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835
Contribution of pastoral systems to global food security and potential for sustainable intensification
Pastoralists produce food in the world’s harshest environments, converting scarce resources from non arable land into edible products. Pastoral production supports the livelihoods of rural populations on almost half of the world’s land and is making a growing contribution to feeding also urban populations. Though many pastoralists can be found in Africa, pastoralism is also practiced in dry and sub-humid lands in the Middle East, South and East Asia, South America and Europe. While the global livestock sector is expected to grow by 70% between 2005 and 2050 to feed a growing population, urbanized and with higher incomes, pastoral systems are also following this trend but are submitted simultaneously to a number of major socioeconomic, agro-ecological and institutional changes such as climate change, market globalization, population migrations, changes in animal products due to urban demand and political instability. These changes can result in higher competition between extending croplands and increasing herds for access to natural resources, a decline in cropland fertility and a degradation of pastoral resources. In addition, extensive ruminant systems are often pointed out for having high greenhouse gas emission per unit of product because of their low levels of productivity.
Detailed and reliable information is essential to monitor these trends in pastoral areas and provide adequate support to the public policy planning process and to the development of strategies designed to meet the specific needs of pastoral communities and stakeholders. This communication reviews the information and knowledge available about pastoralist systems and their actual contribution to food security and livelihoods, through the production of a range of direct goods and services, such as meat, milk, fibers, hides, income generation, transport, savings and insurance, but also indirect such as ecosystem services. It also explores their vulnerability and adaptive capacity to climate change and discusses possible ways for future development of the sector through sustainable intensification, including increased productivity, better resilience to climate shocks and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.
Keywords: Pastoralist systems, food security, demand for livestock products, sustainable intensification, climate change, ecosystem services