It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of rangeland and pastoralist systems for climate action, local livelihoods and food production. 

Rangelands cover about 54% of the world’s terrestrial surface (roughly 4.6 billion hectares) of which pastoralists manage 80% of this. Pastoral practices, such as rotational and regenerative grazing, are vital for climate mitigation, improving soil fertility and rangeland health, enhancing carbon sequestration and conserving biodiversity. In fact, healthy community-managed rangelands function as significant carbon sinks that store approximately 550 gigatons of soil carbon.

There are about 500 million pastoralists across the world and almost 2 billion people worldwide rely on rangeland commodities and ecosystem services.. In Africa alone, pastoralist systems offer income and nutrition for over 268 million people across 36 countries. In West Africa, pastoralists produce about 65% of the region’s beef and 75% of its milk. Beyond food, these systems offer social, cultural, and environmental benefits. 

Despite these benefits, rangelands are undervalued in policy and financing. Less than3% of global climate adaptation funding reaches pastoralists even though they steward some of the most climate-sensitive landscapes.

This one-hour panel at the Action on Food Hub will highlight the untapped potential of community-led rangelands restoration for resilient food systems and its contribution to mitigation, adaptation, and economic growth. By valuing pastoralism and rangelands as essential to global sustainability, this session will make the case for greater policy support, financing, and recognition.

Key asks from the session

1. Recognition of pastoralism as food system for climate adaptation and climate mitigation
2. Recognition tenure /mobility/land water-allocation-rights
3. Direct financing, climate financing, market investments, insurance schemes

Attended by SNV, ILRI, International Land Coalition, EDF, Mercy Corps, Youth International Group