Rethinking policies for pastoralists – governing the rangelands

Abstract

Policies and governance arrangements are relevant in shaping livelihoods in the pastoral regions of the world. Institutions and rules that enable access to land, markets and investment for pastoralists and those that regulate their participation in the political arena are critical in fostering or constraining livelihoods and the capacities to respond adaptively to uncertainties. Decades of misconceived narratives leading to distorted policies around pastoralism have significantly undermined the capacity of formal institutions, state agencies and development organisations to deal with the complexity of pastoral systems and eroded their legitimacy vis-à-vis herding communities. Despite more recent scientific and policy debates, new generations of civil servants, local authorities and development agents firmly believe that dismissing the pastoral lifestyle is the necessary prerequisite for a transition to modernity. This in turn nurtures patterns of marginalisation, grievance and instability. As pastoral regions have become the focus of new economic interests and competing socio-political agendas, these tensions can be easily manipulated. This paper assesses the political framework in pastoral areas in four regions, with the aim of understanding how this affects the livelihoods of local communities and the implications for local decision-making and the broader political arena.

Wilder rangelands as a natural climate opportunity: Linking climate action to biodiversity conservation and social transformation

“…After plants and soils, wild animals are increasingly recognized as major drivers of the climate system (Cromsigt et al 2018 ; Schmitz et al 2023 ). The loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem functions makes both ecosystems and societies vulnerable to impacts of CC (Mori et al 2013 ). Communities that depend directly on the ecosystems they inhabit are particularly vulnerable and often marginalized economically, politically, and geographically (Portner et al 2021 ).…”

Grazing Pressure and Plant Functional Types in Puna Highlands, Northwestern Argentina

“…Grazing on arid and semi-arid lands is often the only livelihood for many farming families in these adverse environments [1][2][3]. Although grazing on natural vegetation significantly alters its structure and functionality [4,5], the effects of herder-monitored grazing on ecosystems in high Andean regions, such as the Argentine Puna, remain poorly understood.…”