FINAL REPORT

Summary
A detailed study about the socioeconomic, physical, ecological, and marketing situation in
irrigated cultivation agriculture of the area of Buyant river delta of Khovd, Buyant, Myangad,
and Jargalant sum was carried out by an interdisciplinary team consisting of scientists from
CDR, MOLARE, and FES of National University of Mongolia and the Dept. of Biology of
Khovd State University. The aim of the research was to find out if the reconstruction of Janjin
Boolt headwork, a dam with a water storage reservoir which has been operating during the
socialist era, would be economically and socially significant, and ecologically not harmful.
The study has shown that small-scale farming, often in combination with mobile livestock
keeping can successfully secure a living for hundreds of families. If the major problem of not
having a sufficient and regular water supply for irrigation could be solved, a main
precondition for a sustainable development of the irrigation agriculture in the Buyant river
delta would be fulfilled.
Research on water availability and quality has proved that there would be enough water of
good quality for an intensification of the existing and the spatial expansion of irrigated
farming. Further more it seems that there will be no significant changes in the ecological
balance of the Buyant river delta area and adjacent Khar Us nuur if the Buyant river water is
managed in suitable manner.
The research results have proved that enough irrigable farmland for further extension is
available in all four investigated sums. The best soils can be found in the northern part of the
delta on Khovd sum territory. As a lot of people, many of them without employment and
poor, of the investigated sums and of Jargalant sum (Khovd khot) in particular, are interested
in taking up irrigated farming the distribution of farmland could considerably contribute to
improve livelihoods of people and reduce poverty in Khovd aimag.
The study has also shown that the existing cultivation is mainly market-oriented with potatoes
being the main crop. In addition also a large variety of vegetables and fruits are cultivated. As
only a very small part of the harvest is processed there is still a large potential for a trade with
processed farming products, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, melons, sea buckthorn etc.
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