Relief program for nomads

Most Tibetans either live off subsistence agriculture in the areas along the major rivers, or as isolated nomads on the vast Tschang Tang plateau, where the altitude and the aridity of the land permit limited yak, goat and sheep farming.

The exceptionally cold winters of the 1990ies were a major threat to the nomads, and some 200,000 animals died in the regions of Amdo (Ngagchu prefecture) and Selung (Porong - Nyalam County). Some 40,000 people were affected by this natural disaster, which caused widespread starvation and deprivation among the nomadic tribes of the area.

Eco Himal reacted promptly and sent money, food and textiles as immediate assistance to the hardest-hit areas. Since the consequences of this climatic catastrophe will be felt for a long period of time, the relief aid continued: basic food staples such as barley flour, tea and sugar were distributed, tents and emergency shelters provided. Since yaks are the mainstay of the nomads' existence, yaks and sheep were purchased and given to the families. By the end of 2001, the project was officially phased out.

In order to assess the long-term effects of the relief program in this region, a research project is being conducted in co-operation with the Institute for Soil Science of the University of Vienna. It should identify the measures required to minimize the consequences of similar low temperatures on the nomadic economy in the future.