Pastures, Pastoralism and Rangeland Governance

Welcome to the short course ‘Advanced Certificate on Pastures, Pastoralism and Rangeland Governance’. It is of 6 weeks duration. First 3 weeks will be devoted to learning 3 Modules, each having 6 Units.

This module is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the significance of pastures and rangelands in sustaining key ecosystem services, supporting biodiversity, and significantly contributing to pastoralist livelihoods, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Throughout this week, we will be focused on key concepts, frameworks, principles of pasture and rangeland management, exploring their ecological functions, the challenges they face, and strategies for sustainable use.

This unit introduces you the basic concepts of pasture and rangeland ecosystems, exploring their characteristics, functions, and importance in the broader environmental context. You will learn about different types of pastures and rangelands, the ecological processes that sustain them, and their role in supporting biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and soil health. The unit also covers the human impacts on these ecosystems and the challenges they face due to climate change and land-use changes.

This Unit 1.2 examines the relationship between pastures and pastoralist communities through various case studies from different regions. You will explore the cultural, economic, and social dimensions of pastoralism, understanding how pastoralist communities manage and interact with their environments. The case studies will highlight both the challenges and the adaptive strategies employed by these communities to maintain their livelihoods in changing environmental conditions.

In this unit, you will study the biodiversity of pasture ecosystems, focusing on the species that inhabit these areas and their ecological roles. The unit covers the interaction between plant species, soil organisms, and grazing animals, emphasizing the importance of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem stability and resilience. You will also learn about the threats to pasture biodiversity, such as overgrazing, invasive species, and habitat fragmentation, and the conservation strategies that can be implemented to protect these ecosystems.

This unit introduces the concept of participatory conservation, where local communities are actively involved in the conservation and sustainable management of pastures. Students will explore various participatory approaches and tools used to engage communities in decision-making processes, land-use planning, and monitoring of pasture health. The unit will emphasize the benefits of involving local stakeholders in conservation efforts, leading to more effective and sustainable outcomes.

Focusing on sustainable livestock farming practices, this unit teaches you about the principles and techniques of natural livestock farming and grazing management. Topics include rotational grazing, pasture rest periods, and the integration of livestock with crop production. Students will learn how to manage grazing to maintain pasture health, improve soil fertility, and reduce the environmental impact of livestock farming.

This unit explores the link between pastoral livelihoods and sustainable tourism in pasture regions. Students will learn about the traditional livelihoods of shepherds, including their knowledge of pasture management and animal husbandry. The unit will also discuss the potential of pasture tourism as a means of diversifying income for pastoral communities, promoting conservation, and enhancing cultural exchange.

We welcome you to the Module 2. The contents of this module complement to and build on the information learned from Module 1 [Pastures and Grasslands]. This module focuses on “Pastoralism and Transhumance”, and consists of 6 units [Online 1 Week; 18 Study Hours].

In this Unit 2.1, we will understand the pastoralism and problems and issues of challenging, understanding facts and misconceptions regarding pastoralism and to create a sound understanding and clear picture about this.

In this Unit 2.2, we will start with sharing understanding of the Pastoralism and Logic of Mobility, its importance, problems and challenges and to create a sound understanding and clear picture of it. Let us review the following:

In this Unit 2.3, we will share understanding of the Pastoralism and Development and the Critical Debate about this.

In this Unit 2.4, let us start with establishing a shared understanding about the travelling through landscapes, landscape management its importance, problems and challenges and to create a sound understanding and clear picture of it.

In Unit 2.5, we will explore traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in the context of pastoralism.

Climate Change, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, is a global emergency that has led to more frequent and intense extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, heavy precipitation, and droughts (IPCC, 2022).

We welcome you to the Module 3. It is great that you have completed the Module 1 [Pastures and Grasslands] and Module 2 [Transhumance and Pastoralism]. Module 3 encompasses “Rangeland Governance and Policies”, which consists of 6 units as under

In this Unit 3.1, we will understand the problems and issues challenging the rangelands in general and in case study contexts.

In this Unit 3.2, we are going to comprehend the historical trajectory and contemporary colonial phenomenon of enclosure and fragmentation of rangelands.

This unit is quite interesting from different angles. Foremost is the setting of narrative encompassing traditional lifestyles versus modern technology intensive production. The unit will describe the contexts with a case study of Mongolia.

Under this unit, we will focus on the need and prospects of improving a governance of rangelands and pastures. First, it is necessary to decode the important of mobility of pastoralists and their livestock. It is because we consider critical on priority the nomadic and semi-nomadic nobilities of the pastoral people. Accordingly, emphasizing the legislation and policy spaces for mobile pastoralists would be highlighted.

Under this unit, we will focus on the need and prospects of improving a governance of rangelands and pastures. First, it is necessary to decode the important of mobility of pastoralists and their livestock. It is because we consider critical on priority the nomadic and semi-nomadic nobilities of the pastoral people. Accordingly, emphasizing the legislation and policy spaces for mobile pastoralists would be highlighted.

Under this unit, we will focus on the movements and struggles of pastoralist people around the rangeland grabs and governance. Misgovernance and illegitimate occupation or land use of the rangelands in different parts of the globe have triggered evolution of resistance movements. In many cases, the civil society actors have assisted and supported the marginalized pastoralist communities to defend their land rights and livelihoods.

Upon completion of three Modules of the course, each student is required to choose a topic of his/her choice to conduct a case study research. This case study research should concentrate a problem of student’s own country or region.