Our free, open access online course on Pastoralism and Uncertainty has been updated with new sections.
The three new sections explore the issues around biodiversity and climate change, shaped in part by high-level debates and contestations over land and food; and the policy frames that inform decisions affecting pastoralism in four regions of the globe – Sub-Saharan Africa, the Maghreb and Mashreq, Europe, and Asia.
The updated course now includes 16 sections drawing on key concepts, case studies and questions for debate on pastoralism, uncertainty and resilience. In each section, there is a video to watch, plus questions to think about and a suggested reading list. As always, the whole course and all the video lectures are free to view, and many readings are open access.
New sections
Livestock, biodiversity and the environment
In this section, we discuss the controversies about relationships between livestock, biodiversity protection and environmental conservation. This includes the importance of rangelands as ‘open ecosystems’ and the varying ways that mobile livestock can enhance or affect biodiversity.
Instead of top-down, control-oriented environmental protection – such as mass tree planting or exclusionary ‘rewilding’ – we explore the potential of a collaborative, ‘convivial’ form of conservation that sees people and livestock as central to environmental protection.
Livestock and climate change
Livestock are often cast as the villains of climate change, but we have to ask: which livestock, where? This lecture explores the debate and makes the case for a differentiated assessment of climate impacts from different systems – in particular distinguishing extensive, mobile systems and intensive, contained livestock systems.
Under the right conditions, pastoral livestock systems can be good for the planet.
Pastoralism and policy
This final part of the course introduces the policy frames that inform decision making in pastoral regions of the globe – Sub-Saharan Africa, the Maghreb and Mashreq, Europe, and Asia.
Policy frameworks are seldom friendly to herding communities. A renewed social contract that addresses the rights, needs and interest of pastoral communities is needed to reverse growingly insecure conditions and livelihoods in most pastoral regions.
Further resources
Are livestock always bad for the planet?
Report and resources on the controversies over food and climate change, focusing on the relationships between extensive livestock, ecologies and people.
Pastoralism and biodiversity
Six PASTRES briefings explore how pastoralists can play a role in improving biodiversity, sequestering carbon and protecting the environment.
Pastoralism and policy
How do government policies and policy frameworks affect pastoralists in different parts of the world? A series of papers explores pastoralism and policy in four global regions, describing varied trajectories and experiences, as well as some common problems and opportunities.
Pastoralism, Uncertainty and Resilience - PASTRES 