Archive for November, 2024

UNCCD COP16 Land Day | SFA Event Overview

Posted by Katy Edwards
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UNCCD COP16

2nd – 13th December 2024

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Learn More & Register Here

RANGELAND STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (RSC) TO BE INTRODUCED AT UNCCD COP16 BY THE INITIATIVE'S ESTABLISHING PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE SUSTAINABLE FIBRE ALLIANCE (SFA)

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – This December, the standard holding and membership organisation, the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA), is joining together with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the GEF-funded STELARR (Sustainable Investments for Large-Scale Rangeland Restoration) Project – implemented by IUCN and executed by ILRI and partners – to officially introduce the Rangeland Stewardship Council (RSC) initiative to the global participants of UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This two-week Conference of Parties will take place from the 2nd to the 13th of December 2024 to raise a global ambition, renew commitment, and accelerate investment and action to restore land and boost resilience for the benefit of people and the planet. Held under the theme Our Land. Our Future this year’s event coincides with UNCCD’s 30th anniversary and is set to be the largest UN land conference to date and the first held in the Middle East and North Africa region – a location that knows a great deal about the impacts of desertification, land degradation and drought – key topics to be discussed and addressed during COP16.

The RSC is dedicated to advancing the sustainable management of global rangelands, recognising their critical role in supporting human livelihoods, ensuring food security, and preserving biodiversity. Through engagement with the private sector, the RSC seeks to stimulate investment in rangeland ecosystems, creating positive environmental outcomes while protecting the livelihoods of local communities. Aligned with the ‘One Health’ approach, the RSC adopts a holistic perspective, considering the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and the environment. With the support of collaborative partners and sector-wide colleagues, the RSC is establishing a global benchmark for responsible rangeland management by creating a unified standard known as the Global Rangelands Standard. Currently, there is no globally defined set of standards for rangeland stewardship; existing frameworks often focus on specific products or regions. The Global Rangelands Standard will provide a comprehensive framework for enhancing collaboration among these existing standards, facilitating the development of effective, adaptable global solutions. The Global Rangelands Standard aims to support market access for responsibly produced diverse rangeland commodities, encompassing product certification for fibre, leather, meat, milk, crop seed, recreation, and renewable energy.

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To officially introduce this global initiative and standards system during UNCCD’s COP16, the RSC’s collaborative partners are set to host a series of sessions throughout the two-week event. These include three of the main UNCCD-hosted events during the dedicated Land Day on the 4th of December.

Discover more about the Land Day events below:

GLOBAL RANGELANDS STANDARD: A FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE PASTORAL FUTURES

15:00-15:45, MET-25

During this session, key members and supporters of the Rangeland Stewardship Council (RSC) will take to the stage to introduce the initiative, outlining its mission and ongoing efforts in safeguarding and improving global rangelands. The RSC’s Global Rangelands Standard will be presented as a critical benchmark for responsible rangeland management, emphasising its role in promoting practices that balance environmental and social priorities. Presentations will highlight the Global Rangelands Standard as a catalyst for private-sector investment in rangeland restoration, providing clear, accountable standards that align sustainability with long-term economic and environmental benefits. A key outcome of the session is to foster collaboration among the private sector, policymakers, and local communities to enhance land governance, ensure secure tenure, and support climate adaptation efforts.

COP PRESIDENCY EVENT ON RANGELANDS

16:00-17:00, MET-25

This session aims to amplify political attention to rangelands, mobilise investments, and foster international collaboration through initiatives. During this side event, the RSC and its partners will highlight the role of standards in global efforts to protect and restore rangelands. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the RSC aims to foster collaboration and drive meaningful action to address the ever-increasing challenges faced by the world’s rangelands. The RSC’s work emphasises the importance of coordinated strategies to ensure rangeland resilience, safeguard biodiversity, and support the communities that depend on them.

FASHION4LAND EVENT AT UNCCD COP16

18:00-20:00, MET-25

Set to unravel the intricate connection between land and the textile sector, the Fashion4Land event will explore how different fibre choices impact land and soil health and encourage holistic approaches to land use by the fashion industry. The event will underscore the fashion industry’s pivotal role in environmental sustainability and bring together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to examine the complex relationship between fashion and land. By exploring key policy frameworks and market-based mechanisms, this event seeks to raise awareness and foster global, cross-sectoral dialogue. The Fashion4Land event will conclude UNCCD’s COP16 Land Day with an exhibition and networking reception that offers a unique platform for exchanging ideas and strengthening collaborations.

For more information on these and other events hosted by the SFA and RSC’s collaborative partners, contact the SFA team at info@sustainablefibre.org. Alternatively, visit the official UNCCD COP16 website for further details on the event as a whole.

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ABOUT THE SUSTAINABLE FIBRE ALLIANCE (SFA)

Founded in 2015, the SFA is a non-profit standard holding and membership organisation. They represent a global alliance of supply chain actors, stakeholders, and industry experts with a vision for a responsible and inclusive global natural fibres sector that safeguards the health and well-being of people, animals and the environment. Working with the end-to-end supply chain, the SFA connects livestock herders in Mongolia and China to brands and retailers in the global fashion industry. The SFA Animal Fibre Standard outlines five global principles for responsible cashmere production, these are effective management, decent work, biodiversity and land use, animal welfare, and fibre quality improvement. Discover more about the SFA’s standards system and programmes on their website: https://sustainablefibre.org/

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ABOUT THE RANGELAND STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (RSC)

The Rangeland Stewardship Council (RSC) is dedicated to advancing the sustainable management of global rangelands, recognising their pivotal role in supporting human livelihoods, ensuring food security, and preserving biodiversity. The initiative advocates for responsible stewardship by establishing a global standard that harmonises the production of essential resources with the conservation of wildlife habitats and the mitigation of climate change. It promotes best practices across diverse regions, grounded in core principles such as herder representation, traceability, carbon sequestration, culturally attentive practices, health and wellbeing initiatives, animal welfare, gender equality, and effective land management. The RSC is supported by the UNCCD, the SFA, and the Global Environment Facility-funded STELARR Project, which is implemented by IUCN and executed by ILRI and partners. Learn more about the RSC initiatives and its collaborative partners on the website: https://rangelandstewardship.org/

Katy Edwards

SFA MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

28 November 2024

Decent Work for Women Herders in Mongolia: What’s being done?

Posted by Katy Edwards

Over the course of 2022, the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA)1 carried out comprehensive research, designed to explore the realities of decent work and women’s empowerment within cashmere herding communities in Mongolia. The research, which formed the baseline for ensuring the support and inclusion of decent work and gender themes within the SFA’s work, explored a range of topics with women from the Arkhangai and Bayankhongor provinces and looked to define decent work in conjunction with several core factors. These included the health and wellbeing of their families, livestock and their environment – also known as the nutag2. They discussed external factors such as the growing threat of climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme weather patterns, alongside societal and structural barriers to education, training, self-care, child labour, culture loss, collective representation and social isolation due to the triple labour burden3. Naturally, it’s important to note that one organisation alone can’t address the entirety of these obstacles and there are a number of contributing factors that impact and mould women’s access to decent work that are outside the influence of such agencies as the SFA. Instead, it takes a holistic, comprehensive approach from many different inputs that are inclusive but not limited to international and national governments and organisations, culture, and the fluidity and expectations of gender roles and their recognition within the family and community units they exist in.

The SFA’s Cashmere Standard, which defines best practices for responsible cashmere production in line with the ILO’s Conventions, operates on Voluntary Sustainability Systems4 which, in the context of the UN’s Global Goals, have the opportunity to deliver gender-inclusive, decent work opportunities for women, especially within the context of rural pastoralists. Both male and female Mongolian herders see herding as a meaningful way of life, not just a profession, with meaningful work going hand-in-hand with their view of decent work. Meaningful work, defined by the herders as having pride and a sense of identity when it came to their labour, culture, knowledge and produce, gave them a feeling of value and respect within their communities. The promotion of decent work is one of five Global Principles that form the SFA’s Cashmere Standard. The Standard’s focus on decent work is specific to implementing: fair hiring practices, fair working conditions, the protection of traditional communities, the prevention of child labour and the promotion of health and safety. In practice, cooperatives and/or herders that are accredited by the SFA must adhere to these guidelines to obtain and maintain SFA certification. Human rights and gender equality play a significant role throughout the Standard’s criteria, ensuring not only fair treatment and active roles in decision-making for women in SFA cooperatives but also equal pay – equal pay for equal work. In January 2023, a revised version of the SFA’s Cashmere Standard was published to include the SFA’s three herder-level codes of practice; the Rangeland Stewardship and Animal Husbandry Codes of Practice and the SFA x ICCAW Cashmere Goat Welfare Code of Practice. Since then, the Standard has gone through a further period of consultation and revision to create the Cashmere Standard V2.0 . This took place during 2024. Throughout the consultation period, the SFA has worked in collaboration with external consultant Tristam Barrett to examine areas for development in the revised Cashmere Standard with respect to mainstreaming gender, in line with but not exclusive to the recommendations from the women herders’ discussions with Professor María E. Fernández-Giménez and her team. These findings have shaped Version 2.0 and the criteria in which they address gender inclusion within the application of the Cashmere Standard within herder communities.

