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Mongolia experienced one of the most severe coldwave/Dzud disasters in the winter of 2023/2024. The unprecedented and extreme weather conditions caused significant humanitarian impacts. By July 2024, a total of 8.1 million livestock perished, accounting for 12.5 per cent of the total livestock in Mongolia, according to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MoFALI). Nearly 5,000 herder households lost over 70 per cent of their livestock to Dzud. The situation was further compounded by a nationwide fuel shortage between November to December 2023, which led to long queues for fuel and delayed government aid to snowstorm-affected areas.
The 2023/2024 Dzud also had severe socio-economic impacts, as documented in the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) 1 jointly conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), IFRC, and other partners in September 2024.Key findings of the SEIA included:
• Economy and livelihood: Livestock mortality and income decline were severe for herders, with losses leading to decline in the sector contribution to GDP by 12 per cent in the first quarter of 2024 as compared to 2023. The SEIA estimated that on average, net income per household member decreased by MNT 77,000 per month, or around 12 per cent due to the Dzud.
• Food security: As a result of the Dzud, the food security of herders was undermined. Livestock losses decreased the production of staple meat and dairy products, particularly in the most affected area, resulting in higher prices and lower product accessibility to the poorer section of society. Due to the blockage of roads caused by heavy snowfall, parents were unable to send meat and milk products to their children pursuing higher studies in Ulaanbaatar. Reduction in income due to loss of livestock and products like cashmeres further reduced purchasing capacity of the herders.
• Health: Regarding physical and mental health, the report pointed out that the pressure of surviving such conditions, coupled with economic hardships, increased the incidence of depression and anxiety among herders. Harsh winter conditions, combined with inadequate nutrition due to food shortages affected the physical health of children under 5 years old as well as vulnerable groups like pregnant and lactating women.
• Education: In terms of education, the Dzud caused difficulties of access to schools due to heavy snow resulting in mobility challenges for children. Due to harsh weather conditions, 90 kindergartens, 88 schools, 18 boarding houses, and 6 gymnasiums had problems such as frozen water and heating lines, damaged roofs, etc. Higher education was also impacted due to the reduced income of parents, resulting in non-payment of fees and other expenditures for graduate students studying in cities. Dzud-induced migration also caused temporary school dropouts, due to delays in obtaining domicile certificates from the governor’s office for school admission.