Mongolia: Sustainable pasture management and adaptation with resilient technologies for herders in Mongolia (SMART-Herders)

The Sustainable Pasture Management and Adaptation with Resilient Technologies for Herders in Mongolia (SMART-Herders) project is designed with a comprehensive approach to foster climate-resilient and sustainable livestock and pasture management systems. Given Mongolia’s vulnerability to climate related disasters, such as dzuds, droughts, and land degradation exacerbated by extreme weather events, this project aims to build a foundation for resilience and long-term adaptability within the herder communities. Beyond the tangible impacts, such as the devastating loss of up to 30% of their livelihood, the project acknowledges the profound emotional and psychological toll that climate change can inflict on herder families.The overall objective of the project is to establish and implement a scalable climate adaptation model within Mongolia’s livestock sector, enhancing the resilience, productivity, and livelihood security of herder communities across targeted regions. This objective will be realized through a set of strategic interventions focusing on sustainable water resource management, climate-resilient infrastructure, and participatory knowledge-sharing mechanisms. Specifically, the project will introduce solar-powered water pumping systems, establish climate-resilient grazing and fodder production practices, and develop a robust knowledge management framework to facilitate the dissemination of best practices and assist in policy refinement. Aligned with Mongolia's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2024 and its climate resilience goals, the project has outlined six key objectives:1. Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: The addition of 2 solar-powered water stations and 4 White Gold Collection Centers strengthens the water and food security infrastructure for herder communities. More watering points allow livestock to spread out on pastures and lower grazing intensity around relatively few wells.2. Water Management: Integration of 40 water recharge berms supports drought resilience and aligns with sustainable water management goals.3. Sustainable Grazing Practices: Herders' Field Schools (HFS) to train 4,000 beneficiaries on adaptive pasture and livestock management, ensuring practical implementation. Sustainable pasture management practices and group pasture planning are key aspects for men and women.4. Knowledge and Technical Capacities: Expanding the National Adaptation Stakeholders Database to 1,000+ entities and linking it to early warning systems for dzud and drought prediction. Sharing experiences will be key to rapid adaptation.5. Knowledge Sharing Policy Support: Documentaries and publications ensure knowledge dissemination, scaling up best practices and public support for rural communities.6. Empowering Vulnerable Groups: 40% of training participants and 30% of academic authors to be women, ensuring inclusivity in adaptation efforts.