Mongolia is at risk from a wide range of hazards, including earthquakes, floods, drought, and dzuds (extreme cold weather which can lead to livestock mass starvation). Mongolia is also experiencing significant impacts from climate change – the annual mean air temperature increased by 2.24°C from 1940 to 2015 (triple the global average), with decreasing annual precipitation and erratic seasonal rainfall patterns. Poverty, population growth and rapid urbanization all exacerbate these vulnerabilities. In Mongolia, USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) focuses on building disaster preparedness and resiliency, localizing disaster risk reduction, strengthening rural livelihoods including livestock management, and responding to natural disasters such as dzuds (extreme cold).
PROJECTS
Building International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Capacity for Disaster Readiness Response
With support from USAID, IFRC is working to increase the capacity, readiness, and resilience of national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in East Asia - Pacific to respond to natural disasters. The Mongolian Red Cross Society (MRCS) will focus on the development of a disaster risk management policy for inclusion in a response plan that provides clear engagement with technical and support services. MRCS will also establish and equip Emergency Operation Centers at headquarters and regional levels.
Building Trust during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Humanitarian Settings
USAID is supporting the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to work with National Societies, including in Mongolia, to build community acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines, building on lessons and innovative risk communication strategies learned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic response.
Climate Resilient Communities
This 3-year award to World Vision supports disaster risk mitigation and agricultural livelihoods in Mongolia. This project works to improve disaster risk reduction (DRR) and strategic planning at the institutional level by implementing International and Mongolian DRR standards and policies, including Community Participatory Disaster Risk Management and Participatory Disease Surveillance trainings, developing Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards, supporting private veterinary clinics at the local level, and providing training for herders for effective fodder plantation and management. DRR activities include updating disaster preparedness plans at institutional levels, conducting capacity building training and simulations, and reducing the vulnerability of herder households in Mongolia through disaster preparedness. World Vision is implementing DRR activities in Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Govi-Altai, Ulaanbaatar, and Uvs. Livestock activities are strengthening the livelihood of herders and improving animal disease surveillance practice against Transboundary Animal Diseases. World Vision is implementing agricultural activities in Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Govi-Altai, and Ivs.
Improving Disaster Management Coordination and Response Systems (Capacity Building)
USAID, through the U.S. Forest Service, is training the National Emergency Management Agency in Incident Command Systems to create uniformity, command and control throughout Mongolia’s response agencies. The project strives to enhance capacity to effectively manage disaster response operations, particularly during the initial emergency phase, and ensure integration of disaster management from the local to the national level. This type of capacity will be enhanced through a combination of training and technical assistance including All Hazard Incident Management Team Training. In addition, USFS is designing and implementing disaster management field and tabletop exercises.
Mongolian Dzud Emergency Response
USAID provided $900,000 to World Vision and $100,000 to the Mongolian Red Cross Society to respond to the 2023 spring dzud by providing livestock fodder and cash to 11,000 vulnerable Mongolian herders. The assistance provided livestock herders in seven provinces with additional fodder and cash to help keep their herds alive until spring. The response built on USAID’s ongoing disaster risk reduction programs that strengthen livestock herders’ resilience against dzuds as well as other natural disasters.
Strengthening Global Coordination of Animal Health Emergencies of International Concern
When disasters and crises threaten agriculture, food security and nutrition and/or food safety resulting in evident humanitarian needs, FAO activates an emergency response through its Emergency Management Center for Animal Health (EMC-AH) providing the platform, tools, and coordination expertise to support national governments. With support from USAID/BHA, FAO supports global and regional capacities to coordinate animal health emergencies, while rolling out, training and implementing the strategy, coordination platform and preparedness tools that are adapted to national contexts.
Sustainably Strengthening Local Disaster Response Capacity and Preparedness
With USAID support, the Mongolian Red Cross Society (MRCS) is building the capacity of its provincial Red Cross chapters and partner communities to improve their capacity to effectively prepare, mitigate and respond to natural disasters. MRCS is training volunteers from Red Cross branches in disaster response and risk reduction, and is pre-positioning emergency relief supplies with Red Cross branches to bolster their disaster response capacity. Mongolia remains a predominantly rural society with heavy dependence on livestock which are susceptible to drought and extreme winter events, known as dzuds. MRCS is supporting livestock herders to diversify their income sources to better withstand extreme winters and drought. With heightened risk to drought events and fire, MRCS is also training and equipping firefighting units to prevent fire damage in the steppes and forest areas of Mongolia.
