Workshop organized on Cashmere Value-chain in Mongolia Presentation, Exchanges and Recommendations

The European Union Delegation to Mongolia and Agrinatura[1] organized two-day workshop, to present and discuss the findings, conclusions and recommendations to the analysis of cashmere value chain in Mongolia.

Workshop involved representatives from partner institution including the Ministry of Agriculture and Light Industry, the Billion Tree Initiative, herders and cooperatives, the private sector (producers, banks and enterprises), international partners (embassies, development banks, UN agencies), academic researchers, media and civil society actors in order to conduct rich and diverse perspectives and opinions during the discussion.

Ms Ina Marciulionyte, Ambassador of the European Union to Mongolia highlighted that "all participants, including the European Union, are aiming at giving the cashmere sector a greater value, while respecting the pastures and improving the population's living standards all over Mongolia", during her opening speech.

Mr Bolorchuluun, Head of Policy Planning Department, Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Light Industry said that "for many years, Mongolia has exported cashmere that had been washed only, not fully processed. We are committed to expanding the international market for Mongolian cashmere products; in that view we are focused on producing items that meet the needs and standards of internationally-recognized brands".

Participants praised the quality of the study; the recommendations have triggered rich and constructive exchanges that will feed the activities of the European Union and of their partners, namely in the context of EU-funded projects including STREAM+ (Sustainable Ecosystem and Agriculture Management for Rural Development in Mongolia) and ASDIP (Aimag and Soum Centres' Green and Resilient Regional Development Investment Programme).

The VCA4D Study on the Cashmere Value-chain in Mongolia is based on scientific field researches encompassing economic, social and environmental data. It analysed key challenges for the cashmere sector, for instance its sustainability, rangeland utilisation, job creation, quality of the production, international market, certification, social dimensions, services in the aimags and sums (veterinary, education, health), roles of the cooperatives and processing factories, and provides all relevant actors with useful answers and recommendations.

There was a common opinion among the participants that Mongolia's cashmere sector can enter a virtuous cycle of sustainable, verifiable and traceable high quality, driving higher prices with a view to reduce the number of goats, pertaining the introduction or adaptation of existing policies.

The VCA4D Study is available online as well as a summary in Mongolian language, here: https://capacity4dev.europa.eu/projects/value-chain-analysis-for-development-vca4d/info/246-mongolia-cashmere_en.

[1] Agrinatura is the Alliance of European Universities and Research centres specialised in agricultural research for development.

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