http://www.fao.org/asiapacific/events/detail-events/en/c/1262/ Presentation of Mr. Chandmani Dambabazar, from NAMAC, on access to natural resources by pastoralists and the effect of climate change in Mongolia. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the Regional Symposium on Agroecology in Asia and the Pacific, held in Bangkok, Senegal on 24-26 November 2015. © FAO: http://www.fao.org

1. By Prof.,CHANDMANI Dambabazar
Head of Agricultural Cooperatives
Association Dundgobi, Mongolia
CLIMATE CHANGE AND
NATURAL RESOURCES
ACCESS
FOR PASTORALISTS

2. CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL
RESOURCES ACCESS FOR PASTORALISTS
IN MONGOLIA

3. CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL
RESOURCES ACCESS FOR PASTORALISTS
IN MONGOLIA
1. Geography of Mongolia
2. Climate change
3. Water resource
4. Natural zones and characteristics of
Mongolian pasture land
5. Current problems of Mongolian pastoralists

4. Mongolia is landlocked
country between Russia and
China, and has no access to
the sea.
• Mongolia stretches across Central Asia and occupies an area of 1.6
million km2 of mountains, steppes and deserts.
• Although famous for its seemingly endless expanses of steppe, Mongolia
is a mountainous country with almost 80% of its territory located at an
elevation of 1,000 m or more above sea level.
• The average elevation is 1,580 m above sea level.
1. Geography of Mongolia

5. 2. Climate change
 Mongolia has an extreme continental climate, because it
situated at an average altitude of 1500 m above the sea
level separated from the oceans, surrounded by high
mountain chains that are blocking the wet winds.
 The country has four season. The winter continues long
with cold temperature but summer is hot and not so long.

6. 3. Water resource
 Mongolia has 3811 rivers and streams
 over 3000 big and small lakes
 over 190 glaciers
 over 250 mineral water springs.
 About 70% of the underground water is occupied in
the Desert and Steppe zone, which has a few water
resource.
 45-50% of the whole pasture could not using because
of the water lacking.

7. 4. NATURAL RESOURCES ACCESS
FOR PASTORALISTS
 The Pasture is the main basis of existence of
mongolian nomadic animal husbandry.
 It means, the pastureland is main source for animal
grazing for whole year, as forage.
 The livestock get about 98% of its total feed
consumption from grassland pastures.
 There are 2600 plant species, but about 600 species
can be used as forage.
 The carrying capacity of Mongolian grassland is
about 60-76 million head of sheep.

8.  83% of the Mongolian
territory is agricultural
used land /130173.6 ha/
 97.5% of the agricultural
used land is pasture land
/126978.5 ha/
 1.5% of the agricultural
used land is hay land
/1972.3 ha/
Agricultural
used land
83%
Other
17%
Mongolian total territory
Pasture land
97.5%
Hay land
1.5%
Others
1%
Total agricultural used land
NATURAL ZONES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF
MONGOLIAN PASTURE LAND

9.  The pasture of Mongolia has special characteristics, that
wide spreading throughout different ecosystems.
 The territory of Mongolia is divided into 6 natural zones
with markedly different terrain, climate and pasture:
1.High mountain
2.Taiga
3.Forest steppe
4.Steppe
5.Desertsteppe
6.Desert
NATURAL ZONES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF
MONGOLIAN PASTURE LAND

10. Map of the 6 natural zones of Mongolia
High mountain zone
Taiga zone
Forest-steppe zone
Steppe zone
Desert-steppe zone
Desert zone

11. 1. HIGH MOUNTAIN ZONE
 The high mountain zone includes the highest elevations of the
ranges and covers 4.5% of Mongolian territory. Here dominate
mountain humus black soils.
 The climate in the high mountain zone is extremely cold, and there
is a short plant growing season (60-70 days).
 The annual precipitation is 400-500 mm
 The zone is above the tree line, characterized by shrubby Ground
Birch; occasion Mountain Pine and white Gentian.
 The pasture is characterized by tundra, alpine- sedge meadows,
upland swamps, lichen- covered screes and kobresian meadows.
 Common pasture plants are: Kobresia bellardii, Kobresia filifolia,
Ptilagrostis mongolia, Poa altaica, Poa sibirica and Thalictrum
alpinum.
 Dry harvest of 1 ha is 100-670 kg.
 Pasture of this zone is suitable for yak and deer.

12. 2. TAIGA ZONE
 Mongolian taiga zone is part of the vast forested region of southern
Siberia and covers 3.9% of Mongolian territory. Here dominate
Taiga’s callous black soil.
 It is characterized by a relatively cold and humid climate with an
annual precipitation of 300-400 mm. The growing season is
comparatively short (65-90 days).
 The taiga is boreal coniferous forest, mainly Siberian larch (Larix
siberica) with bunch grasses, dwarf shrubs and steppe grasses and, at
higher elevations, Siberian pine (Pinus siberica), mosses and lichens
are abundant.
 The taiga forests of Mongolia remain largely undisturbed.
 Harvest of 1ha is 400-800kg. 87-137g Digestible protein/1kg dry
grass.
 Pasture of this zone is suitable for deer, yak, goat and ship.

13. 3. MOUNTAIN FOREST STEPPE
 Mountain forest steppe is a mix of forest and
grassland, a transition zone between taiga forest and steppe.
 This zone covers 23.3% of Mongolian territory. Here dominate dark brown
soil.
 The annual precipitation is 200-300 mm and plant growing period is 90-112
days.
 Mixed coniferous forest (Larch, Birch species) is found on cooler, moister
northern slopes, while steppe vegetation predominates on other slopes.
 This zone have a abundant pasture plant species in the steppe meadows and
river banks such as: Poa attenuate, Agropyron cristatum, Koeleria cristata,
Bromus inermus, Artemisia frigida, Potentilla acaulis, Galum verum, Carex
pediformus and others.
 Hay suitable meadows are abundant. Summer dry harvest of 1 ha is 320-760
kg.
 Pasture of this zone is suitable for all kind of livestock.

