Due to the dzud disaster, 1.7 million head of livestock perished throughout the nation as of February 1, 2010. In 64 soums of 12 aimags; Arkhangai, Bayankhongor, Bayan-Olgii, Gobi-Altai, Dundgobi, Ovorkhangai, Omnogobi, Zavkhan, Tov, Khovd, Khovsgol and Uvs aimags are in catastrophic conditions. In addition, 68 soums are in disaster, 71 soums and 2 villages are possible to worsen, and 27 soums of 4 aimags are having normal wintering.

Disaster relief is welcomed in hard-hit aimags

A working group led by T.Badral, the deputy chief of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), introduced evaluations made at 35 soums of 8 aimags at the meeting of the State Emergency Commission on February 2.

To determine the level of disastrous conditions, condition of past summer, obesity of livestock, preparation for wintering, thickness of snow, freezing, temperature, number of perished livestock, road and mountain passes blocked by snow, challenges faced for delivering State and medical services, distribution of consumer goods to herdsmen, heating provisions for local organizations, as well as the supply of fuel were all considered.

Parliament supported a government proposal to issue Tgs3.7 billion from the budget planned for the ‘Mongol Mal’ Program to rural areas with harsh winter, recover it with budget adjustments later, and approved a resolution to Issue Permission on February 2.

A caravan of supplies trek deep into Mongolia with humanitarian aid

Out of Tgs3.7 billion, Tgs2.7 billion will be spent on disbursing Tgs230 million to 12 aimags each for purchasing hay, fodder and food products to distribute to herdsmen and provide medical services.

Considering the probable worsening of wintering due to weather conditions, Tgs1 billion will be kept under government authority further. Prime Minister S. Batbold introduced a draft resolution to MPs. He said that in total, Tgs2.2 billion was spent on selling hay and fodder from State reserves at a 50 percent discounted price and a non-discounted price to herdsmen, distributing veterinary medicines and bio-preparations, providing ambulance cars to dzudhit soums, clearing snow on road and mountain passes, and giving medical and social services to herdsmen on transhumance.

Along with that, all-round measures are being taken to open temporary border check-points in order to increase the number of checkpoints to export livestock and import hay, conduct donation campaigns to help herdsmen, and inform foreign countries and donor organizations to request assistance. As this resolution is passed, managers of all stages and responsible workers have the duty to upgrade coordination for both wintering and spring time, and to considerably improve all kinds of state services for herdsmen.

During the discussion of resolution, MP R. Gonchigdorj said, “Herdsmen are losing their animals due to dzud. However they received bank loans by using their animals as collateral. Therefore, the Government should be attentive to taking immediate action that would invalidate the loans and replenish them with livestock.”

During the meeting of State Emergency Commission, Deputy Prime Minister and head of State Emergency Commission M. Enkhbold gave duties to relevant ministries, organizations and local heads to give special attention to the health of herdsmen, hospital services, food, warm clothes and firewood; to talk with banking and financial organizations on extending loan terms to herdsmen, to support the rendering of herdsmen to sell their meat in urban places, and work-out a mid and longterm program to replenish livestock.

As most herdsmen are youth, it was also instructed to compile a prevention handbook for dzud disasters; how to work in times of calamity and overcome winter with little loss and involve them in the indexed insurance of livestock widely as well as intensify the opening of mountain passes and roads blocked by snow, store hay and fodder, satisfy preparations to clean carrion and take action on protecting endangered species.

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