August 12, 2010 Mongolia

Support Mongolian herders affected by dzud continues

Caritas Czech Republic (CCR) has launched a new humanitarian project aimed at helping Mongolian herders affected and threatened by a country-specific natural disaster called “dzud” which decimates their herds by excessive snow and extreme frosts.

The project will run until May 2011. Besides direct material assistance, it is focused also on disaster risk reduction.

CCR will provide 125 highly vulnerable herder families with emergency reserves of hay and fodder covering 7 days feed for a herd of 150 animals, and lucerne seeds enabling the families to cultivate their own fodder in future. In four selected districts of Ovorhangai Province, storage silos will be built with sufficient capacity to stockpile emergency hay and fodder reserves for winter.

Moreover, a training programme focusing on capacity building for vulnerable herder families in areas of improved livestock husbandry, fodder production, pastureland management and disaster preparedness will take place in eight districts of the province.

The project is funded by European Commission – Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO).