The Role of the Mongolian Women's Farmers Association in Addressing Food Security and Health Crises in Post-Socialist Mongolia

Abstract

Since the fall of the Soviet Union in December 1991, one of the most pressing challenges faced by post-socialist states has been widespread malnourishment and food insecurity. In response to these systemic issues affecting the daily lives of rural nomadic communities in Mongolia, the Mongolian Women’s Farmers Association (MWFA) has aimed to equip farmers across the country with the agricultural knowledge and materials needed for sustainable self-sufficiency. In this paper, I argue that the Mongolian Women's Farmers Association is a vital response to the ongoing food and health crisis within Mongolia, focusing its efforts on food diversity, traditional farming tactics, economic instruction, and ecofeminism. Using ethnographic research, survey data, secondary scholarship, and historical records, this research paper is designed to combine elements of nomadic lifestyle with aspects of more modern agricultural technology to improve Mongolian food habits. The research finds that often in post-socialist countries, due to weak infrastructure, difficulties transitioning from state-controlled to market economies, and dependency on said markets, systemic food insecurity is much more prevalent. For a country like Mongolia, a large percentage of nomadic communities face dire health consequences due to their diet of mainly meats and dairy, and because of sporadic weather patterns, are losing their ability to mobilize to new regions. Many communities lack the knowledge needed to grow and maintain vegetable gardens, making the prospect of surviving in a climate change–affected world increasingly daunting. In addition, much of the farming responsibilities are culturally given to the women, making the MWFA’s goals all the more relevant to the current socio-cultural norms of Mongolian society. This paper contributes to the ongoing debate over how food sovereignty movements can survive in post-socialist spaces and provides evidence of how Mongolia can decrease food insecurity nationwide.