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| | Although only very few estimates exist on the number of pastoralist farmers across the world, De Haan, Steinfeld and Blackburn (1997) assume a total number of 20 million pastoralist households and 240 million individuals across the world.<ref>De Haan, C., Steinfeld, H. & Blackburn, H. (1997) Livestock and the environment: finding a balance. Brussels, European Commission/FAO/World Bank.</ref> Given the strong connection between pastoralism and dryland farming, the importance of pastoralist farmers may increase as a result of desertification and climate change.<ref>FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.</ref> | | Although only very few estimates exist on the number of pastoralist farmers across the world, De Haan, Steinfeld and Blackburn (1997) assume a total number of 20 million pastoralist households and 240 million individuals across the world.<ref>De Haan, C., Steinfeld, H. & Blackburn, H. (1997) Livestock and the environment: finding a balance. Brussels, European Commission/FAO/World Bank.</ref> Given the strong connection between pastoralism and dryland farming, the importance of pastoralist farmers may increase as a result of desertification and climate change.<ref>FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.</ref> |
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| | = Challenges and Governance = | | = Challenges and Governance = |
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| − | Given the high mobility of pastoralist farmers, population growth, urbanization, climate change and the potential competition with modern agricultural practices, pastoralists have been exposed to a number of challenges. First, pastoralists’ routes may interfere with large-scale agricultural production. This may in particular affect customary land rights, where traditional herding routes are affected due to investment in agriculture. Second, population growth and urbanization in developing countries may prompt governments to decrease the role of pastoralism in order not to interfere in their countries’ food security strategies. Growing urban populations have often different consumption patterns than meat or diary products as produced by pastoralists. Furthermore, animal health pastoralist production may not be up to standards required by more affluent urban populations. Third, climate change may decrease the availability of water resources for animal drinking purposes; therefore competition and conflict over natural resources between pastoralists may increase over time. Fourth, the use of pesticides and fertilizers in modern agricultural production may negatively impact the health of ecosystems for animal grazing and animal health.<ref>Sulieman, H.M. (2013) Land Grabbing along Livestock Migration Routes in Gadarif State, Sudan: Impacts on Pastoralism and the Environment. LDPI, De Haag.</ref><ref>UNEP Sudan (2013) Pastoralism in Sudan, Khartoum, UNEP.</ref><ref>FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.</ref><br/>The widespread absence of land tenure for traditional pastoralists has led to growing concerns among the development community. It is feared that pastoralist farmers may be losing out against large-scale agricultural production. Development agencies have thus launched multi-stakeholder dialogues to promote the inclusion of pastoralist farming in national and state policy-making to ensure a protection of the farmers in future agricultural development policies.<ref>UNEP Sudan (2013) Pastoralism in Sudan, Khartoum, UNEP.</ref> | + | Given the high mobility of pastoralist farmers, population growth, urbanization, climate change and the potential competition with modern agricultural practices, pastoralists have been exposed to a number of challenges. First, pastoralists’ routes may interfere with large-scale agricultural production. This may in particular affect customary land rights, where traditional herding routes are affected due to investment in agriculture. Second, population growth and urbanization in developing countries may prompt governments to decrease the role of pastoralism in order not to interfere in their countries’ [[Definition_and_Dimensions_of_Food_Security|food security]] strategies. Growing urban populations have often different consumption patterns than meat or diary products as produced by pastoralists. Furthermore, animal health pastoralist production may not be up to standards required by more affluent urban populations. Third, climate change may decrease the [[Impacts_of_climate_change_on_agricultural_water_management|availability of water resources]] for animal drinking purposes; therefore competition and conflict over natural resources between pastoralists may increase over time. Fourth, the use of pesticides and fertilizers in modern agricultural production may negatively impact the health of ecosystems for animal grazing and animal health.<ref>Sulieman, H.M. (2013) Land Grabbing along Livestock Migration Routes in Gadarif State, Sudan: Impacts on Pastoralism and the Environment. LDPI, De Haag.</ref><ref>UNEP Sudan (2013) Pastoralism in Sudan, Khartoum, UNEP.</ref><ref>FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.</ref><br/>The widespread absence of land tenure for traditional pastoralists has led to growing concerns among the development community. It is feared that pastoralist farmers may be losing out against large-scale agricultural production. Development agencies have thus launched multi-stakeholder dialogues to promote the inclusion of pastoralist farming in national and state policy-making to ensure a protection of the farmers in future agricultural development policies.<ref>UNEP Sudan (2013) Pastoralism in Sudan, Khartoum, UNEP.</ref> |
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| | = Links = | | = Links = |
Revision as of 15:00, 6 March 2014
Pastoralism is a form of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is widely carried out by nomadic farmers in dryland regions, e.g. the Sahel Zone, Central Asia or the Horn of Africa. Pastoralist farmers raise goats, sheep, camels, cows or llamas in savannah regions. One of the core features of pastoralist farmers is their mobility and careful use of natural resources. Pastoralists are widely regarded as “best custodians of land and water resources” due to their careful land use approach.[1][2]
Background
Two theories exist on how pastoralism was created. Bates and Less proposed that it originates from mixed farming.[3] Due to an increase of irrigation agriculture and productivity, higher population growth and pressures on natural resources occurred. The bordering areas of regions with intensive farming were left to animal breeding, which caused cattle breeders to cover large distances to collect forage.
