Traditional grazing-management practice makes an impact in southern Tunisia

Abstract

Degradation of rangelands is a major global concern, but land degradation processes in the rangelands are poorly understood. This lack of understanding has contributed to poorly-informed interventions and policies that have sometimes exacerbated degradation. Rangeland can become degraded due to crop cultivation, over-exploitation of livestock, over-extraction of woody biomass, and increased aridity owing to both climate change and extraction of water. The survival of the traditional livestock-grazing system indicates that Gdel’s strategy of managing livestock and rangeland is well adapted to environmental conditions. ICARDA works together with the communities and studies their practices to inform and advocate policy change on sustainable management of rangeland resources. It will be the task of the policymakers to protect these traditional sustainable grazing practices and ensure that they are also updated to meet current requirements, including decentralization policies. Policymakers should define roles and responsibilities of the pastoral communities and those of the Tunisian authorities.