Mongolia possesses over 800 valuable medicinal plants. But many of them have become rare and endangered due to human influence and climate change effects. There is over-harvesting and severe destruction of medicinal plants by local inhabitants to sell to foreign markets and pharmaceutical companies for their survival.

The grant intends to assist a community initiative in Bornuur sum of Tuv province to re-cultivate Calendula officinalis, Silybum marianum, Cariandrum, Rhodiola rosea, Glycyrrhizae uralensis, Раeonia anomala, Carum carvi and Ribus nigrum L, medicinal plants that have become extinct and need immediate rehabilitation in natural conditions. The project assisted in fencing some 3 ha area, processing and irrigating land, seed supply and setting up a greenhouse to grow seeds. The growing rate was excellent, about 95 %.
Harvesting and seed collection took place in September. Collected seeds were stored for next spring cultivation. Some two tons of medicinal plants were harvested and sold to a pharmaceutical company. Over 1000 black currants or Ribus nigrum L bushes have grown very well for the first year. This is one of the most beneficial practices of GEF SGP in Mongolia for both community livelihoods and global environment. There are two more successful small grants dealing with re-cultivation of medicinal plants within the portfolio of the SGP. Both networking of the successful projects and up-scaling are sought by the SGP.