Particular needs and constraints
A major challenge facing both Mongolian and EU producers is from counterfeit lower priced products, claiming similar reputation but with lower quality standards, which are causing the gradual extinction of local industrial Heritage and Skills.
Unfair intra and (predominantly) extra-Eu competition, with no whatsoever respect for the environment and social issues, endanger both Countries’ artisan and micro-producers, which often keep traditional and unique know-how alive, directly linked to Local Heritage especially in Rural Areas.
Millenary Nomadic traditions would extinguish, shall Mongolians not be able to brand their unique products and generate Added Sustainable Value in their own Country, rather than to be exploited by foreign middle men who operate a monopoly for trading 94% of Mongolian cashmere fiber, also to western buyers.
MNFPUG & United Nations'
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Ethical "Fair-Trade" Practice
By granting herders a premium price for their Certified “Sustainable Cashmere” we build their economic well-being, preventing new herder generations from moving to city slums, ensuring they’ll be able to carry their precious nomadic heritage traditions for generations to come.
Social Development Projects
Profits generated by MNFPUG’s Sustainable Cashmere trading are reinvested onto Social Projects at participating AIMAGs (Provinces), and at Nomadic Herder Cooperatives and Pastor User Groups.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Mitigation
94% of Mongolian Cashmere Fiber currently transit to China, to be then re-exported to European processing mills; NFPUG's direct-trade new business model shortern the Chain of Supply, allowing to reduce 28% of CO2 emissions caused by unnecessary transportation.
Intensive Farming vs. Nomadic Herding !
Cashmere goats are herded in the wild in a perfect symbiosis with the Steppe in Mongolia (which is the Nation of Mongolia), whilst they're farmed intensively in Inner Mongolia (which is a region of China).
"Wealthy" Mongolian Households own 400/500 goats which produce up to maximum 50/60 Kgs of dehaired Cashmere Fiber a year.
Medium-size Chinese Intensive Farmers own 13/15.000 goats, which they treate with water-polluting antibiotics and feed with industrial fodder.
Fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (dinitrogen oxide, N2O) are the completely dominant greenhouse gases in animal feed production
+ MNFPUG's core Activities
Improving livestock raw materials sustainability, traceability and marketing
DEVELOPMENT OF MARKETING COOPERATIVES:
Develop and strengthen PUG-based cooperatives Nation-wide, facilitate improved communication and cooperation, better services and provision of goods to members.
DEVELOPMENT OF CREDIT AND SAVINGS COOPERATIVES:
Provide techical assistance and training on the establishment and capacity development of the savings and credit cooperatives, operational and financial sustainability, and provision of professional skills training.
SUSTAINABLILIY STANDARD FOR RAW MATERIAL PREPARATION:
Introduction of a Traceability System and other Digital tools for Quality Monitoring of Animal Health and Livestock Raw Materials, through skills training and state of the art technology.
RESPONSIBLE NOMADS TRACEABILITY SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK RAW MATERIAL SUPPIY:
Facilitate introduction of Sustainability Standard for Herding and Preparation of Raw Materials, provision of training in methods and technology.
Facilitate knowledge and Experience Sharing Platforms and Think Tank, advocacy & policy lobbying
A National Rangeland Forum is being held annually aiming to create platforms for Rangeland Researchers, Specialists, Practioners and Nomaid Herders, for them to share experiences and veiws, and reach common understanding of policy reforms and measures to ensure Sustainable Management of fragile Mongolian Rangelands.
+ Activities and Responsible Nomads CoP
Traceability system of livestock raw material supply chain
Over the years, attitude of consumers is changing. They prefer products fully traceable till very origin of raw materials, produced in an Environment & Animal friendly manner.
In order to promote distinct quality properties and value of products of local breeds of livestock from Mongolia, MNFPUG provides technical assistance to associated Nomadic Herder Cooperatives to adopt the “Responsible Nomads” Code of Best Herding Practice and its related Tracebility System, for them to then train Nomadic Households Nation-wide.
MNFPUG’s fully transparent and traceable Chain of Supply, ultimately allow End-Consumers to verify the Sustainable Origin of their Cashmere made buyings, “from the end-to-end” of the supply chain, and enable Mongolian Nomadic Herders to connect directly with global Luxury Brands and Retailers of the Fashion Industry.
The adoption of Responsible Herding and Fair-Trade practices benefit People, Livestock and the Environment, whilst it also allows International Brands to demonstrate their commitment to support the Cashmere Sector in a Sustainable and Fully Ethical way, making all of their Sustainability claims veriafiable in a transparent way by the public … ♥
Herders participation of Local Governance increased
Using QR code, consumers who bought the product, may check the origin, qulaity; otther information: rangeland health, animal health, welfaer information, community of herders and the location, environmental situaiton.
MNFPUG’s Responsible Nomads standard and Geographical Indication certifications ensure multiple indicators :
- Responsible use and protection of rangelands
- Implementation of rangeland use agreement.
- Maintaining regeneration capacity of indigenous plant species
- Ensure animal welfare such as feed, warm shelter and bedding, access to fresh water and additional forage for winter
- Ensure access to quality veterinary and animal health services
- High quality raw materials and consistent supply chain.
