Revival of traditional grazing practices in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia

©© FAO/Mongolia

08/12/2025

Within the framework of the GEF-7 Dryland Sustainable Landscape Impact Program (DSL-IP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded “Promoting Dryland Sustainable Landscapes and Biodiversity Conservation in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia”project, jointly implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), has supported the Government of Mongolia in its transition toward integrated landscape-based management.

Effective implementation of land and ecosystem restoration measures under the Integrated Landscape Management Plans (ILMPs) of aimags and soums (provinces and districts) – plans that now take an ecosystem-based approach and integrate environment considerations climate change, land degradation and biodiversity considerations – depend heavily on both a robust monitoring system and strong local governance.

The General Agency for Land Administration, Geodesy and Cartography has led development of an Integrated National Digital System for Land Administration as part of the country’s ongoing land reform. In this context, the “Land Monitoring” submenu has upgraded to incorporate a new “Biodiversity Statistical Database”.

Soum-level working groups (WGs) – led by the soum deputy governor and composed of bagh (village) leaders, land managers, pasture specialists, and an environmental inspector – play a significant role in reviving traditional/rotational grazing practices. Using annual pasture photo-monitoring results, these groups help implement the soum’s annual land management plan which forms an integral component of ILMPs.

A total of 845 000 hectares of degraded pastureland was rehabilitated in project Eastern Steppe provinces, through consecutive resting practices: 292 265 hectares across three baghs in two target soums in 2022; 77 200 hectares across thirteen baghs in four soums in 2023; and 476 452 hectares across twelve baghs in four soums in 2024. These achievements were made possible through participatory and systematic processes, beginning with collective decision-making at the bagh citizens’ Khural, under the technical guidance of the soum WG. The soum citizens’ representative Khural then issues a decree approving the annual soum ILMP, which specifies the size and coordinates of pastureland designated for resting. The approved plan is regularly monitored by the General Agency for Land Administration, Geodesy and Cartography, and can be accessed at: www.egazar.gov.mn

At both aimag and soum levels, WGs have prioritized the development of new regulations governing pasture use and protection. The enforcement of these regulations in two aimags and four soums has contributed to establish a favorable legal framework for sustainable pasture management, across approximately 15.7 million hectares of grazing land.

The new “biodiversity database / dashboard” has also proven valuable, providing professional land planners with free access to data on critical habitats and connectivity areas of migratory species, enabling the design of more biodiversity-friendly land-use measures.

Previously, local land officers relied on manual, paper-based record keeping – a time-consuming process prone to data inconsistencies. With the introduction of the “BELCHEER” mobile application, field monitoring data can now be recorded offline in the field and uploaded automatically once internet access is available, significantly reducing workload and improving data reliability.

Photo-monitoring data are integrated with open-source satellite indicators, such as vegetation index, biomass, snow cover, and drought index via the national Data Cube platform. The application also enhances transparency and public accessibility by enabling herders to monitor changes in their shared pastures over time.

Following Beechler ap’s pilot launch in the project’s target soums in August 2024, user feedback was incorporated to refine and expand the app’s functions. A nationwide rollout followed in August 2025, supported by regional hands-on training sessions for soum land managers, pasture specialists, and environmental inspectors, along with the provision of tools and a handbook for field monitoring of grazing impacts. By providing real-time, site-specific data, the technology enables more adaptive and evidence-based pasture management while strengthening land-use decision-making for both local authorities and herders.

With project support, representative areas were identified for each of the 5 152 pasture photo-monitoring points, in accordance with the newly approved national methodology. This effort has significantly improved technical capacity for scientifically estimating pasture carrying capacity.

Overall, the project is helping to enhance Mongolia’s rotational grazing systems – critical for restoring rangelands and supporting herders’ livelihoods – by strengthening local institutions, improving land-use planning, and deploying innovative tools and policies.

As Mongolia prepares to play a prominent role in the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026, these achievements demonstrate the country’s leadership in sustainable rangeland management and its long-standing commitment to pastoralist cultures, biodiversity conservation, and climate-resilient land stewardship.

Continued collaboration among government agencies, local communities, and development partners will be essential to sustaining this progress, ensuring that the Eastern Steppe remains productive, biodiverse, and resilient for generations to come.

Authors: Erdenejargal Tumurbaatar, Project manager and Bat-Erdene Amarbat, Livestock specialist of “Promoting Dryland Sustainable Landscapes and Biodiversity Conservation in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia” project.

Sustainable Forest Management Impact Program on Dryland Sustainable Landscapes

Revival of traditional grazing practices in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia

More on this topic