Pasture Land - Use it Sustainably
(PLUS) Project
- Donors:
- ADRA Switzerland – Zurich and Aargau cantons
- Budget: 292,933 CHF (348,979 USD)
- Duration: 36 months (June 1, 2021 to May 31, 2024)
- Focus area:Local Herder Communities in Ider soum of Zavkhan Aimag
- Beneficiary Partners: 100 herder households
GOAL
To improve herders’ knowledge and ability to adopt the Pasture Holistic Management approach developed by the Savory Institute for better pastureland management and livelihoods to mitigate the negative impact of climate change.
SUSTAINABILITY
The Pasture Land – Use it Sustainably! (PLUS) is a pilot project that has worked with local herder communities in Ider Soum, Zavkhan Aimag to improve rural livelihoods and contribute to the sustainable regeneration of communal open range pastures and increased productivity of the land and livestock through applying and using Holistic Pasture Management (HM) techniques.
RESULTS:
The herders in Ider soum have experienced a significant shift in their perspective on pasture management through the adoption of the Holistic Management approach. In 2023 improvements in the pasture lands were observed as a result of monitoring demonstration plots established in later 2022.
The fencing of these 4 demo plots in Ider district has provided valuable insights into the current grazing lands and has offered an important perspective on Holistic Planned Grazing as a tool for improving grassland productivity. Significant changes were observed within the enclosed plots compared to the outside areas, with grass growing up to 30cm in height after livestock impacts in August 2023.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Onsite Training: Sessions focused on discussing the Holistic Grazing Management approach which ensures timely recovery on community pastures during the grass growing season. Furthermore, herders comprehended the Pasture Holistic Management well and promised to discuss what they gained during the bagh meeting for further decision making process.
- “Findings and Lessons Learned” closing ceremony:
The PLUS Project Closing Ceremony under the name of “Findings and Lessons Learned,” was held successfully on April 26, 2024 in Ider district, Zavkhan province. The PLUS project collaborated closely with the Savory Institute in the United States to introduce and implement the Pasture Holistic Management approach in Ider district for the first time on a pilot basis throughout a three-year project implementation period.
- Supported local herder’s cooperative: Within the framework of the “Pasture Land – Use it Sustainably” project implemented by ADRA Mongolia from 2021-2024, Ider Milk Initiative was supported through providing milk processing equipment in order to strengthen the capacity of herders particularly women herders, and increase their income. At the PLUS project Closing Ceremony, all equipment of the workshop was handed over to the “Ider Suun Tsatsal” Herders’ Cooperative of Darkhan-Uul Bagh of Ider soum in Zavkhan aimag. We wish success in its future operations of “Ider Suun Tsatsal” Cooperative.
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