Pilot project 2018-19
Khovsgol Dairy Project (KDP) has received a grant from CISU to conduct a pilot project 2018-19.
Please read the summary of the pilot project here:
Sarlagiin Saikhan Khishig (SSKh) Cooperative and the Khovsgol Dairy Project (KDP) team have developed a business plan of a small-scale dairy production based on the summer activities 2016-17 experience.
Khatgal area/village, on the southern tip of lake Khovsgol, is experiencing an increased number of visiting tourists. The numbers have increased over just a few years from approximately 40.000 to over 100.000 yearly visitors. The numbers of tourist camps have increased accordantly. This has created a variety of challenges for the local community. Most important is the increased amount of garbage generated and tourist camps and visitors invading traditional pasture land.
While the local community is adapting to this new situation, they are also experiencing an increased demand on traditional Mongolian food and dairy products, as the majority of the visitors are Mongolian people.
Therefore Sarlagiin Saikhan Khishig Cooperative and the Khovsgol Dairy Project team have decided on developing means to meet this new demand.
Sarlagiin Saikhan Khishig Cooperative will from 2018:
- Supply selected tourist camps with high quality milk and dairy products
- Offer dairy production and tastings shows as cultural events
- Offer visits to cooperative members homes to witness dairy production
Khovsgol Dairy Project will support Sarlagiin Saikhan Khishig Cooperative to build a building in Khagtal to facilitate:
- Office
- Collection and cooling of raw milk
- Production of traditional Mongolian dairy products
- Storage
- Labelling and distribution
Furthermore Khovsgol Dairy Project will support the purchase of:
- High quality dairy equipment for production
- High quality dairy equipment for commodity handling to Sarlagiin Saikhan Khishig Cooperative members
- Offer a hygiene and commodity handling course to the members of Sarlagiin Saikhan Khishig Cooperative
- Capacity building of Sarlagiin Saikhan Khishig Cooperative, by offering training and workshops
The purpose of these activities is to capacity build Sarlagiin Saikhan Khishig Cooperative to develop experience in running a successful and sustainable business and organisation.
Gain experience and knowledge on traditional Mongolian dairy production, in a small scale, to develop production methods and a product line for the future bigger scale Khovsgol Dairy Facility.
Build hygiene and commodity handling knowledge and awareness to increase higher quality products production and increase the health condition in the local community.
Create an immediate income possibility for members of Sarlagiin Saikhan Khishig Cooperative.
We need help and support for this important community work.
Please follow this link to donate or share our story.
Please write Khovsgol Dairy Project in the message option.
Pilot Project in progress
KDP has succeeded in raising funds to commence the construction of the cooperative dairy building. The doners are Architects without Borders, Dairy without Borders, CISU and ecoLeap Foundation.
Unfortunately we still miss funding to complete the building facilities and any amount is received with great gratitude.
The members from SSKh are conducting the construction work under the consultancy of Global Communities and Architects without Borders.
So far the members has constructed the fundament of the building, the walls and part of the roofing. They are also contributing by buying, building and raising the fence to outline the land.
Day 1 pictures
Day 2 Pictures
Day 3 pictures
The architects Jörg Kerchlango and Chalotte Vad will travel to Khatgal July 2018 to help advising the construction of the inner walls of the production room, that needs to meet certain Mongolian food safety laws. The cooperative members will again be doing the construction work.
In autumn 2018 Dairy without borders will send the two dairy specialists Uffe Mortensen and Poul Larsen to set up the dairy production and conduct a hygiene and commodity handling course.
2017
SSKh have received a curd drier donated by KDP. The funds was generated by kind donates from a crowd funding campaign.
The dried curd produced on the pictures are for the new year celebration called Tsagaan Sar (White moon) in Mongolian. The White Moon festival is celebrated on the first through third days of the first lunar month. Tsagaan Sar is one of the most important Mongolian holidays.
White Moon description from Wikipedia
In Mongolia around the New Year, families burn candles at the altar symbolizing Buddhist enlightenment. Also people greet each other with holiday-specific greetings such as Амар байна уу? (Amar baina uu?), meaning “Are you living peacefully?” Mongols also visit friends and family on this day and exchange gifts. A typical Mongol family will meet in the home dwelling of the eldest in the family.
Many people will be dressed in full garment of national Mongol costumes. When greeting their elders during the White Moon festival, Mongols perform the zolgokh greeting, grasping them by their elbows to show support for them. The eldest receives greetings from each member of the family. During the greeting ceremony, family members hold long, typically blue, silk cloths called a khadag. After the ceremony, the extended family eats sheep’s tail, mutton, rice with curds, dairy products, and buuz (Mongolian dumplings). It is also typical to drink airag (fermented mares milk) and exchange gifts. Dairy products plays a essential role in the White Moon celebrations as they are “White food” and considered sacred and pure.
KDP is working on a budget for the small scale production below is the budget as of 1st November 2016