With this project, SDC aims at the improvement of selected aspects of the livestock production system (health, breeding, management) and at increasing the value of selected livestock products. This project will contribute to Country Outcome 3 of the Swiss Cooperation Strategy 2007 - 2012: “Increase income of herders and ex-herders in targeted areas based on improved productivity of their livestock and income diversification” and covers complementary aspects to those dealt with in the above mentioned SDC projects. The project has four components: In component 1, the project will enhance the livestock management skills of herders via a support of private veterinarians. Here SDC is supporting a successful project to upscale its activities. Animal health, veterinary drug quality and human health improvement through the control of brucellosis and other major zoonotic diseases will be addressed at the policy level in component 2. The results will feed back into a policy discussion on rules and regulations to address zoonotic and infectious disease response and control measures, leading to an export-oriented agriculture livestock sub-sector. In component 3 the project focuses on improving yak and camel livestock productivity addressing the broader herd health issues in connection with proper land use management. Yak and camels have been chosen because these are the most neglected livestock species in Mongolia even though they constitute a very important cultural heritage and form a very important part of the livelihood systems of the Mongolian population in very remote, scarce and marginal areas. Through component 4 the project will contribute to and facilitate the coordination of pasture and livestock oriented projects and programmes.

Implementation period of main phase: 2009 – 2011

Budget: 4.9 million CHF

Key partners:

Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry

Ministry of Health

Veterinary Research InstituteCentral

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Project on Animal Health and Livestock Marketing, funded by EU

Mercy Corps, Mongolia

Swiss College for Agriculture

Swiss Tropical Institute