FAO launches the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026) at Headquarters in Rome, featuring the IYRP NENA Consortium Booth

Rome – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) officially launched the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026) at a high-level ceremony in Rome, marking the start of a global campaign to highlight the vital role of rangelands and pastoralists in food security, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and sustainable agrifood systems.

Rangelands cover nearly half of Earth’s land surface, including the dryland deserts, steppe plateaus and mountainous pastures of the Near East and North Africa (NENA). These landscapes support unique biodiversity, provide essential ecosystem services and sustain the livelihoods, nutrition and cultural heritage of millions of pastoralists who have shaped them for generations. Pastoralist communities across NENA and beyond steward nearly one billion animals globally, using mobility and traditional knowledge to maintain healthy rangeland ecosystems and bolster local economies. Yet in the region these landscapes are increasingly threatened by climate change, prolonged drought, land degradation, animal diseases, competing land uses and restrictions on mobility. With an estimated half of the world’s rangelands now degraded, strengthening governance, restoring ecosystems and supporting the communities who depend on them is more urgent than ever.

Speaking at the launch, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu emphasized the urgency of collective action to protect rangelands and empower pastoralist communities. “We must listen and empower women, youth, and pastoralist organizations to take part in the decisions that shape their lands and livelihoods. Too often, their voices remain unheard or ignored, and their contributions undervalued. We must safeguard rangelands through responsible governance, restoration, and investment and support the people who steward them,” he said.

Alongside the official ceremony, FAO inaugurated a four-day IYRP exhibition, featuring pastoralist products, cultural displays, interactive booths and traditional food tastings. The International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists Near East and North Africa Consortium (IYRP NENA Consortium), which brings together FAO, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the International Land Coalition (ILC), the International Union for Conservation of Nature Regional Office for West Asia (IUCN ROWA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature Mediterranean Cooperation Centre (IUCN Med), the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), the League of Arab States (LAS), the Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE) and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), hosted a dedicated booth showcasing products and recipes from rangelands and pastoralist communities across NENA. The booth received visits from the President of Mongolia, the FAO Director General, and HRH Princess Basma bint Ali, FAO Goodwill Ambassador for the NENA Region, who explored the materials and regional stories being highlighted.

As the lead UN agency for the International Year, FAO will coordinate global efforts to elevate the role of rangelands and pastoralists, mobilize political commitment and technical partnerships, and drive investment in sustainable rangeland management, ecosystem restoration and resilient pastoral livelihoods. This work in the region now moves forward through the IYRP NENA Consortium, which will officially launch its activities during the IYRP 2026 NENA Regional Conference, taking place from 26 to 28 January 2026 in Hammamet, Tunisia. The three-day meeting will mark the start of the International Year in the region and the introduction of the Consortium’s Joint Action Agenda for 2026.

The event will include high level dialogues, technical sessions, peer learning exchanges and a field visit to local rangeland sites in Tunisia. The conference will conclude with the adoption of the IYRP 2026 NENA Communique, outlining shared regional priorities for resilient rangeland systems and thriving pastoral communities.