community associations to negotiate with third party providers for inputs and services
4. To strengthen the ability of central government to create and manage an appropriate legal and economic environment for sustainable herder and grassland development.
The expected outcomes were identified as follows:
1. Herders apply tested models of cooperative resource management specifically developed for their ecological zone, based on customary forms of cooperation.
2. The rights of herders and their investments in improving resources are secured through formalized grazing rights
3. Herder community associations have the capacity to identify economic opportunities for the members and to negotiate service contract with outside providers
4. Local best practices are disseminated on a significant scale through herder-to-herder and community-to-community learning and emulation
5. Effective co-management leading to better land use planning and coordination achieved through co-management structures involving Baghh and Soum governments and herders
6. Improved capacity of central decision-making bodies (MoFA, MNE and Parliament Standing Committees) to commission, carry out and use policy research to draft new policies and legislation in the livestock and grassland management sector|
Location
In 12 Soums of Selenge, Bayankhongor and Ovorkhangai aimags(provinces of Mongolia).|
If the location has well defined boundaries, specify its extension in hectares:
22004400.0
Estimated population living in the location:
287200.0
Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.
These 3 aimags represent the major ecological zones of Mongolia as steppe, forest steppe, desert
steppe and high mountains. The Climate refers to the climate zones of steppe, forest steppe, desert steppe and high mountains. |
Soil in Mongolia has been divided into the following:
1. Black soil is found in Khangai, Khentii, Khovsgol provinces, Mongol Altai and Ih Hyangan Mountain ranges, and the in the Orhon, Selenge, Onon and Ulz river valleys which are in the forest steppe region.
2. Brown soil is in the forest steppe and steppe region 1,000-1,200 meters above sea level. The content of humus is 35% in dark brown, 23% brown, 1.62% in light brown soil.|
The topography of Mongolia consists mainly of a plateau with the elevation ranging from 914 and 1524 m (about 3000 and 5000 ft) broken by mountain ranges in the north and west. The Altai Mountains in the southwest rise to heights above 4267 m (14,000 ft). The Gobi covers a wide arid tract in the central and southeastern areas. The most important rivers are the Selenge Mörön and its tributary, the Orhon Gol, in the north. Large lakes include the Har Us, Hyargas, Uvs, and Hövsgöl.
Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby
Mongolian Land Law adopted in 2002 and Constitution (1992) recognises the state ownership of pastures, forests, and subsoil and water resources, thus making private ownership of these resources impossible.The Law on Land provides rights for ownership, possession, use and limited use. Possession rights may be held by citizens, economic entities and organisations for up to 60 years, with the right to extension for additional periods of 40 years. |
Livestock breeding and crop production
The minimum income per person in these 3 aimags is around $150/month.
On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?
The most influencing factor for the desertification in Mongolia is the harmful use of pasture. The improvement of the pasture land management plays very significant role for combating desertification. The long-term goal of the project is to increase the welfare of herding families through the sustainable management of Mongolian grasslands.
So based on this the practice was considered as "best".
