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A
griculture
70 per cent of the total territory had pasture resource,
10 per cent had enough pasture, a further 10 per cent
was by one to three times overgrazed, 5 per cent was
three to five times overgrazed, and 5 per cent was more
than five times overgrazed by livestock.
Pasture capacity is directly controlled by summer
conditions. If drought has persisted in the summer
season in a certain region, its carrying capacity will
probably be exceeded many times. This condition is
combined with extreme weather, with the result that
the livestock wintering situation becomes serious with
mass livestock losses.
The National Weather and Hydrological Service in
Mongolia officially releases climate information based
on harmonizing pasture carrying capacity and the
winter climate outlook, and organizes seminars among
stakeholders every autumn. Official climate information
is disseminated to the Government, public and private
sectors, and to herder communities through the mass
media.
Providing end users with such climate information is
especially beneficial for herders’ families, helping them
to adapt to the changing environment and climate and
to reduce their vulnerability to the risks and impacts
associated with climate change.
Pasture capacity and number of livestock losses in Mongolia during the past decade
Source: National Weather and Hydrological Service, Mongolia
A livestock pasture in Mongolia
Image: National Weather and Hydrological Service, Mongolia
Year of
pasture
capacity for
winter-spring
2001-2002
2002-2003
2002-2003
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
2011-2012
80
70
15
60
50
40
70
40
60
50
30
30.8
30.0
61.5
46.0
39.8
40.8
30.4
30
35
45
70
21.9
15.0
20.7
25.5
24.4
25.5
14.2
20
10
20
10
21.5
35.0
17.7
24.5
30.0
22.3
26.4
20
20
20
10
25.8
20.0
-
4.0
5.6
11.4
29.0
30
35
15
10
2.743
1.218
0.227
0.601
0.413
0.222
1.531
1.598
10.319
0.506
-
Area of
semi-drought
and drought
(%)
Pasture
resource
(0-50%)
Area of territory (%)
Enough
pasture
(51-100%)
Pasture
exceeds 1-3
times
(101-300%)
Pasture
exceeds
many times
(>301%)
Number of
livestock
losses,
(million head
of sheep)