071201 - Looking at the Bright Side of Life Stock: Mobile pastoralism and the environment. (Back to news)

by Ilse Köhler-Rollefson and Silke Brehm
Unforgivably, pastoralism continues to be listed as a main reason for desertification in UNCCD documents, although a large number of scientific studies refute this claim and emphasize the positive effects of this land-use strategy. The FAO also brought out a study last year on the effects of livestock on the environment in which it lumps together pastoralism with industrial livestock production. Drynet begs to differ and has collated some of the bright aspects of pastoralism in the paper below.
pp 5 (pdf-format)