49
pastoral needs. The majority of SDG indicators are single-sector or single-variable
and therefore incapable of substantially measuring an integrated implementation of
the SDGs. Furthermore, among the 232 SDG indicators officially adopted in 2016
only 7% can be said to be relevant to pastoralists and rangelands (Table 2.1).
However, of note is that indicator 17.18.1 encourages countries to develop new and
disaggregated indicators.
Most of the indicators do not explicitly ask for disaggregation of livelihood systems. As examples, the indicator for the target on sustainable agriculture (2.4.1. land
area under sustainable agriculture), the indicator for the target on reducing land
degradation (15.3.1 proportion of degraded land), or the indicator for universal
access to safe drinking water (6.1.1) does not require data specifically on pastoralists unless governments make a concerted effort to separate out the statistics between
farmers and pastoralists. Other indicators do not fully address the targets they are
aimed at. For example, Target 2.a calls for investment in extension services and
specifically mentions livestock gene banks, whereas its two indicators only measure
financial flows to the agricultural sector as a whole.
Some indicators will likely bypass pastoralists and other rural populations. For
example, the indicator for the target on increasing knowledge of sustainability
(Target 4.7) focuses only on formal education, whereas pastoralists and farmers
would benefit the most from other types of knowledge, including valuation of local
and indigenous knowledge and technology (LITK).
Some indicators fail to leverage the value of pastoralism. For example, the indicator for the target on sustainable consumption and production (8.4.1 material footprint of GDP) would only be relevant if the GDP index itself were to adequately
value the contributions of pastoralism to GDP. The indicator for the target on transborder sustainable infrastructure (9.1.1 population living within 2 km of an all
weather road) is inadequate to capture the benefits and values of pastoral mobility
and need for sustainable water, veterinary services, markets, and other infrastructure
along transhumance routes. The indicators for Goal 13 (climate change) refer only
to mainstreaming of climate change into government planning, which is inadequate
for valuation of the benefits of sustainable rangelands for sequestration of carbon
and as carbon sinks, nor does it value the benefits of pastoralism for adaptation to
climate variability or for mitigation of climate change.
Finally, some indicators may perpetuate ongoing discrimination, marginalization, and victimization of pastoralists. For example, the indicator for the target on
promoting equal access to the rule of law (16.3.1 reports of victimization) does not
necessarily assist pastoralists in situations where the existing justice system is heavily weighted against them.
Table 3.1 suggests that the subset of directly relevant SDG indicators (those rated
as high to medium relevance) could be measured in a way that addresses sustainable
pastoralism and rangelands, but in many countries this would require policy changes
(e.g., statutory recognition of common property tenure), statistical disaggregation of
existing data, and investment in collective data collection among pastoralists and
specifically in rangelands.
3 Pastoralism and Achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development…
pastoral needs. The majority of SDG indicators are single-sector or single-variable
and therefore incapable of substantially measuring an integrated implementation of
the SDGs. Furthermore, among the 232 SDG indicators officially adopted in 2016
only 7% can be said to be relevant to pastoralists and rangelands (Table 2.1).
However, of note is that indicator 17.18.1 encourages countries to develop new and
disaggregated indicators.
Most of the indicators do not explicitly ask for disaggregation of livelihood systems. As examples, the indicator for the target on sustainable agriculture (2.4.1. land
area under sustainable agriculture), the indicator for the target on reducing land
degradation (15.3.1 proportion of degraded land), or the indicator for universal
access to safe drinking water (6.1.1) does not require data specifically on pastoralists unless governments make a concerted effort to separate out the statistics between
farmers and pastoralists. Other indicators do not fully address the targets they are
aimed at. For example, Target 2.a calls for investment in extension services and
specifically mentions livestock gene banks, whereas its two indicators only measure
financial flows to the agricultural sector as a whole.
Some indicators will likely bypass pastoralists and other rural populations. For
example, the indicator for the target on increasing knowledge of sustainability
(Target 4.7) focuses only on formal education, whereas pastoralists and farmers
would benefit the most from other types of knowledge, including valuation of local
and indigenous knowledge and technology (LITK).
Some indicators fail to leverage the value of pastoralism. For example, the indicator for the target on sustainable consumption and production (8.4.1 material footprint of GDP) would only be relevant if the GDP index itself were to adequately
value the contributions of pastoralism to GDP. The indicator for the target on transborder sustainable infrastructure (9.1.1 population living within 2 km of an all
weather road) is inadequate to capture the benefits and values of pastoral mobility
and need for sustainable water, veterinary services, markets, and other infrastructure
along transhumance routes. The indicators for Goal 13 (climate change) refer only
to mainstreaming of climate change into government planning, which is inadequate
for valuation of the benefits of sustainable rangelands for sequestration of carbon
and as carbon sinks, nor does it value the benefits of pastoralism for adaptation to
climate variability or for mitigation of climate change.
Finally, some indicators may perpetuate ongoing discrimination, marginalization, and victimization of pastoralists. For example, the indicator for the target on
promoting equal access to the rule of law (16.3.1 reports of victimization) does not
necessarily assist pastoralists in situations where the existing justice system is heavily weighted against them.
Table 3.1 suggests that the subset of directly relevant SDG indicators (those rated
as high to medium relevance) could be measured in a way that addresses sustainable
pastoralism and rangelands, but in many countries this would require policy changes
(e.g., statutory recognition of common property tenure), statistical disaggregation of
existing data, and investment in collective data collection among pastoralists and
specifically in rangelands.
3 Pastoralism and Achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development…