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© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. Lucatello et al. (eds.), Stewardship of Future Drylands and Climate
Change in the Global South, Springer Climate,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22464-6_3
Chapter 3
Pastoralism and Achievement of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development:
A Missing Piece of the Global Puzzle
M. Niamir-Fuller and E. Huber-Sannwald
Abstract Integrity and productivity of ecosystem goods and services from rangelands are critical to the livelihoods of over a billion people worldwide. Pastoralists
play a key role in the conservation and sustainable management of these important
life-support systems. Yet, an increasing number of environmental, socio-economic,
and political threats have jeopardized the integrity of rangelands and the security of
this livelihood type, and hence stewardship of global natural rangeland systems.
Sustainable pastoralism can synergistically link several sustainable development
goals (SDG) as they are critical to achieving food security, resilient local and
regional economies, cultural diversity, conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, carbon sequestration, land and water rehabilitation. Pastoralism has a
cross-cutting role for stewardship of drylands and natural rangelands while also
achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We show how singlesector economic development approaches of the past have led to loss of livelihoods,
increased inequality and land degradation for many pastoral communities in developing countries. How can the SDGs help induce more integrated approaches, and
what are the challenges and barriers to doing so? We also highlight recent tools and
approaches that can help, including the benefits of developing integrated indicators
for monitoring and measuring progress towards sustainable pastoralism.
Keywords Pastoralism · Rangelands · Sustainability · SDG · Indicators
M. Niamir-Fuller (*)
Vice-Chair International Support Group, International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists,
Purcellville, VA, USA
E. Huber-Sannwald
División de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y
Tecnológica, San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
S. Lucatello et al. (eds.), Stewardship of Future Drylands and Climate
Change in the Global South, Springer Climate,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22464-6_3
Chapter 3
Pastoralism and Achievement of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development:
A Missing Piece of the Global Puzzle
M. Niamir-Fuller and E. Huber-Sannwald
Abstract Integrity and productivity of ecosystem goods and services from rangelands are critical to the livelihoods of over a billion people worldwide. Pastoralists
play a key role in the conservation and sustainable management of these important
life-support systems. Yet, an increasing number of environmental, socio-economic,
and political threats have jeopardized the integrity of rangelands and the security of
this livelihood type, and hence stewardship of global natural rangeland systems.
Sustainable pastoralism can synergistically link several sustainable development
goals (SDG) as they are critical to achieving food security, resilient local and
regional economies, cultural diversity, conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, carbon sequestration, land and water rehabilitation. Pastoralism has a
cross-cutting role for stewardship of drylands and natural rangelands while also
achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We show how singlesector economic development approaches of the past have led to loss of livelihoods,
increased inequality and land degradation for many pastoral communities in developing countries. How can the SDGs help induce more integrated approaches, and
what are the challenges and barriers to doing so? We also highlight recent tools and
approaches that can help, including the benefits of developing integrated indicators
for monitoring and measuring progress towards sustainable pastoralism.
Keywords Pastoralism · Rangelands · Sustainability · SDG · Indicators
M. Niamir-Fuller (*)
Vice-Chair International Support Group, International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists,
Purcellville, VA, USA
E. Huber-Sannwald
División de Ciencias Ambientales, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y
Tecnológica, San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosí, Mexico