From land and water: Recipes from women pastoralists, producers, fishers and farmers

07/09/2026

From growing crops and herding livestock to fishing, processing and trading food, their contributions are essential yet too often overlooked. Published during the International Year of Woman Farmer and the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, this cookbook celebrates the women behind the recipes, highlighting the skills, traditions and innovations that nourish communities and support more sustainable agrifood systems.

Global Plan of Action for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026

01/01/2026

The Global Plan of Action for the IYRP provides the strategic and operational framework for this effort, pursuing interconnected objectives: raising global awareness; recognizing sustainable pastoralism as a dynamic livelihood system rooted in diverse ecosystems and traditional knowledge; encouraging multi-stakeholder action for inclusive governance and sustainable rangeland management; and mobilizing responsible investment in research and development.

Making way: developing national legal and policy frameworks for pastoral mobility

03/07/2022

Mobility is a vital strategy employed by pastoralists to capitalize on the scarce availability of resources in variable environments, making pastoralism economically feasible and environmentally sustainable.

Grazing with trees: A silvopastoral approach to managing and restoring drylands

10/02/2022

The ‘Grazing with Trees’ report gives a thorough assessment of the positive role that optimized extensive grazing livestock farming can play in the management and restoration of drylands’ forests and lands with trees.

Pastoralism - Making variability work

08/09/2021

Pastoral systems have evolved to function with the natural environment and therefore with variability. By identifying variability as an entry point, this paper aims at (i) engaging FAO in the mainstreaming of pastoralism by establishing the understanding of pastoralism, and its systematic inclusion in the normal operations of FAO, and at (ii) presenting an evidence based narrative on pastoralism to a specialists’ audience.

The economics of pastoralism in Argentina, Chad and Mongolia: Market participation and multiple livelihood strategies in a shock-prone environment

07/07/2020

Pastoralists make the most of resources distributed unevenly over space and time to provide a range of goods and services. Operating in a shock-prone environment, pastoralists deploy endogenous strategies such as mobility, diversification in agriculture or in non-agricultural activities, management of social networks, etc.

Crossing boundaries: Legal and policy arrangements for cross-border pastoralism

11/05/2018

In many countries, pastoralism has historically been practiced in areas that are now partitioned by international boundaries. This is a major barrier to sustainable resource management and to pastoral development.

Improving governance of pastoral lands: Implementing the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security

01/01/2016

The Technical Guide on Pastoralism builds on a number of initiatives and studies from recent years that have shone a light on pastoral governance and land tenure: on the inherent challenges pastoralists face, the shortcomings of governments in securing pastoral tenure, and the emerging examples of success and progress from around the world.