LocationsGovernment of Mongolia and UN Mongolia Launch Socio Economic Assessment and Impact of Dzud Reports
May 28, 2025
Ulaanbaatar, 28 May 2025 – In response to one of the most devastating dzuds in recent memory, which led to the loss of over 7.44 million livestock and severely affected thousands of herder households in 2024, the Government of Mongolia and its development partners have launched the Dzud Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) led by UNDP, and Impact of Dzud on Herder Livelihoods led by FAO today at the UN House in Ulaanbaatar.
The event brought together national authorities, international organizations, civil society actors, and technical experts to discuss the short- and long-term implications of the 2023–2024 dzud and to chart a collaborative course for enhancing Mongolia’s disaster preparedness and resilience.
The assessment was jointly led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Mongolian Red Cross Society (MRCS), and national institutions such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MoFALI).
Colonel Uranchimeg Tsogtbayar, Deputy Director of NEMA, emphasized the urgency of shifting from reactive disaster response to proactive risk management and stated “I am confident that the reports and recommendations presented today will provide valuable support for assessing climate-induced disaster risks, enhancing prevention and risk reduction efforts, strengthening early warning and response systems, and improving overall preparedness. They will also serve as a critical resource for future planning to help Mongolia more effectively cope with climate-related disasters, particularly dzud.”
The assessment confirmed that the dzud’s impact is multifaceted, causing economic loss, food insecurity, increased migration to urban areas, disruption to education, and heightened risks of gender-based violence. The dzud led to a 25% decline in Mongolia’s agricultural GDP growth in the first nine months of 2024 alone.
UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia, Mr. Jaap van Hierden, highlighted the importance of strong partnerships in addressing climate-induced challenges and stated, “Dzud is a stark reminder that the climate crisis is already here. But it is also a reminder of what we can achieve when government, communities, and partners come together around a shared vision for sustainable development and human security.”
To address these complex challenges, the Reports outline a set of priority policy actions, including strengthening early warning systems, expanding access to livestock insurance, improving sustainable pastureland management, investing in social protection, and increasing public financing for rural infrastructure and climate adaptation.
“Dzud is not just a weather event. It is a major development challenge that ripples across every sector of Mongolian life,” said Ms. Matilda Dimovska, UNDP Resident Representative in Mongolia. “Behind every statistic lies a family pushed further into poverty and a way of life under threat. We need to move beyond emergency response and invest in long-term, community-driven resilience strategies.”
Participants from ministries, international agencies, academia, and civil society engaged in interactive discussions moderated by Ms. Ariunaa Chadraabal, Team Leader of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, to identify next steps for implementing the recommendations and to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration.
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