Bactrian camels are the main source of wool, milk and income for Mongolian families living in the harsh Gobi Desert. Camels and the Gobi Desert: FAO helps Mongolian farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change Climate and Environment
Nerguy Ochirbat herds his herd of 30 Bactrian camels in the heart of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert. He inherited his first camels from his parents and has been breeding them for over 30 years.
Camels are hardy and unpretentious
“Camels are very hardy, gentle creatures that require little or no care,” says Nerguy. “They are able to withstand harsh conditions, which means they are ideal for breeding in this region, unlike other animals that require constant care.”
Bactrian camels provide wool and milk all year round, making them the main source of livelihood for his family. These representatives of the camelid species can survive even in the most unfavorable environment. Their adaptability to desert conditions makes them one of the few animals suitable for farming in this harsh region of Mongolia.
Climate Change
In summer, the Gobi Desert experiences dry weather with sandstorms, and in winter, fierce winds blow and temperatures drop below zero.
Due to shrinking grazing lands caused by worsening droughts in the southern Gobi, camels are producing less milk, making life difficult for pastoralists who rely on the product as a source of income and food.
For several years in a row, the southern part of the Gobi has been suffering from extreme droughts. Due to the lack of rain, the grassy hills where Nergui used to graze his camels have become barren, barren areas. As a result of the lack of pasture, milk production – a vital food product and source of income for the region’s pastoral families – has been halved.
Return to their homes
Changing climate conditions coupled with shrinking grazing lands are forcing many pastoralists like Nergui to move into neighboring areas in search of better pastures and water. “However, camels are reluctant to change their usual behavior, do not like to leave familiar places and often try to return,” explains Nerguy, who has studied the habits of Bactrians over many years of working with these animals.
“Now that milk yields have decreased, herders have to make a living by selling camel meat, and those who have few camels have stopped caring for them,” Nergui notes with alarm.
New approaches
Despite these difficulties, he does not want to give up his camels. He became determined to explore new approaches to improve the quality and quantity of camel milk.
Nerguy is now working on a new dairy farm that was built as part of a European Union (EU)-funded project “Transforming Mongolia’s Employment Structure through SDG-Based Budgeting.” This project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), aims to create employment opportunities in the dry region by upgrading the camel milk value chain.
The farm itself is an innovative project for the country. Herders come to the farm with their camels and work there throughout the year. They use existing capacity and labor-saving equipment, including permanent milking parlors, mobile milking units, storage facilities and feed mixers.
Within a year they receive all the necessary knowledge to run their own farm. At the end of this period, they can either continue working on the dairy farm, or create their own farm and directly supply the resulting milk to the processing plant.
Camel farming in new conditions
Pastoralists in Mongolia traditionally do not give their camels additional feed and milk them exclusively by hand from September to February. But thanks to the knowledge and resources gained through the project, camel farmers like Nergui, who were previously skeptical about raising camels on farms, are convinced that new methods, including the provision of supplementary feed, can increase milk production.
Since rains are becoming less and less frequent, and sand and dust storms are becoming more frequent, it means that camel breeders need to master and implement new methods and technologies
Thanks to the milking equipment provided by the project, they were also able to improve the quality of milk and reduce the amount of labor-intensive manual milking.
The region’s population relies heavily on camel products, and the project helps increase milk production and increase the income of pastoralists. Nerguy is always ready to share his knowledge with other pastoralists. He hopes that other farmers will also learn new technologies and techniques and be able to benefit from their application.
“As rains become less frequent, sand and dust storms become more frequent , which means camel breeders need to master and implement new methods and technologies,” argues Nergui.
Even now, when climate change is having a devastating impact on the Gobi Desert, Nergui dreams of a bright future , in which innovation will help camel farming flourish for many years to come.
International Year of Camelids
2024 was declared the International Year by the UN year of camelids. Camelids are a major source of livelihood for millions of households living in disadvantaged conditions in more than 90 countries, and especially for indigenous peoples and local communities. The camelid family, which includes species from alpacas to Bactrian and dromedary camels, guanacos, llamas and vicuñas, contributes to food security, nutrition and economic growth, and is of great cultural and social importance to many communities around the world.