ZagaLA y RabadaNA

My name is Celia Alba Martinez Aragon, a young woman from Spain with a deep commitment to pastoralism. I have been working as a shepherdess and cheesemaker across extensive farming systems in Spain, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland. My expertise lies in high-altitude pastoralism, particularly in livestock protection systems, the implementation of livestock guardian dogs, and coexisting with wolves. Alongside my friend and fellow shepherdess, Zuriñe Iglesias, we decided to share our experiences in this craft through social media.

Our goal is to bridge different worlds: urban and rural, youth and elders, tradition and innovation, local and international. We see social networks as a fundamental tool to reach people and spread the message: yes, we want to be shepherdesses! Despite coming from non-farming backgrounds, our studies and reflections led us to the livestock sector. I am an organic agronomist and a shepherdess, born in the city but with a deep love for the countryside. I spent many years in Germany, working and studying, where the long winters provided the calm and time to delve into various disciplines and their intersections: ecology and politics, gender and agriculture. After completing my studies, I decided to dedicate myself to practical livestock farming, and since then, my profession has been that of a shepherdess. My background in theory, combined with my practical work, gives me a unique perspective on what it means to be a livestock farmer and shepherdess, and the challenges this ancient profession faces today. I live and experience the hardships and beauty of being a shepherdess every day.

I spend my winters in Switzerland, tending to a transhumant flock, managing lambing, and performing barn work. Summers are spent in the mountains, focusing on pasture management, livestock protection systems, and working closely with my two professional herding dogs. I also completed courses in Holistic Management and Regenerative Agriculture from the Savory Institute, as well as the Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV).

Both Zuriñe and I are aware of the challenges—ecological, economic, social, and political—facing pastoralism and extensive grazing systems, but we remain optimistic about the future. This determination to show that pastoralism can and should be a viable option for young people led us to create Pastoras Nómadas (Instagram: pastoras_nomadas, Facebook: Zagala y Rabadana - Pastoras Nómadas). This is our personal project to broadcast the state of the extensive livestock world through social media. We aim to be a bridge between people, organizations, and institutions, while remaining rooted in the practice. Global challenges must be addressed with context-specific solutions, and for that, we need firsthand insights. It’s time to close the gap between practitioners and managers. We believe that taking responsibility for our food system is a fundamental step in addressing the challenges of climate change.