{
  "id": 9437740,
  "title": "Mongolian herders enlist new tech against harsher, drier climate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/mongolian-herders-enlist-new-tech-against-harsher-drier-climate-9437740",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2026/09/24/mongolian-herders-enlist-new-tech-against-harsher-drier-climate/236211"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the Gobi Desert, a mother of four Mongolian herder named Ganchimeg faced a dire situation when her sheep strayed near a salty lake. The risk of the flock being destroyed was high, as any contact with the lake would have been fatal. However, thanks to a GPS app called Hunu, her husband could quickly reach the sheep and prevent any harm. Climate change and desertification are causing extreme weather events such as deadly cold snaps and droughts, which in turn exacerbate desertification due to overgrazing. Mongolia, with its sparsely populated lands, is particularly vulnerable to these impacts. Bilgudei Gankhulug, the 26-year-old founder of Hunu, was motivated to create the app after witnessing the devastating effects of a severe weather event known as a \"dzud\" in 2024, which resulted in the death of eight million livestock. The app employs satellite tracking and GPS devices to help herders locate their animals, and includes an AI-powered weather feature that provides alerts about common dust storms and blizzards that have become more frequent due to climate change. The app also contains valuable data on soil moisture, wind direction, and snow depth, empowering herders to make informed decisions about where to relocate their herds. Although Mongolia recently hosted talks on a global desertification treaty at COP17, concerns remain over the lack of sufficient funding to address this growing issue. Bilgudei envisions expanding the use of Hunu to other Central Asian countries, as similar problems are faced by pastoralists in Tanzania and Uruguay. Over 80 percent of Mongolia is covered by rangelands, which are crucial for the livelihood of its nomadic population; however, overgrazing and climate change pose significant threats to these lands and the wildlife, including the endangered snow leopard and saiga antelope. Nearly 82 percent of the country's territory is affected by desertification, with many herder families forced to relocate to urban areas. The province of Dundgovi, whose economy heavily relies on livestock husbandry, has seen a continuous decline in population due to worsening climate conditions. Although some herders remain skeptical about the effectiveness of international forums like COP17 in addressing their concerns, Bilgudei emphasizes the importance of learning from traditional migration practices and combining them with modern science and technology to protect their way of life.",
  "summary": "CHOYR (Mongolia), Sept 24 — Peter Catterall and Eenee Purevdorj When Mongolian herder Ganchimeg’s sheep stra...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}