14. 4. STEPPE ZONE
 The Steppe Zone covers 25.9% of Mongolian territory. Here dominate
brown soil and sandy light brown soil.
 The annual precipitation is 125-200 mm and plant growing period is 112-
125 days.
 This zone provides most important grazing lands for Mongolian livestock
herds. These permanent pastures, undisturbed by ploughing or artificial
chemical.
 The vegetation of the Mongolian steppe is dominated by Xerophyta several
species of Caragana, Artemisia frigida and other feathergrasses.
 The dominant pasture plants are Stipa krylovii, Agropyron cristatum,
Leymus chinesis, Carex duriuscula, Artemisia frigida, Cleistogenes
squarrosa, Artemisia adamsii, artemisia dracunculus and others.
 Summer dry harvest of 1 ha is 200-700 kg.
 Pasture of this zone is suitable for all kind of livestock.

15. 5. DESERT STEPPE ZONE
 Desert steppe zone covers 21.9% of Mongolian territory and occupies
between the steppe and desert zones. Here dominate Steppe desert’s brown
soil and only north of zone have light brown soil.
 The zone includes many low-lying areas, soils with salt pans, and small
ponds. The soil is loose and the zones have fewer plant than the northern
zones.
 The climate is arid with frequent droughts and annual precipitation of
100-125 mm, and frequent strong winds and dust storms that strongly
influence the area vegetation.
 The plant growing period is 125-130 days
 Vegetation is dominated by dwarf shrubs.
 The dominant pasture plants are Stipa gobica, Cleistogenes soongarica,
Allium polyrrhizum, Allium mongolicum and others.
 Summer dry harvest of 1 ha is 100-400 kg.

16. 6. DESERT ZONE
 The Desert Zone covers 15.3% of Mongolian territory and is located in the
south and south-western part of the country. Here dominate Desert’s brown
gray soil.
 It has a severe climate with an annual precipitation of less than 100 mm
and high diurnal temperature fluctuation.
 Plant growing period is more than 130 days .
 Vegetation is sparse here, and the zone displays a remarkable variety,
from rocky mountain massifs to the flat pavement-like areas of the super-
arid desert, from poplar-fringed oases to vast out wash plains and areas of
sand dunes.
 The dominant pasture plants are Reaumuria soongarica, Salsola passerina,
Stipa glareosa, Anabasis brevifolia, Allium polyrrhizum Stipa gobica and
others.
 Summer dry harvest of 1 ha is 100-300 kg.
 Pasture of this zone is suitable for camel.

17. 0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
Number livestock of Mongolia
 National livestock numbers as of 2014, at 52 million are unprecedented in the
historical record, increasing livestock numbers beyond the capacity of rangeland
to support them can lead to acute limitations of forage and persistent pasture land
degradation. Catastrophic losses associated with dzud and unprecedented
livestock numbers have already been observed in resent years. Such losses and
longer-term pasture land degradation can negatively affect herder livelihood,
Cross Domestic Product, and food security of the country.


18. Land use Proportion (%) Area (km2)
Grasslands and arid
grazing
80.7 1 210 000
Forest 6.9 104 000
Saxaul forest in Gobi 3.1 46 000
Arable(1) 0.5 7 000
National parks 3.5 52 000
Hay land(1) 1.3 20 000
Roads, buildings and
miscellaneous Total
land area
4.0 61 000
Total land area 100 1 500 000

19. CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL RESOURCES ACCESS
FOR PASTORALISTS
1. Nomadic pastoralists schema

20. Autumn activities
6 Sept. 2011 Bolorchuluun.Ch
Migrationintowinter
quarters
Leader of khot ail
Milking of cow, mare and camel
Grazing sheep and coat
Farm
products
processing
3rd day
2nd
day
1st day

21. Enceinte
Leader of camp
3rd day
2nd
day
1st day
Winter activities
6 Sept. 2011 Bolorchuluun.Ch

22. Spring activities
6 Sept. 2011 Bolorchuluun.Ch
Leader of khot ail
Movingtosummer-
camp
( Parturition and
foddering begets
place )
2nd
day
1st day
3rd day

23. Summer activities
6 Sept. 2011 Bolorchuluun.Ch
Gentle
racehorse
2nd
day
1st day
3rd day
Farm products
processing
Milking of cow, mare and camel

24. Current problems of
Mongolian pastoralists
 Pasture condition of the country is sensitively
changes upon climate change and human impacts.
 Within last 60 years data the annual air
temperature has increased in 1.66 degrees in
average and the total precipitation amount had
almost no change.
 Different kinds of natural hazard such as drought,
flood, heavy winter (zud), land degradation,
desertification, strong wind/sand storm, and steppe
and forest fires, which are related with global
warming in someway, have major influences on
pasture condition.

25. Current problems of
Mongolian pastoralists
 Increased interest to use natural resources is also
affecting ecosystem condition of pastureland of the
country.
 Some research showed that the total pasture capacity
of the country is 50 to 60 million sheep unit. Today,
the current total livestock reached to 72 million
sheep unit and pasture area reduced by 5 – 6 millions
ha because of urbanization, mining industries, and
tourism.
 Therefore, the pasture management is one of the
most important issue for the Mongolian country.

26. Thank you for your attention