The Current Column

Desertification and Drought Meet Rangelands

Pastoralism for Sustainable Development: Recognise, Respect, Restore

Brüntrup, Michael
The Current Column (2026)

Bonn: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), The Current Column of 15 June 2026

Bonn, 15 June 2026. This year’s annual World Desertification and Drought Day on June 17 falls within the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. This is a good occasion to draw attention to the crucial role of pastoral management of rangelands for sustainable (rural) development.

The annually celebrated World Desertification and Drought Day on 17 June 2026 falls into the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. This is an occasion to remind that pastoralism is an important element of global land use and that sustainable pastoralism must be promoted to enhance global (rural) sustainable development. Pastoralism means that livestock is not (only) kept on a permanent farm but part of the year and/or part of the herds roams in the landscape in search of fodder (grass).

The International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists is guided by the motto “Recognize, Respect, and Restore.” The first step – recognize – is to make the importance of pastoralism more visible. Given its contributions to food security, biodiversity conservation, climate protection, and rural development, this recognition is long overdue. In fact, permanent natural grasslands (grass is the typical vegetation cover of rangelands), covering more than 3.2 billion hectares, are the second-largest vegetation type on Earth after forests and occupy roughly twice as much land as cropland. Globally, between 200 and 500 million people, depending on the definition used, rely on pastoralism for their livelihoods. Pastoralists make a substantial contribution to global meat production; in addition, they provide milk, hides, manure, and other products. In some African countries, such as Somalia, pastoralism even forms the backbone of the economy. In many regions, rangelands also provide the foundation for tourism and recreation.

However, the importance of rangelands extends far beyond their economic function. Natural grasslands store large amounts of carbon, protect soils from erosion, regulate water cycles, and support high levels of biodiversity. Depending on the way they are used, these functions can be maintained and even enhanced or seriously deteriorated. Sustainable pastoralism follows the available vegetation in the landscape, avoids overgrazing, allowing vegetation, including the scarce trees, to recover. Animals trample grass into the soil, thereby increasing soil organic carbon. In contrast, unsustainable pastoralism exists if herds are overstocked, overgrazing leading to vegetation degeneration up to bare soils. This makes the land prone to wind and water erosion, sand and dust storms and losing its carbon storage function.

The second step - respect - aims to preserve the achievements and potential of pastoralism. This, however, should also clearly see the challenges. In traditional pastoralist systems vegetation availability and herd density roughly corresponded, including through losses of (parts of) the herds in times of droughts. In modern times, this balance can be challenged in multiple ways. For instance, loss of parts of the grazing/ecosystem e.g. to agriculture can deprive pastoralists of important sources of permanent, seasonal or reserve grazing areas. Infrastructure and border controls may cut the movement of herds. Creation of fenced ranches and compartmentalisation of rangelands for more intensive grazing can increase the carrying capacity in the short run but also deteriorate or change the ecosystems, depending on rainfall patterns, vegetation and management system.

The third step - restoration - focuses on correcting developments that have weakened rangelands and pastoralist livelihoods. Important measures include greater tolerance and active support for the mobility of livestock herds, effective protection of animals, and the restoration of floodplains or peatlands that can be used for variable grazing. Livestock migration corridors must be maintained, restored, and legally protected. The expansion of irrigated agriculture or large-scale ranching operations must be regulated in a way to respect the interests of pastoralists. Improvements in animal health, marketing systems, and infrastructure can increase incomes and can be combined with measures to prevent overgrazing. Investments in animal health can also reduce both the risk and fear of disease transmission and epidemics, thereby facilitating herd mobility. 

Nevertheless, the long-term trend toward sedentarisation is unlikely to be completely stopped or even reversed. Many pastoralists themselves choose settled lifestyles because these offer better access to education, healthcare, and additional sources of income. Population growth and climate change also place limits on pastoral systems. These moving factors make balanced and location-specific consideration of competing interests all the more important.

Despite its importance, pastoralism often receives little attention in politics. A prerequisite for more attention is the stronger involvement of pastoralists in decision-making processes. Their representative organisations must be strengthened, and their participation rights institutionally embedded. If this can be achieved, many of the goals embodied in “Recognize, Respect, and Restore” will follow. Developed countries can do more in their own countries in (some of) these regards, as well as encourage and support their partner countries to do the same. According to the broad spectrum of issues, potential entry points are numerous: In policy dialogue and project planning on rural areas, human rights of indigenous people, environmental protection, economic development, peace and security, poverty and food security.