Pastoralists as family farmers

To mark the beginning of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019–28, CELEP combined forces with the International Land Coalition (ILC) Rangelands Initiative and the International Support Group (ISG) for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) in publishing a 4-page illustrated brief “Pastoralists as family farmers” (March 2019). In the definition of family farmers for the International Year of Family Farmers (IYFF) in 2014 and now for the Decade of Family Farming, pastoralists have been mentioned as a group requiring specific attention. Despite this recognition, most statements, papers and information about family farmers refer primarily to small-scale crop farmers. CELEP, ILC and the ISG – as a group of organisations supporting, working with or representing pastoralists – seek to draw attention to the importance of including pastoralists within discussions and interventions in family farming.

A French version of the brief can be found here and a Spanish version can be found here.

A 10-page paper “Pastoralists as family farmers – some more details” complements the above brief by outlining: i) features of pastoralists that identify them as family farmers; ii) the importance of pastoralists for the wellbeing of nations, people and the environment; iii) specificities of pastoral farming systems; iv) major challenges and emerging opportunities for pastoralists; and v) how pastoralists’ issues could be incorporated into policy advocacy activities during the Decade of Family Farming.

Posted on 18 March 2019 in CELEP Documents, Pastoralism, Mobility & Land Tenure, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition, Value of Pastoralism