In conjunction with their personal relationships with decent work, the women who took part in the research observed the significant issue with children, especially boys, being removed from school too early to support the herd. They addressed the pressures of ensuring their children gained access to an education, while highlighting that if mothers were unable to leave their children at soum centres5, they would have to home-school them, further adding to their workload. Addressing children’s premature removal from school, the SFA’s Cashmere Standard v2.0 states:

  • The entity (herders and/or herder cooperatives) and its sites shall ensure that school-age children learning to herd livestock only do so outside of school hours.

 

As well as noting that children are required to stay in school throughout schooling years, the SFA’s Cashmere Standard naturally takes a hard line on child labour of any kind stating that ‘children should not be involved in any hazardous labour or engage in the worst forms of child labour’ as defined by the ILO Convention 182 and Recommendation 190. Due to the conjoined nature of family and work life for herder families, extra pressures within the family unit directly impact situations for mothers who have to juggle the health and well-being of their family while ensuring the health, quality and productivity of their livestock and produce. Furthermore, the expectation on women to come forward as decision-makers within their communities, while having to deal with the pressures of the triple labour burden, may also present extra pressure in the name of ‘gender progression’. Understanding the nuances of what women gain from their work both at home and outside is paramount to the development of women’s roles within wider cashmere herding communities.

During the research, there were discussions regarding the impact of increased rural-to-urban migration – a country-wide shift seeing more and more young people migrating to the capital Ulaanbaatar in search of work and a more modern way of life6. The women made recommendations to ensure such a movement of people didn’t lead to culture loss, stressing the importance of promoting the benefits of herder culture and life in the countryside. They highlighted how increasing training opportunities for young herders, the development of urban-rural exchange programs, networking, and the development of work experience opportunities for urban youth could all raise awareness about their heritage and herder culture, while showcasing the positive attributes of life as a Mongolian herder. While there is no one way to address these concerns in their entirety, the SFA takes informed approaches to carry out changes with short-, medium- and long-term work programmes. Through herder-based incentives and work programmes to support best practices, the SFA recognises herders’ sustainability, fibre quality and animal welfare contributions, while celebrating best practices with nationally recognised awards. The SFA’s work programmes, funded by SFA members, focus on more targeted training opportunities for herders and herding communities across young herders, women empowerment, animal welfare, water stewardship, and breeding and fibre quality. The programmes allow the SFA’s brand members to contribute towards training that may address some of the issues raised by the women herders. For example, by funding training for young herders, might this bridge the gap for young people who might not have decided on their futures in herding? Or could fully funded, competency-based training help women to gain access to better economic opportunities?

A statement from the SFA’s Mongolian Country Coordinator, Vandandorj Sumiya:

“There are three different competency-based training programs and training materials developed: greasy cashmere sorting, animal health protection and animal breeding. Different trainings are organised at different seasons due to the nature of animal husbandry activities. For instance, greasy cashmere sorting training takes place in spring as it’s the main season for cashmere combing. Animal health protection training is conducted during summer, during which most herders do annual vaccinations for animals and use vet services, and animal breeding training is organised in autumn, just before breeding season starts.”

Sumiya goes on to explain that, “The training has been happening since 2021 and at this moment over 1,800 herders have attended the training, and of which 1,100 are female herders. The competency-based training courses have two sections, one in a classroom that focuses on providing information or theoretical knowledge that takes one day. The second part is in practice, during which herders practise what they have learnt about animal husbandry and provide proof or documentation of their practice to the trainers. Once herders attend all three courses, they will be awarded a “Herder” occupational certificate from the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.”

You can learn more about the SFA’s various work and incentive programmes here.

External factors such as climate change and the growing frequency and intensity of dzuds were overarching themes throughout the research. When discussing the damaging impact of dzuds on their communities and their livestock, the women recommended long-term weather forecasts and pre-warnings to signal appropriate preparations and the stockpiling of hay and other food items for animals. However, while some communities can gain access to preparatory items for such extreme winters, there are a number of other obstacles such as rising food and fuel prices that impact herders’ preparations ahead of difficult periods, especially in areas where the land is less productive. In collaboration with the SFA, Alina Haus from the University of Göttingen produced a study that took a closer look at these particular issues, focusing on winter preparation and feeding management of certified herder cooperatives – read a summary here. In February 2024, Mongolia was hit by a devastating dzud that affected 80% of the country, killing over 11% of livestock as of May 2024. To create a clearer understanding of the devastating impact of dzuds, the SFA have produced several articles better explaining both the personal and commercial cost of these weather patterns, their support and aid response and their plans for similar, catastrophic events in the future.

