Orhon village of Darkhan-Uul aimag used to be one of the fruit growing areas in Mongolia back to 1980s. As the country started shifting to a market economy in early 1990s, the biggest fruit growing farm not only in Orhon but in Mongolia had collapsed. As a result of collapse, practically all the workers of the state farm left jobless. Fruit fields were destroyed completely over the next few years and instead, they started vegetable growing activities. But still many people are unemployed and poor.
The grant is to support combined community activities on cultivation of Buckthorns and Black currant fruits and bee keeping in order to contribute to local government efforts on rehabilitating and re-cultivating former fruit farms in Orhon village, based on local communities.
A small fruit plantation field was established in a fenced and protected place and several bee colonies have been kept in parallel by the local community involved in the project. More results will come as the community gets more experience on their own bee keeping practice.