Droughts have affected the livelihoods of 23,000 herding
households in the Xilin Gol League in the middle of north China's
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region since the
spring, a local official said Tuesday.
About 200 million mu (13.3 million hectares) of grasslands had
suffered droughts in most of the western Xilin Gol prairie, causing
the deaths of 154,000 head of livestock and affecting 7.28 million
more, said Adiya, vice magistrate of Xilin Gol League.
The Xilin Gol prairie, covering 296 million mu (19.7 million
hectares), had seen only 10 mm of rainfall since spring, Adiya
said.
Droughts had plagued the prairie since 1998 due to the decrease
in rainfall.
"I had expected this year would be better, but it turned out to
be much worse. We don't have enough grass to feed the cattle and
sheep. We have no way out, but worry," said Ma Yong, a herdsman in
the Sonid Left banner of Xilin Gol.
The central government has invested large amounts in
anti-drought measures, but herdsmen are forced to spend their
savings to rent pasture, buy fodder and ensure drinking water for
their families and livestock.
Each herdsman owed an average 5,500 yuan (US$687.5), reckoned
the Animal Husbandry Bureau of the Sonid Left Banner. Ma Yong and
his family have used all their savings and borrowed about 30,000
yuan (US$3,750) from relatives and friends.
Adiya said years of drought made the herdsmen realize that they
cannot rely on the weather for their livelihoods, but must instead
turn to the rapidly growing industrial areas.
Xilin Gol League is creating job opportunities for the herdsmen,
offering minimum living expenses and taking other measures to
ensure the livelihoods of its people, Adiya said.
(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2006)