Women’s access to decent work in the context of SFA-certified cooperatives is underscored by a multitude of factors. The combined pressures of the triple labour burden, mass migration and climate change all factor in, adding further pressure to an already fragile ecosystem. The practical measures taken by the SFA including a more gender-responsive Cashmere Standard and incentives and training opportunities, all work towards creating a holistic framework that addresses some of the issues raised by the women who took part in the research. However, nuance is key and because of such uncertainty with respect to changes in climate, the environment and cultural shifts, women have a vital yet sensitive role in shaping the future of herding in modern Mongolia.

The SFA is developing its Women and Decent Work Strategy in the run-up to 2030 and 2040, and we encourage anyone to reach out to get involved.

Lotti Blades-Barrett

21 November 2024

1 Research conducted by Professor María E. Fernández-Giménez with the assistance of Tugsbuyan Bayarbat, Chantsallkham Jamsranjav and Tungalag Ulambayar.
2 ‘Nutag’ is a Mongolian nomadic term used to describe ‘homeland’.
3 The ‘triple labour burden’ refers to the house work, paid work and child/elder care women undertake.
4 Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) are private standards that require products to meet specific economic, social and environmental sustainability metrics – Read more.
5 Soum centres are administrative and community centres for different districts across Mongolia and are often where children attend school.
6 ‘Steppes and the city: rural to urban migration in Mongolia’, The International Migrant Institute, 2017. Full article.

Access to Finance for Herder Communities in Mongolia

Posted by Katy Edwards

Access to finance for herder communities in Mongolia: A long-term strategic partnership between SFA and Khan Bank

Mongolia’s vast rangelands are home to nomadic herder communities who play an essential role in preserving the country’s cultural heritage and economy, particularly through the cashmere industry. However, these herders face persistent financial barriers, notably in accessing the credit necessary to sustain and grow their livelihoods. The broader economic strain is evident in Mongolia’s household debt, which accounts for approximately 25% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP1, placing a disproportionate burden on rural herders. This vulnerability is exacerbated by climate change and increasingly volatile cashmere markets, further heightening herders’ financial precarity2. The sale of cashmere, especially in early spring when other livestock sales are limited, remains a crucial income stream for herding households. However, the industry’s notorious price volatility significantly undermines herders’ ability to secure a stable income, highlighting the pressing need for more accessible and sustainable financial support systems.

In response to these challenges, the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA) and Khan Bank, a Mongolian national bank, joined forces with an aim to address the financial difficulties faced by Mongolian herders. Over the past six years, Khan Bank and the SFA have developed a pioneering partnership through a series of initiatives, training sessions, and innovative financial solutions. This article outlines the key milestones of this partnership, from its inception in 2018 through to the successful establishment of the “Green Loan” program in 2022 and ongoing support and collaboration in 2024 and beyond.

2018: Laying the Groundwork for Collaboration

  • In September 2018, Khan Bank and the SFA formalised their collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop loan products tailored to the needs of SFA-certified herders and cooperatives and to organise basic financial training for them.
  • In November 2018, SFA and Khan Bank in collaboration with Nutag Action Research and Training Center (NARTC), carried out comprehensive research to assess the financial needs of stakeholders in Mongolia’s cashmere processing sector through a household survey of 286 herder families and 51 key-informant interviews to understand the financial challenges faced by herders.
  • In December 2018, a “Train the Trainers” course was organised, reaching over 50 herders from 24 cooperatives across eight provinces. These trainings focused on the SFA’s Animal Husbandry and Cashmere Fibre Harvesting Code of Practice and Rangeland Stewardship Code of Practice.

2019: Expanding Reach & Influence

  • In May 2019, Khan Bank participated as a sponsor in the SFA’s annual international conference, “Cashmere Preparation, Supply Chain, and Sustainable Development” further establishing its commitment to supporting the sustainable cashmere sector
  • By July 2019, the “Herder Empowerment Program” was launched in 26 districts across 10 provinces. This initiative aimed to provide herders with the knowledge and tools necessary to implement sustainable livestock management practices while increasing the efficiency of the cashmere value chain.
  • In November 2019, an online training course was conducted for Khan Bank employees, including branch and communication managers, to enhance their understanding of the SFA Codes of Practice.
  • As the year came to a close, the SFA and the Khan Bank jointly broadcast a series of 10 advice programs on the theme of “Responsible Herders” on the TV9 channel.

