FINAL REPORT

F. Conclusions and Recommendations (J. Janzen and J. Hartwig)
18. Conclusions
As a result of the detailed socioeconomic, physical, ecological, and marketing study the
research team is supporting with emphasis the idea of a rehabilitation and extension of
irrigated cultivation agriculture in the delta area of Buyant gol in Khovd aimag (see Maps 11-
15). There are no objections as far as soil and water qualities are concerned. There will also be
enough irrigation water available, if the water is stored in a reservoir at Janjin Boolt
headwork. As Khar us nuur receives its water mainly from Khovd gol no negative ecological
effects are expected for the lake from the reconstruction of Janjin Boolt.
The highest potential for the extension of irrigated farm land can be found on Khovd sum
territory in the northern part of Buyant gol delta (see Maps 11-12 and D.10, 10.1-10.3, 11 ).
As far as the potential manpower for the extension of irrigated farmland is concerned, there
are enough people in Buyant, Khovd, Myangad, and especially in Jargalant sum who are
interested in extending their farmland or in getting newly engaged in irrigated cultivation.
There is enough demand for an increased potato and vegetable production in the western
aimags and the large Mongolian cities, Ulaanbaatar in particular. Siberia in the Russian
Federation might be a potential market in the future as well.
Thus it can be stated that if crop farming will be improved and extended and new
marketing strategies developed, the Buyant River Delta has the potential to increase its
importance as the major center of vegetable, potato and fruit production for the whole
Western Region and to a certain extent even for the big cities of Mongolia and parts of
Russian Siberia.
In order to be able to implement this vision a number of preconditions have to be fulfilled:
1. The major precondition is to provide a secure supply of irrigation water during the
whole vegetation period from end of April until end of September and for the use of
mobile livestock keepers by storing water in periods of abundance. For this purpose
the reconstruction of Janjin Booltheadwork north of Khovd khot is a must.
2. The sums of Bujant and Khovd, which are competing for water, have to agree upon a
just division of Buyant gol water at Janjin Boolt headwork. According to the water
demands of both sums (actually more cultivated land on Khovd sum territory and
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