OT. Brief business analysis of goat herding in Mongolia

Off Topic. Low prices for cashmere wool cause herders to raise more goats to fill up the lower income. More goats consume more grass, and their greater numbers break the fragile soil crust, which increases the dusty sand in the area, which reduces the plants and grass. Compound this with an extended multi-year drought. Some scientists think the rivers and lakes have disappeared because of the lack of rain, but also the lack of rivers and lakes may make the rain less frequent.

It's a complex system that may be spiralling out of control. But what can one farmer do?

Find it in the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/business/global/08iht-rbogcash.html?_r=2

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