2020: Empowering Responsible Herders

  • The partnership continued into 2020, with the publication of a brochure titled “Proper Practices of Responsible Herders” to disseminate crucial information on appropriate animal husbandry practices that are welfare-friendly and sustainable.

2021: Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis

As the world grappled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Khan Bank introduced new measures to support herders. They provided preferential loans to member cooperatives of the SFA as part of an action plan designed to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. These loans helped herders sustain operations during a challenging period while maintaining their commitment to sustainability.

2022: Launching the Green Loan Program

  • Khan Bank introduced the green loan program “Supporting the Supply of Sustainable Wool and Cashmere”, under which a total of 37 cooperatives that operate under the SFA’s Animal Husbandry and Rangeland Stewardship Codes of Practice and have obtained SFA certification were selected, and 3.8 billion MNT in loans were granted to 19 of these cooperatives.
  • By July 2022, the collaboration expanded its efforts by hosting a “Business Development of Herder Organizations” event, involving over 90 herders representing 54 cooperatives.
  • A video was released in August 2022, providing advice on the challenges involved in applying for the ‘Green Loan’ product.
  • In September 2022, at the Natural Fibre Connect (NFC) international conference jointly organised by the SFA, International Alpaca Association, Schneider Group, and Mohair South Africa, discussions centred on green financing and the future of sustainable natural fibres.

2023: Strengthening Green Financing Initiatives

  • In June 2023, Khan Bank and the SFA met with member cooperatives and processors, providing crucial information on loan products. As part of this ongoing effort, the green loan product was continued for a second year in July 2023.
  • By December 2023, green financing specialists from both organisations met to review loan products and discuss establishing loan monitoring and evaluation indicators, and issues related to assessing the effectiveness of the program.

2024: The Green Loan Program Becomes Permanent

As of February 2024, the “Green Loan to Support the Supply of Sustainable Wool and Cashmere” has entered its third year, cumulatively providing loans to 35 cooperatives, a total of 10 billion MNT (GBP 2.3 million) since 2022.

With the conclusion of the trial phase, the Green Loan program has now become a regular feature of Khan Bank’s offerings, ensuring that herders and cooperatives will continue to have access to financial support annually.

Voices from the Field

Zalaa Shine Jinst Herder Cooperative has secured a 400 million MNT loan from Khan Bank in 2022 and 2023. The green loan has been a valuable support for herders, enabling them to buy essential fodder during challenging times, and helping sustain their livestock throughout the year.

The herders report that they can now meet cash needs by taking advances from the cooperative, protecting them from losses associated with high-interest credit purchases.

For the past two years, the cooperative has purchased essential goods for herders through this green loan such as flour, rice, hay, animal feed, fence board, winter shelter input, etc. and provided to herders at prices lower than market rates. This access to lower-priced goods has significantly supported herders’ livelihoods by saving them money, enabling them to accumulate savings, and strengthening their financial stability.

Towards the Future: A Model for Sustainable Financing

The partnership between Khan Bank and the SFA demonstrates the power of collaboration in driving sustainable development. Over the past six years, this partnership has provided crucial financial tools and educational resources to herders across Mongolia, helping them adopt sustainable practices and enhance the value of their cashmere products. As the Green Loan program becomes a permanent fixture, it stands as a testament to the long-term viability of responsible cashmere production. This initiative serves as a model for how green financing can transform industries and foster a more sustainable future. Going forward, the SFA is planning to engage more cooperatives in the Green Loan Program through the use of a Learning Management System. This project, co-funded by the ISEAL Innovations Fund and the SFA, will be initiated at the end of 2024 in collaboration with Khan Bank and NARTC.

To learn more about SFA’s research projects and developments in our work programs, please visit the Our Impacts section of the website. To receive regular updates directly to your inbox, make sure to sign up for our quarterly newsletters using the sign-up box in the footer below.

Dr Shalini Raghav

SFA RESEARCH MANAGER

14 November 2024

1 Mongolia Household Debt: % of GDP, 2004 – 2024 | CEIC Data
2 Murphy, D.J., Ichinkhorloo, B., 2023. Index insurance and the moral economy of pastoral risk management in Mongolia. The Journal of Peasant Studies 1–23; Plueckhahn, R. and Bumochir, D., 2018. Capitalism in Mongolia–ideology, practice and ambiguity. Central Asian Survey, 37(3), pp.341-356; Sneath, D., 2012. The ‘age of the market’ and the regime of debt: the role of credit in the transformation of pastoral Mongolia. Social Anthropology 20(4), pp.458-473.