FINAL REPORT

• support in marketing
• support in development of small processing enterprises
• coordinate land overload along water sources
• there are many projects aimimig at supporting agriculture but many do not reach the
people in need –therefore, well organized projects with participation of the local
population are needed
13.3 Summary
The main findings of field research in the irrigated agriculture of Khovd sum can be
summarized as follows:
1. After a significant decrease of the negdel’s cultivation agriculture in the beginning of
the transition period, since recent years, private households are increasingly engaged
in crop farming, mainly cultivating potatoes, vegetables and melons. Today 39% (334)
out of 866 households in Khovd sum are engaged in cultivation agriculture. Thus, next
to herding, crop farming is the main livelihood strategy in thesum.
2. In 2005, 35% of the aimag’s cultivated land was located within Khovd sum. The core
farming area is located on the territory of Ulaanburaa bag.
3. Surveyed households reported to sell more than 90% of their harvest, showing that
cultivation agriculture is already highly market oriented. Average income from crop
farming amounts to almost 2million MNTper household.
4. In socialism, the sum’s negdel used to cultivate up to 1,200 ha farmland and by the
year 2005 the size of farmland was only 759 ha. Although there are potential land
resources for expanding farming activities and the farmers expressed their strong
intention to expand cultivation agriculture, further extension seems impossible under
the present situation, due to scarcity of irrigation water.
5. 95% of households responded that they face problems with irrigation water scarcity
and 86% supported the reconstruction of Janjin Boolt headwork. In other words, there
is a strong need for reconstructing theheadwork and improving the irrigation channels
and systems. It would enable more households to cultivate -aiming at sustaining and
improving their livelihoods -and others to expand their farming activities and the
variety of cultivated crops. Moreover, by increasing production, the farmers could also
meet rising crop demands of neighbouringaimags.
111