The shift from pastoral to agro-pastoral livelihood: current challenges and future research priorities

Mounir Louhaichi, Kathryn Clifton, Islam Mohamed, Serkan Ates, Markos Tibbo, Toshpulat Rajabov, Azaiez Ouled Belgacem, Barbara Rischkowsky, Shinan Kassam. (22/7/2016). The shift from pastoral to agro-pastoral livelihood: current challenges and future research priorities. Saskatoon, Canada: Alan Iwaasa (Curator), H. A. (Bart) Lardner, Michael Schellenberg, Walter Willms, Kathy Larson.

Abstract

Nomadic pastoralism is a precarious lifestyle and a significant form of land use involving some form of mobility within extensive rangeland areas (WISP, 2007). Pastoralism provides 10% of the world’s meat production and supports approximately 200 million households worldwide (FAO, 2001). A declining trend in pastoralism with a shift to sedentary agro-pastoral practices on smaller tracks of land and its major implications on rangeland management have been noted by the authors across many regions. This short overview reviews the major transformation from pastoral to agro pastoral production systems as a result of declining transhumance and its potential implications for rangeland management. The objective of this paper is to understand the current trends and highlight new areas for research to improve rangeland management as it is occurring on the ground.