Familiarization Visit to Project Sites in Bayan-Ulgii Aimag
A team led by Mr. B. Vanchindorj, Deputy Component Coordinator for Livestock and Rangeland Management under the “Aimags and Soums Green Regional Development Investment Program”, conducted a field mission to project implementation areas in Bayan-Ulgii aimag. The team included M&E officer Kh. Anar, procurement and finance officer J. Akhmarzhan, and engineer M. Kalimat from the local Project Implementation Unit (PIU). They visited Tolbo, Deluun, Altai, Buyant, and Ulgii soums.
Meetings were held with governors and administrators of the respective soums, officers from the aimag Governor’s Office, and members of the aimag-level task force. The team visited proposed investment sites in Bag 5 and 13 of Ulgii soum, and in Deluun soum, as identified in the project’s feasibility study. During a centralized meeting at the Aimag Public Service Center, representatives from all 12 soums—including experts in livestock breeding, land management, small and medium enterprises, cooperatives, and veterinary services—engaged in an exchange of views, resulting in a shared understanding of the project objectives and upcoming activities.
The team also assessed the proposed location for the agri-park planned under the project. Since the current location is within an industrial zone, the team recommended relocating the site. Discussions were held with the Veterinary Laboratory and local Rangeland User Groups (RUGs) on current challenges and future collaboration. Observations noted several constraints in RUG operations, including limited community trust due to inconsistent implementation of common fund mechanisms and legal restrictions from overlapping special protected areas covering 30–40% of soum territories.
The field mission involved visits to potential sites for small reservoirs in Tolbo, Deluun, Altai, and Buyant soums. In parallel, the aimag initiated the development of an agri-business information database to support the upcoming regional agricultural planning activities.
The project specialists reviewed soum-level rangeland management plans and land use conditions, providing customized recommendations for integration into the local project implementation plan. Preliminary assessments were conducted on land ownership and water use for planned irrigation systems. The team also examined the current status of Mandakh irrigation system and provided recommendations for resolving private ownership issues related to the intake structure.
The engineering team visited project sites in Bag 5 and 13 of Ulgii soum and Deluun soum to examine future infrastructure development areas and coordinated with local officials to ensure preparedness ahead of the arrival of the consulting firm. Additionally, discussions were held with the aimag’s Land Management, Construction, and Urban Development Office on the general development plan and possible routing options for project-supported infrastructure.
