Pastoralism in the new millennium. (original) (raw)

Recent results from pastoralism research and development practice

In conventional views, pastoralism was classified as a stage of civilisation that needed to be abolished and transcended in order to reach a higher level of development. At the same time interventions in pastoral spaces secured control over vast territories and unexplored resources. In this context, global approaches to modernize a rural society have been ubiquitous phenomena independent of ideological contexts. The 20th century experienced a variety of concepts to sedentarise nomads and to transfer their lifestyles to modern perceptions. Permanent settlements have been the vivid expression of an ideology-driven approach. Modernisation theory captured all walks of life and sub-sequent development packages and programmes tried to optimize breeding techniques, pasture utilisation, transport and processing concepts. The aspect of input-output-oriented cost-efficiency tended to be neglected when the modernisation of animal husbandry was at stake according to a general purpose of increasing animal production yields. 2 New insights into other aspects of pastoralism such as its role as an adaptive strategy to use marginal resources in remote locations with difficult access could only be understood as a critique of capitalist and communist concepts of modernisation. The rejection of input-dominated theories that triggered enhancement of outputs but neglected ecological considerations regarding sustainability opened up a new field for research combining ecology, economy and society. This perception might gain further in importance when mitigation strategies coping with climate change and societal transformation are debated. 3 Pastoralism can be perceived as a flexible strategy to adapt to changing survival conditions, rather than a transitory stage on the path to modern development only. Pastoralism was adopted by people when opportunities arose, when it was economically sound and when the challenges posed by ecological and socio-political environments could be managed. 4 Central Asia poses a unique arena for understanding the spectrum of mountain pastoralism and rangeland management. In a similar ecological environment of desert-steppe conditions, the cases of different communities can be compared in order to illustrate variegating paths of socio-economic and politico-historical developments that are the result of inner-communal dynamics and external interventions. The societal and political transformations during the 20th century significantly modified the economic frame conditions, possibilities of political participation in decision-making processes, and cross-border exchange relations. Former commonalities among the studied communities have been transformed by inner-societal processes and by external linkages in response to decoupled exchange options. 5 The Tibetan Plateau is a huge ecological arena perfectly predisposed for mountain pastoralism. Debates about pastoral practices, common property regimes and rangeland management have gained pace in recent years since the environmental challenges and economic returns have been discussed in the framework of climate and global change. Initially the remote lifestyles of Tibetan nomads in peripheral regions were highlighted on account of sustenance from their own produce and subsistence economies. Even then mountain pastoralists were embedded in a network of mutual exchange relations that enabled them to survive in remote mountain plateaux and valleys. Their command of yak-breeding, their abilities to adapt to harsh environmental conditions and to cover huge distances between extensive natural pastures and market centres brought admiration from outside observers. Their “traditional lifestyle” seemed to be the perfect adaptation to environmental conditions.

5 PASTORALISTS IN THE MODERN WORLD Question Bank in Social Science (History) Class-IX (Term-II

A N CONCEPTS NOMADISM AS A WAY OF LIFE The Mountain Nomads The Gujjar Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir — They are pastoral nomads who move in groups called 'Kafila'. Their movements are governed by the cold and snow. In winters when the high mountains are covered with snow these Gujjars move down to the low hills of the Sivalik range. On the onset of summer, when the snow melts and the mountains become lush and green, these pastoralists move back to the mountains. The Gaddi Shepherds of Himachal Pradesh have a similar cycle of movement. They also spend the winter on the low Sivalik hills and the summers in Lahul and Spiti. The Gujjar cattle herders of Kumaon and Garhwal spend their summers in the 'bugyals' and their winters in the 'bhabar'. The Bhotias, Sherpas and Kinnauri follow the cyclic movement which helps them to adjust to seasonal changes and make best use of pastures. On the plateaus, plains and deserts — The Dhangars of Maharashtra : The Dhangars stay in the central plateau of Maharashtra during the monsoon. This is a semi-arid region. By October they begin their movement towards Konkan. Here their cattle help to manure the fields and hence they are welcomed by the Konkani peasant. As soon as the monsoon sets in, they retreat back to the semi-arid land of Maharashtra. The Gollas who herd cattle and the Kurumas and Kurubas who reared sheep and goat are from Karnataka and Andhra. They live near the woods and in the dry periods they move to the coastal tracts. The Banjaras of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra move to different places in search of good pastures. The Raikas of Rajasthan combine cultivation with pastoralism. When their grazing grounds become dry they move to new and greener pastures. Pastoral life was sustained by their sense of judgement to know how long one must stay in an area to know where they could find food and water to assess and calculate the timings of their movement their ability to set up a relationship with the farmers so that the herds could graze on the harvested fields. CHANGES IN PASTORAL LIFE DUE TO COLONIAL RULE Under colonial rule the life of the pastoralists changed completely. Their grazing grounds became less, their movements were regulated, the revenues they had to pay increased, their trade and crafts and agricultural produce declined.

