Cashmere is a highly strategic commodity for Mongolia as nearly a million herders’ livelihood depend on. Although increased recent global demand for cashmere brought itself number of benefits, it also contributed to an environmental degradation such as overgrazing, deforestation, landscape and rangeland erosion, and loss of biodiversity. While the herders and processors both acknowledge and face the disappearing pastureland, they struggle to change current practices and are largely unable to shift to more sustainable ways.

In addition, Covid-19 continues to bring unprecedented challenges to the industry. Raw cashmere price is reduced by 50 percent from last year and sales has decreased 70-80 percent due to sector-wide cancellations of export contracts.

Ms. Nashida Sattar, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Mongolia, said “UNDP recognized the need to introduce sustainability measures to the cashmere sector and rolled out the Sustainable Cashmere Platform last year with the objective of positioning Mongolia as a global leader of sustainable cashmere. We are leveraging the Cashmere Platform to help address the extraordinary challenges faced by the sector today” during her opening remarks.

About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

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