The conversion and loss of rangelands is done in silence and attracts little public attention. Pastoralist and rangeland communities are often marginalised and have little influence over policies affecting their food security, livelihoods, and culture, leaving them voiceless and powerless.

Pastoralist livelihoods and cultures are under threat from shortsighted policies, weak governance, and economic incentives that undermine their production systems. Up to 500 million people across the world are pastoralists, but they often lack recourse to address rangelands degradation.

Rangelands operate as complex social-ecological systems with critical values, processes, goods, and services. They encompass a wide variety of ecosystems (e.g., drylands, grasslands, savannahs) covering over 50 per cent of the Earth’s land surface. In addition to meat, dairy and fibre, rangelands underpin critical ecosystem services such as nutrient/water cycling and or carbon sequestration.

Despite the extraordinary diversity and intrinsic value of rangelands and pastoralist systems, they rarely feature in global policy discussions or national development priorities. Benfits provided by rangelands are often taken for granted or not well known. The main threats to rangeland health are the risk of drought and wildfires and the imbalance in the supply and demand for animal forage which leads to overgrazing, invasive species, bush encroachment

Pastoralism and extensive livestock production systems are deeply rooted in the rangelands and often the most effective means to protect, sustainably manage, and restore rangelands. Sustainable grazing is a cost-effective approach to enhancing rangelands’ health, productivity, and resilience. Traditional and regenerative grazing practices can build soil organic matter, increase water retention, sequester carbon, conserve biodiversity, and reduce the spread of invasive species.

Greater political attention and informed investments are urgently needed to safeguard and improve the health and productivity of the rangelands and their inhabitants. This report offers insights and guidance for attracting attention and investments in sustainable rangeland management. Through case studies and good practices, it highlights the critical role of pastoralists in the planning and implementation of initiatives that deliver social, economic and environmental benefits.

Key actions:

Sustainability Framework

·       Establish laws and regulations that align with international agreements and support the conservation of rangelands.

·       Recognize and protect the land rights of rangeland communities, respecting their unique needs and traditions.

·       Create platforms for collaboration, research, and knowledge sharing among stakeholders, and make information on rangelands accessible.

Environmental Dimension

·       Reduce and avoid rangeland conversion

·       Adopt and support pastoralism-based strategies that directly address the key drivers of rangeland degradation, such as biodiversity loss, climate change, overgrazing, soil erosion, invasive species, drought, and wildfires.

·       Design and implement nature conservation measures that reduce and halt biodiversity loss by harnessing synergies with sustainable pastoralist practices and extensive livestock systems

·       Integrate climate change mitigation and adaptation measures into sustainable rangeland management plans and programmes

Social Dimension

·       Provide capacity building, training, and technical support for collective action that safeguards rangeland health and livelihoods, with particular attention to mobility, gender-responsiveness, and social inclusion.

·       Support rangeland and pastoralist associations and networks that celebrate and defend their cultural heritage and values

·       Facilitate women-led, women-driven, and women-only initiatives, groups, and institutions

·       Establish trusted institutions and mechanisms to manage conflicts on resources and land tenure, reduce inequalities, and negotiate trade-offs and leverage synergies for the benefit of rangelands, their communities, and society-at-large

Economic Dimension

·       Create innovative and accessible economic and financial mechanisms that incentivise good management practices, provide decent work, stimulate market participation, and increase investments in sustainable pastoralism

·       Develop market and value chain strategies and action plans that support economic livelihoods, income diversification and profitable opportunities for extensive livestock production.

·       Promote adaptive investment and risk management tools, such as livestock and drought insurance, resource pooling and sharing, and community credit schemes.

·       Conduct economic valuations of rangeland ecosystem services to better understand their contribution to people, nature, and climate, to help inform decision-makers and to attract funds and investments for sustainable rangeland management and restoration