FINAL REPORT

Cultivation Agriculture
In Khovd sum, 1,636 ha are classified as land for cultivation agriculture (ALAGAC, 2005).
The majority of these potential farmlands are located in Ulaanburaa bag in the Buyant River
Delta. During socialism, the negdel of Khovd sum cultivated up to 1,200 ha farmland each
year with fodder crops, cereals, potatoes, vegetables and melons 17 (see Fig. 46). In addition,
crop farmers from Myangad sum’s Davshilt negdel cultivated 200-250 ha on the territory of
Khovd sum, in the northern part of the Buyant River Delta at Doloogiin gazar, Ulaanburaa
bag(see Chapter15).
Vegetables Potatoes Cereals Fodder Crops Total
1,400
1,200
1,000
Sown area (ha)
800
600
400
200
0
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
Year
Source: Statistics provided by the aimag and sum administration
Figure 46: Sown area of negdel and Crop Farmers, Khovd sum (1980-2005)
After the dissolution of the negdel, the sown area declined sharply and the irrigation facilities
went out of use. Cultivation of fodder crops and cereals ceased to almost zero. Since the mid
of the 1990s, crop farming is increasing again. Nowadays, private households and a
cooperative plant mainly potatoes, vegetables and melons. But the farmers from Ulaanburaa
bag are facing serious water access problems. Also at Dund Us -distant from the Buyant
River Delta -several and are irrigated with water from small streams households have started
crop farming on fields that are located close to the sum center. In addition there are still
Myangad farmers at Doloogin gazar and households from Buyant sum have started farming
17 In the statistics, melons are counted as vegetables.
99