The second theory suggests pastoralism stems from hunting and gathering. Hunters and gatherers were knowledgeable of herd mobility and animal needs. This theory suggests that pastoralism has evolved over time as a survival strategy of foraging smaller animals, fishing, collecting shellfish or insects, and gathering wild plant foods such as fruits, seeds, and nuts.
Pastoralist farming systems
Pastoral strategies can be categorized in several ways. For example, it can be categorized
- by species;
- by management system;
- by geography;
- by ecology.[4]
In addition, pastoralism is broadly distinguished between developed and developing countries. While in the former countries, pastoralist farming may be fenced and protected by unambiguous tenure, the latter may lack physical and legal protection of pastoralists.[5]
Pastoral livelihood systems are based on three foundational pillars:
- Natural resources (water and pasture in drylands);
- People (family and institutions); and
- Assets (livestock)
Each of these pillars are critical for the well-being of pastoralists livelihoods. A profound understanding of each pillars is important to break negative cycles of environmental and social impacts in developing countries. The most critical factor of pastoralism is mobility. In for example Sudan, entire families may move with their herds while in some cases a part of the pastoralist family remains settled.[6]
Regions
Pastoralism occurs across the world. It is however negatively affected by the expansion of intensive agriculture. For example, pastoralism is declining in areas such as the MENA region, East and South Asia, Australia, North America, Sub-Sahara Africa and Europe. On the other hand, it is expanding in South America, East Africa, Central Asia and the circumpolar zone.[7]
Although only very few estimates exist on the number of pastoralist farmers across the world, De Haan, Steinfeld and Blackburn (1997) assume a total number of 20 million pastoralist households and 240 million individuals across the world.[8] Given the strong connection between pastoralism and dryland farming, the importance of pastoralist farmers may increase as a result of desertification and climate change.[9]
Challenges and Governance
Given the high mobility of pastoralist farmers, population growth, urbanization, climate change and the potential competition with modern agricultural practices, pastoralists have been exposed to a number of challenges. First, pastoralists’ routes may interfere with large-scale agricultural production. This may in particular affect customary land rights, where traditional herding routes are affected due to investment in agriculture. Second, population growth and urbanization in developing countries may prompt governments to decrease the role of pastoralism in order not to interfere in their countries’ food security strategies. Growing urban populations have often different consumption patterns than meat or diary products as produced by pastoralists. Furthermore, animal health pastoralist production may not be up to standards required by more affluent urban populations. Third, climate change may decrease the availability of water resources for animal drinking purposes; therefore competition and conflict over natural resources between pastoralists may increase over time. Fourth, the use of pesticides and fertilizers in modern agricultural production may negatively impact the health of ecosystems for animal grazing and animal health.[10][11][12]
The widespread absence of land tenure for traditional pastoralists has led to growing concerns among the development community. It is feared that pastoralist farmers may be losing out against large-scale agricultural production. Development agencies have thus launched multi-stakeholder dialogues to promote the inclusion of pastoralist farming in national and state policy-making to ensure a protection of the farmers in future agricultural development policies.[13]
Links
ODI Pastoral Development Network
http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/4375-pastoral-development-network-papers
Tufts University Future of Pastoralism
http://sites.tufts.edu/feinstein/research/the-future-of-pastoralism
UNEP Sudan
http://www.unep.org/disastersandconflicts/CountryOperations/Sudan/Livelihoods/PastoralisminSudan/tabid/54261/Default.aspx
References
- ↑ Sulieman, H.M. (2013) Land Grabbing along Livestock Migration Routes in Gadarif State, Sudan: Impacts on Pastoralism and the Environment. LDPI, De Haag.
- ↑ FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.
- ↑ Lees, S & Bates, D. (1974) The Origins of Dogged Nomadic Pastoralism: A Systematic Model. American Antiquity, 39, 2.
- ↑ FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.
- ↑ FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.
- ↑ UNEP Sudan (2013) Pastoralism in Sudan, Khartoum, UNEP.
- ↑ FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.
- ↑ De Haan, C., Steinfeld, H. & Blackburn, H. (1997) Livestock and the environment: finding a balance. Brussels, European Commission/FAO/World Bank.
- ↑ FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.
- ↑ Sulieman, H.M. (2013) Land Grabbing along Livestock Migration Routes in Gadarif State, Sudan: Impacts on Pastoralism and the Environment. LDPI, De Haag.
- ↑ UNEP Sudan (2013) Pastoralism in Sudan, Khartoum, UNEP.
- ↑ FAO (2001) Pastoralism in the New Millennium. Rome, FAO.
- ↑ UNEP Sudan (2013) Pastoralism in Sudan, Khartoum, UNEP.
