Located in Central Asia, Mongolia is the most sparsely populated fully sovereign country in the world. Landlocked and far from the sea, the vast grazing lands and grassy steppe of Mongolia have for centuries been a heartland of nomadic animal husbandry. About 73 percent of agricultural land is pastureland used for raising livestock.

But harsh weather and short growing seasons skew diets in the region and can lead to malnutrition. In remote areas of Mongolia, daily consumption of fresh vegetables is limited, which leads to a greater risk of diseases caused by mineral and vitamin deficiencies. Greenhouse farming and importation are, for some, the only options to access to fresh vegetables and fruits.

The Manlai Uurgach family farm

Lkhagva Yondon relies on her family farm, Manlai Uurgach, located in Tuv province of central Mongolia for her daily income and nutrition.

In the past, her family struggled to be self-sufficient. Mongolia’s extreme climate of very hot summers and bitterly cold winters brought with it many challenges.

Over the past two decades, with increasingly erratic weather conditions due to climate change, droughts and dzuds (a very harsh winter preceded by a hot, dry summer) have become more frequent and severe. These can lead to large-scale livestock deaths, threatening the livelihoods of many smallholder farmers and herders.

In addition, a lack of knowledge about best practices in horticulture, unreliable yields and an insufficient supply from greenhouses and markets have led to a heavy reliance on imported fruit and vegetables, which are unaffordable for much of the rural population.