Nomadic herders tending to their flock. Photo: Thatcher Cook for Mercy Corps

All Mongolian winters are bitterly cold, but for the most extreme, the Mongols have a special word: a "dzud," which loosely translates as "crisis."

The dzud that hit Mongolia this winter was the worst in recent memory. Snow fell and fell until it blocked doorways. Many were forced to exit their homes through holes in their roofs.

The toll of this bitterly cold weather, however, was far more than just roof damage. More than 8 million cows, sheep, goats, camels and other livestock died — a staggering loss in a country where three quarters of the population earn their living from herding.

One reason this year's dzud was so devastating was that the animals were already weak, explains Oidov Vaanchig, who works for Mercy Corps in Mongolia. Scarce food during the summer made it difficult for herders to feed their goats and sheep. So, when winter struck, their animals didn't have enough body fat to survive.

Grazing livestock never used to be this difficult. But today there are too many animals, says Oidov, and the land is overburdened. As goats roam, their sharp hooves tear the tender top crust of the soil, exposing the fertile layers below. On the windy steppe, the soil blows away and the grassland slowly turns to dessert. Stopping this kind of damage to the environment is the best way to prevent future dzuds, said Oidov.

If herders can increase their earnings from the animals they have, they won't need to raise more to make ends meet. So Mercy Corps puts on workshops that teach skills like pasture management, assessing agricultural risks and understanding household economics. The topics also include ways to prevent desertification, such as fencing in fields so that roaming animals can't overgraze, or planting trees and vegetable crops to prevent soil erosion.

Mercy Corps also helps herders pursue other livelihoods by teaching people how to sew, process wool, and make blocks for construction. The idea is not to sideline herding, which Mercy Corps recognizes as an important part of Mongolia's culture. Rather, the economic diversification reduces the impact on the land, and provides herders with a measure of protection against future dzuds and other challenges Mother Nature may throw their way.

"Only by investing in rural communities," says Oidov, "will we be able turn future disasters into a minimal and surmountable problem."