2024: Impacts of Rural Out-Migration on Traditional Livestock Herding Practices in Mongolia
Mongolia, at the heart of Central Asia, is the home of one of the largest remaining grassland ecosystems in the world. Grassland comprises 73% of Mongolia and supports over 67.1 million head of livestock and almost 181,000 herding families. Nearly one-third of the nation’s population relies on livestock production as its primary livelihood. However, rapid social and demographic shifts in rural communities, in combination with a changing climate, are threatening sustainable management of herding and grassland resources. This project will take advantage of a recent survey of herders in Mongolia to investigate how contemporary changes in migration are impacting livestock management practices.
Faculty Lead: Ginger Allington (Natural Resources and the Environment)