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Responsible pasture use through agreements

Why do PUGs need to conclude pasture use agreements?

Chaotic pasture use

Traditional herders' rights are not guaranteed

Pastures at risk of complete desertification have increased by 5%

RANGELAND USE AGREEMENT:It is a tool to make pastureland management accountable

PASTURE USE AGREEMENT:The traditional right to pasture use and the obligation to use pasture wisely will be guaranteed.

Basic principles of concluding pasture use agreements.

  1. The agreement will be signed with the Pasture User Group (PUG) and the herder group.
  2. Involve all PUG members in collective bargaining on the grounds that a herder household with one pasture is a pasture user. This is because no one has the right to deprive any herder of the right to use their pasture.
  3. In the event of a natural disaster, such as a drought or dzud, it is open to each other to enter and exit, but it is important to include livestock and take into account their carrying capacity.
  4. The location and boundaries of pastureland to be contracted for use should be based on pasture use traditions and current settlement patterns.
  5. Respect the right of pastoralists to use pastures and respect their own rights
  6. Soum and bagh retain special areas such as otor reserves, open water, and salt marshes.

Legal basis for concluding a pasture use agreement

Articles 52.2, 52.4 and 52.5 of the Law on Land and Articles 195-199 of the Civil Code shall be the legal basis for herders to use pastureland on their own. The pasture use agreement is not about allocating new land, but about recognizing and certifying the traditional pasture use rights of herder households.

Steps and sequence of concluding a pasture use agreement

Step 1: The PUG members' meeting discusses the formation of the TEAM and makes a joint decision:

  • PUG members may meet several times to review the draft agreement, reach a consensus on team building, and make collective decisions. / Download the contract /
  • The names of all those who will sign the contract will be announced.

Step 2: Define and agree on pastureland boundaries for contract use:

  • PUGs will map the boundaries of pastureland to be used on a contract basis, including current seasonal pastures, winter camps, spring camps, wells, and water points, based on natural and man-made objects.
  • After demarcating the boundaries of the contracted pastureland, consult with neighboring herders;
  • Members of a herder group using pastureland are going to use pastureland on a contract basis
  • If the majority of herders participating in the PUG support the PUG's request to use the pasture on a contract basis, the PDG will issue a resolution (withdraw the draft PDG resolution).
  • It will be submitted to the soum land officer together with the resolution and request of the PDG.
  • Based on the resolution of the PDG, the soum land officer will develop a draft ordinance on contract pasture use and submit it to the soum governor.
  • Subsequently, the soum governor will issue an ordinance to allow the pasture user group to use the pasture on a contract basis. (Withdrawal of the draft ordinance of the district administration)

Step 3: Conclude a pasture use agreement

  • The soum land officer will electronically map the boundaries of the pastures to be used by the PUGs on a contract basis and determine in detail the size and location of the contracted pastures.   
  • The ecological capacity, pasture condition, productivity, and potential load capacity of the PUGs to be used under the PUG agreement will be determined, and the appendix to the pasture use agreement will be prepared. Four basic sets of information are attached to the pasture use agreement.

Annex 1: Seasonal schedule of contract pastures

Annex 2: Ecological capacity map of contracted pastures

Annex 3: Signature of herder households

Annex 4: Contract Implementation Assessment Sheet

Step 4. Confirmation of pasture use agreement:Based on the soum governor's ordinance, the agreement with the PUGs and its annexes, the soum land officer will register in the national land cadastre database (LM-2) and its implementation will be evaluated based on the results of annual pastureland monitoring.

Step 5. Ensure implementation of pasture use agreement: As part of the implementation of the pasture use agreement, the following activities should be carried out.

  • Organize training for PUG members
  • Develop and implement annual and medium-term pastureland management plans
  • Pasture use regulations will be developed and approved. Soum, bagh, and PUG pasture use regulations play an important role in ensuring the legal framework for the implementation of pasture use agreements.
  • Establish a pasture protection fund by introducing voluntary pastureland fees.

Step 6. Evaluate the implementation of the pasture use agreement

The implementation of pastureland use agreements will be evaluated based on the results of annual photo monitoring, presented to herders and local authorities, MUB, CRH, BM working group, and discussed at bagh and PUG meetings, and appropriate changes and clarifications will be made to next year's plan.

 

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