In the PASTRES project, we are exploring a set of themes and cross-cutting questions, and learning with pastoralists in six case study sites. We have also established working groups to explore particular themes (land and milk) of importance pastoralists.
Cases
PASTRES is working with pastoralists in Isiolo, Kenya; Amdo Tibet, China; Sardinia, Italy; Borana, Ethiopia; Southern Tunisia; and Gujarat, India. Explore the cases to find out more about pastoralists in each region and the uncertainties they face.
Themes
Across our six case sites, we are exploring responses to uncertainty in three areas:
- environment/resources
- markets/commodities
- institutions/governance
Responding to uncertainties
In the PASTRES project, we are exploring what we can learn from how pastoralists respond to different kinds of uncertainty – from climate change to markets to changing land regimes. We think that there are potential lessons for many kinds of systems, actors and institutions.
Read more: global uncertainties
Working groups
PASTRES has set up a working group on the commodification of milk, and another on changing land use. These working groups aim to support exchanges of ideas, sharing of information and materials, and potential collaborations, joint events and publications.
Cross-cutting questions
The project also aims to answer some questions about how different actors deal with uncertainty and resilience which cut across the themes and cases described above.
- What is the role of models and risk assessment approaches: closing down to prediction or opening up to uncertainty?
- Who are the key actors in managing uncertainty? Who are the ‘reliability professionals’?
- How does mobility affect the relationships between people, territory and the state?
- How does the penetration of globalised, financialised relations affect local societies and economies?
- What forms of experimentation, innovation and adaptation are required to respond to rapid, uncertain change?
- What types of early warning, rapid response investments are required to allow for flexible responses?
- How can hybrid regulatory/governance systems emerge that go beyond technocratic-managerial control?
Pastoralism, Uncertainty and Resilience - PASTRES 