UNDP promotes best practices for making Mongolian cashmere more sustainable
Ulaanbaatar, 13 November 2023
First-ever Mongolia Sustainable Cashmere Day-2023 event took place in Ulaanbaatar bringing together government officials, the private sector, herders and herder organizations, academia, international organizations, and buyers to discuss importance of sustainable cashmere and Mongolia’s efforts towards making Mongolian cashmere more sustainable.
Today, the Mongolian Sustainable Cashmere Platform at UNDP and the Improving Adaptive Capacity and Risk Management of Rural Communities in Mongolia (ADAPT) project funded by the Green Climate Fund jointly organized the first ever Sustainable Cashmere Day-2023 event.
During the event, the goals and priorities of the Government of Mongolia on adaptation and mitigation of climate change were discussed as well as the requirements of sustainable livestock production and demand and importance of environmentally-friendly products.
The event aimed to raise public awareness of environmentally friendly and sustainable cashmere, to support collaboration between stakeholders, and to promote industry’s best sustainable practices.
The cashmere sector is vital for Mongolia as it sustains the livelihoods of approximately one million pastoralist herders and represents Mongolia’s global brand. Herders are generating about 80% of the country’s agricultural sector output, playing a pivotal role in diversifying the economy.
Event also recognized the best herders, herder organizations, cooperatives, and cashmere industry producers who have made progress in meeting the sustainability policy and sustainable cashmere standards in Mongolia in the following eight categories.
Herders and herder organizations awards:
- A herder organization implementing sustainable pasture management.
- A herder family well-prepared for the winter and ensured the well-being of livestock.
- A herder family who improved the quality of raw materials and improved livestock breed.
- Young herder
Processors awards:
- A company adopting responsible consumption of energy.
- A company adopting responsible water resources management.
- A company adopting waste management.
- A company improving supply chain and cooperation with herders.
Stakeholders of the cashmere supply chain such as representatives of herders, cooperatives, national and international cashmere factories, and industry experts, as well as representatives of relevant departments of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, Ministry of Environment and Tourism discussed the policies, goals, and challenges of sustainable cashmere and animal husbandry adapted to climate change and highlighted good industry practices.
The event was co-organized by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the ADAPT project funded by the Green Climate Fund, the Textile Exchange NGO based in the UK, and the CONSINEE Group.
