ULAN BATOR, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The 8th Multi-Stakeholder Partnership meeting of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) kicked off here on Monday to address sustainability issues in the livestock sector.
Over 120 livestock experts from 34 countries will discuss ways to ensure that the long-term benefits of livestock contribute to sustainable development.
The five-day meeting is expected to cover four topics of sustainability, namely food and nutrition security; livelihoods and growth; health and animal welfare; as well as climate and natural resource use.
"I hope that we will make many important decisions to increase livestock production that are well suited climate conditions, rangeland, natural resources and ecosystems of the countries which are developing nomadic herding," Batjargal Batzorig, minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, said at the opening ceremony.
"We will share our experience and views on the nomadic herding," he added.
Mongolia is one of the last nomadic countries in the world. As of 2017, the number of livestock animals in the East Asian country with a population of just over 3 million has reached 66.2 million.
Animal husbandry is the backbone of the landlocked country's economy as nearly 40 percent of the country's nomad population depends on animal husbandry for their livelihoods.
The meeting is co-organized by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the GASL.
