A drought last summer followed by extreme cold and heavy snowfall – known as ‘dzud’ - is decimating the livestock of Mongolia’s nomadic herders. A million animals are expected to die as a result of the disaster. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent launched an emergency appeal to provide emergency relief to thousands of herder families who are now at risk of losing their livelihood.
Without their animals the herders cannot survive on the grasslands, and vast numbers of herders will be forced to migrate to the city. Tens of thousands of former herders already struggle to survive extreme poverty and hardship in the slums of Mongolian urban centres. Many were forced to migrate because they lost their livestock in previous ‘dzuds’.
With help from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, the Mongolian Red Cross Society is distributing food and cash to 5,100 vulnerable herder families. However, more support is needed for Red Cross operations to help Mongolian herders cope with the extreme difficulties they are facing.
For most herders, animal husbandry is the only way to earn a livelihood on the Mongolian grasslands
Thousands of herders who have lost their livestock have been forced to migrate to urban centres. Without any alternative livelihood skills many former herders find it almost impossible to earn a living in the city. Livelihoods support is an important component of the Red Cross aid, but more support is needed for the operations to ensure that vulnerable herders receive the assistance they need.
Visit
[ Ссылка ]
