384 research outputs found
Transformation of a pastoral economy: a local view from Arhangai and Dornogobi provinces
Mongolia is embarking on the liberalisation of agriculture as part of its overall
programme of economic transformation. The major part of the agricultural sector is
extensive livestock husbandry or semi-nomadic pastoralism, organised principally
through the agricultural cooperatives or negdels.
The purpose of this joint Mongolia-UK policy research and training project is: (i) to
build social science research capability in Mongolian research institutions; (ii) to
provide a description, and analysis of the Mongolian pastoral livelihood system,
focusing especially on production and distribution issues at household and local
level; and (iii) to generate information and skills to facilitate policy choices to be
made in the next five years, and monitor changes already underway. The three year
project focuses mainly on the negdels, since they make up the largest part of the
rural economy, although reference will also be made to other agricultural
enterprises and economic sectors.
The main research themes included in this project are: (i) household production and
marketing strategies, and vulnerability; (ii) seasonality, animal nutrition and grazing
management; (iii) land and natural resource tenure; and (iv) risk and risk
management. Secondary research themes include: (v) raising productivity; (vi)
livestock and livestock product marketing; and (vii) managing the economic
transition. Important guiding principles behind this project are to consider the
environmental sustainability of economic reforms; and their differential impacts
between ecological zones, between richer and poorer households, and between
different household members.
The project is being carried out by a joint UK-Mongolian research team drawn from
the three cooperating institutions: the Mongolian Research Institute of Animal
Husbandry (RIAH), the Mongolian Institute of Agricultural Economics (IAE), and
the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex, UK.
This working paper documents the findings of the initial phase of fieldwork during
July-August 1991. This phase included the training of Mongolian team members in
fieldwork methodology, especially the techniques of participatory or rapid rural
appraisal. The fieldwork was carried out in Arhangai province or aimag,
representing the forest/mountain steppe ecological zone; and Dornogobi aimag in
the Gobi zone. The research consisted primarily of case studies of two brigades, one
in each aimag, with extensive semi-structured interviewing conducted at household
level, and supplementary interviews at aimag and negdel levels. Of the research
themes listed above, attention during this phase focused on the first four
Summary report of work undertaken in 1992
The Policy Alternatives for Livestock Development (PALD) project aims to
facilitate, through training, research and policy analysis, the transition
from a command to a market economy in the extensive livestock sector in
Mongolia. The project, run jointly by the Institute of Development Studies
at the University of Sussex, UK, the Research Institute of Animal Husbandry
and the Institute of Agricultural Economics in Mongolia, is sponsored by
the Mongolian Ministry of Agriculture, the Supreme Council of Agricultural
Cooperatives and the Council of Agricultural Science at the Mongolian
Academy of Sciences.
The main PALD programme will, funding permitting, start in 1992, and will
last for three years. Thanks to the availability of limited funding from
several sources,1 it was possible for preliminary work to start in 1991, in
order to prepare for full project activities in 1992. This short report
summarises the conclusions of that work, which is described in more detail
in three PALD Working Papers available separately.2
PALD has three main thrusts - training, primary field research, and policy
analysis and debate - and progress was made in each of these during 1991
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