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Innovations in sustainable rangelands and pastoralism*

Submitted by the African Group

The United Nations Environment Assembly​​​​​​​,

Recalling resolution 2/24 on combating desertification, land degradation and drought and promoting sustainable pastoralism and rangelands,

Noting with concern the limited level of implementation of the above-mentioned resolution on combating desertification, land degradation and drought and promoting sustainable pastoralism and rangelands,

Bis. Taking note of the work of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock, including under its priority area restoring value to grasslands,

Noting with appreciation the UN General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/73/284) on the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030,

Welcoming the global and regional initiatives and efforts aimed at preventing and reversing the loss of biological diversity and ecosystem functions and services and taking note of the substantive body of work on rangelands and pastoralism under United Nations organizations such as the Food and Agricultural Organization and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification,

Recognizing the critical role that sustainable rangelands and pastoralism plays in addressing environmental challenges, maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services as well as any other natural resources and contributing to food security, sustainable tourism and socio-economic development, particularly to indigenous peoples, and local communities, where appropriate,

Recognizing also that pastoralism across the world is evolving and is linked to the diverse cultures, identities, traditional knowledge, the historical experience of coexistence with nature, and distinct way of life of indigenous peoples, and local communities, where appropriate,

Aware that pastoralism is faced with urgent challenges, including land degradation, loss of biodiversity, vulnerability to climate change, insecurity, low investments, inequity, low levels of literacy, infrastructure, and access to markets, the exodus of youth, migration or abandonment of rangelands, and limited access to social and extension services,

Deeply concerned with the low levels of national, regional and global efforts and implementation of actions towards sustainable rangelands and pastoralism,

Recognizing the essential role of traditional institutions, and collective actions on sustainable rangeland management, and calling for strengthening their role innovatively,

Noting that, due to the frequent occurrence of natural hazards such as drought, rangeland resources are becoming scarce resulting in conflict episodes between pastoralists and farmers over a natural resource, grazing land and water,

Taking into account the potential of embracing innovative solutions in the sustainable management of rangelands towards addressing environmental challenges and improving inter alia national incomes, through measures such as promoting eco-tourism, and addressing environmental challenges,

1. Urges Member States and invites all relevant stakeholders to raise awareness and promote innovative solutions for sustainable management of rangelands and pastoralism taking into account traditional knowledge on sectors such as agro-pastoralism, livestock, agroforestry, agriculture, renewable energy and ecotourism;

2. Urges Member States to strengthen global efforts to conserve and sustainably use rangelands in particular in the context of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, acknowledging ongoing global efforts to introduce a proposal for an international year of rangelands and pastoralism to the FAO’s Committee on Agriculture;

3. Invites Member States and relevant stakeholders to support rangeland restoration through the increased promotion of investments, attractive incentives, market access and linkages, value addition, soil and water conservation, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, ecological rehabilitation, resilience mechanisms, planned grazing and herding mechanism;

4. Requests the Executive Director to support, upon request and subject to available resources, those countries undertaking regional assessments of the status, conditions and trends in rangeland, pastoral land and pastoralism, taking into account their information and knowledge gathered through UNEP gap analysis and the work by other stakeholders and relevant UN organizations;

5. Encourages the Executive Director, and invites Member States in close collaboration with FAO and UNCCD and other relevant UN bodies, multinational development banks and intergovernmental organizations, to continue to explore collaborative efforts on financing to promote sustainable rangelands and pastoralism;

5 bis. Requests the Executive Director to support Member States, upon request, in their quest to promote innovative solutions to sustainably manage rangelands and, where appropriate to promote sensitive development interventions specific to resolving disputes and supporting traditional governance with particular attention to recognizing the role of traditional institutions and community participation;

6. Also requests the Executive Director to report on progress in the implementation of this resolution and of the Resolution 2/24 on combating desertification, land degradation and drought and promoting sustainable rangelands and pastoralism at UNEA 5.