Pastoralism and the green economy – a natural nexus?

Pastoralism—extensive livestock production in the rangelands—is one of the most sustainable food systems on the planet. Pastoralists safeguard natural capital in more than a quarter of the world’s land area. Pastoralism is both a livestock management system and a way of life that provides globally important ecosystem services, which are enjoyed far beyond the boundaries of the rangelands. Herd mobility is central to sustainable pastoralism and can be practiced at different scales depending on local conditions: from short-term localised movements to longrange seasonal migrations.