Currently, Mongolia is facing one of its most extreme Dzuds yet with early reports from Mongolia’s Emergency Management Agency painting a worrying picture: with over seven million animals perishing by April 2024. The livestock industry is a vital source of food and income for herders.
This ecological crisis has contributed significantly to rural poverty, as herders and local communities struggle to maintain their traditional livelihoods in increasingly hostile environmental conditions. The degradation of pasturelands and water sources, coupled with more frequent and severe weather events, has made it difficult for nomadic herders to sustain their way of life. Today, over three-quarters of Mongolia’s land is affected by drought and desertification, an issue only compounded by overgrazing and human activities, such as coal mining.