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Read more about the article Accounting for pastoralists in Mongolia

Accounting for pastoralists in Mongolia

Rangelands cover 83% of Mongolia, and include steppes, deserts and mountain areas. Pastoralism supports over 250,000 herderhouseholds who herd 58 million livestock of five main species – Bactrian camels, cattle, goats, horses and sheep – plus some reindeerand yaks. Transhumant herders, predominantly Khalkha, account for 22.5% of the workforce and contribute around 7% of GDP. Harsh winters (dzuds) kill millions of animals. Some 70% of the country’s rangelands are degraded. Mongolia has relatively good data on pastoralism and rangelands, with some indicators down to the subdistrict level. But project-supported datasets are not integrated into these official databases. Pastoralism is an important part of Mongolia’s cultural identity. The government’s long-term development strategy aims to build on pastoralism to modernize the country’s economy and society.

Accounting for pastoralists in Afghanistan

The rangelands that cover much of Afghanistan provide forage for livestock and support millions of pastoralists. Fully or partly nomadic pastoralists, known as “Kuchi”, make up around 10% of Afghanistan’s population. They migrate between summer pastures in the highlands and winter pastures in the lowlands. Some pastoralists have settled permanently and graze their animals year-round on communal pastures nearby. Others no longer own animals but retain their Kuchi identity. The pastoralists own more than 70% of the country’s livestock and produce most of the live animals and meat consumed there. Many pastoralists are poor and marginalized, lacking education, health and other services. Securing access to their traditional grazing lands is a major problem. Accurate, updated information on pastoralism is scarce. This hinders the design of policies and suitable interventions. A conducive socio-political environment and supportive policies are essential to ensure the sustainability of pastoralism.

Accounting for pastoralists in Pakistan

Rangelands are the main land use in Pakistan, providing forage for livestock and supporting millions of pastoralists. Traditional pastoralism is a centuries-old production system, sustained by nomadic, transhumant and sedentary pastoralists. Major pastoral regions in Pakistan include the Hindu Kush-Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, arid and semi-arid scrublands of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, and the sandy deserts of Thal, Thar and Cholistan.Pastoralists contribute significantly to national food security, subsistence and economy. But they face numerous challenges: land degradation, land grabbing, socio-political marginalization and competition over natural resources, unfavourable policies, climate change and environmental hazards. Pastoralists are not officially recognized, so their contributions are often not accounted official records. Reliable data is lacking. Pastoralism in Pakistan is declining due to various socio-political and ecological challenges.