The future of pastoralism: an introduction

Revue Scientifique et Technique de l'OIE, 2016

Two-thirds of the agricultural land on planet Earth is grassland on which no other crops can be grown, either because of limited rainfall, high altitude or mountainous conditions. Most of these semi-arid and high-altitude pastoral ecosystems are used by livestock husbandry systems with various forms of mobility and are not in competition with crop production for human nutrition. By devoting an issue of its Scientific and Technical Review to pastoralism, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is encouraging debate on this important topic and helping to shape the future of pastoralists and their livestock. Pastoralism is a complex system, driven by interacting ecological, social and economic factors that cannot be adequately addressed by one discipline or sector alone. For its future development, we must engage with local knowledge systems and with all stakeholders. This issue of the OIE Review endeavours to take a broad view and provide a synthetic vision for the sustainable use of pastoral ecosystems, with innovative ideas for livelihoods, economic development, sustained ecosystem services and social and institutional development as the context for animal and human health and wellbeing.

Pastoralism and Development: Fifty Years of Dynamic Change

IDS Bulletin, 2020

This archive IDS Bulletin reflects on 50 years of research on pastoralism at IDS. Thirteen articles are introduced around six themes that have characterised IDS-linked research over this period. These are: pastoral livelihoods; institutions and common property resource management; climate change and ecological dynamics; food security, early warning, and livelihood vulnerability; pastoral marketing; and conflict and governance. Across these themes, IDS research has challenged mainstream development thinking and practice, highlighting the importance of mobility and living with uncertainty. This introductory article concludes with some reflections on research gaps and new challenges, including: the effects of climate change; new forms of pastoral mobility and livelihood; increasing pattern of commoditisation and social differentiation; and changing conflict dynamics. Although massively changed over 50 years, and despite repeated proclamations of crisis and collapse, pastoralism remains...

LAND TENURE AND FOOD SECURITY OF PASTORALIST COMMUNITIES

As a way of life and economic activity pastoralism is one of the oldest, most resilient and most adaptive livelihoods strategy that is adaptive to arid and semi-arid environments. To date, it is a significant contributor to agricultural GDP, self-sufficiency in meat and dairy production, and support the value chain of animal product / markets as well as foreign exchange earnings for most countries in Eastern in Africa. For productivity of livestock to be sustained in pastoral areas, land tenure arrangements, among other things, must support the mobility of their herds for efficient utilization of the range. It is essential that mobile livestock production systems are recognized as economically and ecologically efficient in pastoral areas, and as such land use and land tenure must be developed to support mobility that ensures access, especially for dry season grazing and water resources, including harmonization in cross-border pastoral areas to support the seasonal cross-border movement of people and livestock through regional and/or bilateral legislation and procedures. However, the formal and informal policies, institutions and processes that affect the way in which people are able to protect and develop their land or assets, basically governance is critical, especially traditional institutions that are involved in natural resource planning and management.

Introduction: pastoralists and their neighbors: perspectives from Asia and Africa

Senri Ethnological Studies, 2005

Pastoralists have shown a remarkable resilience and adaptability to recent changes in their lives and livelihoods, including loss of pastureland to farmers and urban areas, increased commoditization, and the out-migration of poor pastoralists to urban and settled areas. Nevertheless, the majority of the world's pastoral peoples continue to rely on their domesticated animals to provide both daily food, transportation, and products to trade. An essential part of the pastoral strategy involves taking advantage of the mixed social milieux that many pastoralists live in, by trading, exchanging, or allying with neighboring groups including foragers, farmers, townspeople and occasionally other pastoral groups. These relations may become competitive and lead to conflict over resources, a situation exacerbated by population growth and loss of grazing lands in certain areas of the world (Fratkin 1997; Humphrey and Sneath 1999). The interaction between pastoralists and their neighbors has been discussed in a variety of ethnographic studies, of peoples from sub