- Title: MONGOLIA: HERDERS FACING HARSH SUMMER DROUGHT.
- Date: 15th June 2001
- Summary: JINST COUNTRY, BAYANKHONGOR PROVINCE, MONGOLIA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV/GV/CU: GOATS SEARCHING FOR GRASS IN LANDSCAPE RECENTLY TURNED TO DESERT AFTER THREE YEARS OF DROUGHT/ SPARSE GRASSHOOTS GROWING THROUGH ROCKS (3 SHOTS) 0.14 2. LV: SMALL VILLAGE IN MIDDLE OF DESERT 0.20 3. GV: CARCASS OF COW IN DESERT 0.26 BAATSAGAAN COUNTY, BAYANKHONGOR PROVINCE, MONGOLIA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 4. GV/CU/MV: HERDER POURING OUT WATER FROM A WELL TO COWS/ COWS DRINKING/ HERDER POURING WATER INTO DRINKING TROUGH (3 SHOTS) 0.41 BAYANKHONGOR, BAYANKHONGOR PROVINCE, MONGOLIA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. LV: LINES OF DILAPIDATED HOMES IN BAYANKHONGOR TOWN 0.46 6. GV: FORMER HERDER 45-YEAR-OLD B. MYAGMARIIN TALKING WITH SOCIAL WORKER 0.50 7. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Mongolian) B. MYAGMARIIN, 45-YEAR-OLD FORMER HERDER, SAYING: "Life has got worse and worse since we moved here from the countryside. Once the few animals we have here are dead, then that's the end." 1.03 JINST COUNTRY, BAYANKHONGOR PROVINCE, MONGOLIA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8. MCU/CU/GV: DEAD GRASS IN DESERT/ DESERT LANDSCAPE/ DEAD GOAT SUBMERGED IN SAND/ COW'S HEAD IN SAND/ GOATS SEARCHING FOR GRASS IN DESERT (5 SHOTS) 1.34 BAYANKHONGOR, BAYANKHONGOR PROVINCE, MONGOLIA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Mongolian) GANTUYAA, 37-YEAR-OLD SOCIAL WORKER, SAYING: "There are large numbers of herders moving into the provincial capital to settle down because of the winter disaster and extreme conditions out there. But those who have lost their livestock have no guarantee of making a basic living. Their only chance to improve their lives was based on products they derived from their animals." 1.58 10. LV: VIEW OF BAYANKHONGOR TOWN FROM A DISTANCE 2.02 11. GV: HERDERS ON HORSEBACK RIDING THROUGH TOWN 2.06 JINST COUNTRY, BAYANKHONGOR PROVINCE, MONGOLIA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 12. LV/GV: HERDER YURT IN DRY LANDSCAPE/ HERDER JARGALBAYAR AND FAMILY STANDING IN FRONT OF YURT (2 SHOTS) 2.19 13. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Mongolian) JARGALBAYAR, 35-YEAR-OLD HERDER, SAYING: "Our animals died after there was a huge sandstorm that wiped out the animal shelter and squashed the animals under it. Of some 200 animals, we now have only 50 left." 2.34 14. GV/MV: PEOPLE SHOVELLING SAND BLOWN FROM THE GRASSLANDS INTO TRUCK/ PEOPLE SHOVELLING SAND ONTO TRUCK (3 SHOTS) 2.51 15. LV/GV: CHILDREN PLAYING ON MOUND OF SAND BANKED AGAINST SCHOOL BUILDING THAT BLEW IN AFTER A STORM (2 SHOTS) 3.00 16. GV/LV: HORSE AND FOAL SEARCHING FOR GRASS IN SANDY LANDSCAPE/ GOATS SEARCHING FOR GRASS (2 SHOTS) 3.13 BAYANKHONGOR, BAYANKHONGOR PROVINCE, MONGOLIA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 17. LV: EXTERIOR OF BAYAKHONGOR TOWN 3.18 18. GV: CHILDREN WALKING UP TO SATELLITE DISH OVER TOWN 3.26 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 30th June 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAYANKHONGOR TOWN, BAATSAGAAN COUNTY, JINST COUNTY, BAYANKHONGOR PROVINCE, MONGOLIA
- Country: Mongolia
- Reuters ID: LVAA2U8X6G7WXEJ0LTRZ8DOOIAQG
- Story Text: Mongolian herders are facing a harsh summer drought
after one of their worst winters on record. In a struggle to
survive many herders are leaving their traditional nomadic way
of life and migrating to urban areas.
Mongolia's harshest winter in years has ended -- but a
third year of severe drought in the nation's southern areas is
threatening herders and their animals.
There is little or no vegetation for livestock to feed on
in Bayankhongor province, where large areas of grasslands have
become desert.
For herders life is bleak after more than 3. 3 million
animals starved and froze to death this winter, and now many
are migrating to urban areas to survive.
Former herder 45-year-old B. Myagmariin, who has only
seven weak goats left after hundreds of his animals died,
moved his family to Bayankhongor to find work.
But he has become disillusioned after most of his family
was unable to find employment. "Life has got worse and worse
since we moved here from the countryside. Once the few animals
we have here are dead, then that's the end," he said.
Meanwhile his family has no option but to stay in the
town.
The continued drought has turned grasslands into
sand-swept deserts causing severe environmental and social
problems.
In addition, goat and sheep herds desperately searching
for food also loosen soil and often destroy any existing
vegetation.
Social workers like 37-year-old Gantuyaa have urged
herders to register in unemployment offices and try small
trade for daily survival.
"There are large numbers of herders moving into the
provincial capital to settle down because of the winter
disaster and extreme conditions out there. But those who have
lost their livestock have no guarantee of making a basic
living. Their only chance to improve their lives was based on
products they derived from their animals," Gantuyaa said.
Mongolia has no social welfare programme to support the
unemployed or increasing numbers of poor.
Even greater migration to cities is expected during the
continued drought as more herders decide to leave their
traditional nomadic life.
Jargalbayar, 35, is getting ready to move to town with her
husband and four children after a sandstorm killed most of her
animals.
"Our animals died after there was a huge sandstorm that
wiped out the animal shelter and squashed the animals under
it. Of some 200 animals, we now have only 50 left," she said.
Like many other herders in the area, Jargalbayer hopes she
can earn an easier living in town as a seamstress.
Sandstorms have also wreaked damage this summer.
In Jinst county, people shovelled away piles of sand after
a recent sandstorm that killed 10,000 animals in one day.
Sand fanned by high storm winds can move hundreds of
kilometres to destroy buildings and block off remote villages
and nomadic homes.
Children standing on dry and sandy land that was once a
verdant grassland now appear to face a bleak future.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
