Ancient paths, modern pressures: pastoral mobility in a fast, changing world

About the event

This webinar will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders – policymakers, researchers, non-government organisations (NGOs), government agencies, conservationists, and development practitioners – from the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region and beyond, to discuss the relevance of mobile pastoralism in the context of the rapidly changing world.

Amid increasing climate variability, supporting mobile pastoralism has become more critical than ever. The event will explore the growing relevance of pastoral mobility as a key strategy for sustainable rangeland management and building climate resilience.

It will feature presentations and discussions led by four distinguished experts who will share valuable insights on:

• the significance of pastoral mobility in today’s changing climate
• inspiring success stories of pastoral mobility
• incorporating grazing rights and rangeland management into forest governance
• pastoral mobility in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: insights from Bhutan and Nepal

This event is supported by the United Kingdom International Development through ICIMOD’s Himalayan Resilience Enabling Action Programme (HI-REAP).

Objectives

The webinar aims to highlight the ecological and socio-economic importance of pastoral mobility, explore policy and governance challenges, share best practices as nature-based solutions, and foster dialogue among stakeholders to strengthen sustainable rangeland management.

Expected outcomes

• Increased awareness and recognition of pastoral mobility as a nature-based solution
• Knowledge exchange on best practices for rangeland restoration and sustainable grazing

Background: pastoral mobility in the HKH region

Pastoral mobility, the seasonal movement of livestock across rangelands, is a time-tested adaptive strategy that allows herders to optimise the use of natural resources, respond to environmental variability, and maintain ecological balance. In high-altitude regions such as the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), pastoral communities practice transhumance – the seasonal movement of livestock between summer and winter pastures which supports access to sustainable forage and water resources for animals such as yak, sheep, and goats. This mobility is not only critical for animal health and productivity but also supports broader ecological, and socio-economic resilience.

Recognised as a nature-based solution (NbS), pastoral mobility plays a vital role in maintaining healthy rangelands, preventing land degradation, conserving biodiversity, and ensuring food security. By preventing overgrazing and allowing vegetation recovery, mobile pastoralism contributes to the long-term sustainability of fragile mountain ecosystems.

In the face of accelerating climate change, the importance of pastoral mobility is even more pronounced. Increased climate variability and extreme weather events demand greater flexibility in grazing patterns, often requiring pastoralists to move over longer distances to adapt effectively. However, traditional mobility systems are under growing pressure.

Pastoralists across the HKH and beyond face numerous challenges that threaten their way of life. These include demographic shifts within pastoral communities, privatisation and fragmentation of rangelands, land conversion for agriculture or conservation, infrastructure development, loss of grazing areas to shrub or weed encroachment, water scarcity, disruptions due to closed borders, disruption of migration routes due to natural disasters like landslide and floods, restrictive land-use policies, loss of traditional grazing rights to forests, and inadequate access to essential services such as education, healthcare, and markets. These pressures not only undermine the viability of pastoral livelihoods but also risk compromising the ecological integrity of rangeland systems.

As we look ahead to the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralism (IYRP) 2026, recognising, preserving, and enhancing pastoral mobility is more important than ever. Sustainable rangeland management approaches such as rotational grazing, participatory land-use planning, and the inclusion of pastoralist voices in policy dialogues will be key to balancing conservation goals with the concerns and needs of local communities.

This webinar aims to explore the current state of pastoral mobility in the HKH region, identify key challenges and opportunities, and highlight policy and practice innovations that can support mobile pastoralism as a climate-resilient, nature-based solution.