title: The future of pastoralism: an introduction.
abstract: Two-thirds of the agricultural land on planet Earth is grassland on which no other crops can be grown, either because of limited rainfall, high altitude or mountainous conditions. Most of these semi-arid and high-altitude pastoral ecosystems are used by livestock husbandry systems with various forms of mobility and are not in competition with crop production for human nutrition. By devoting an issue of its Scientific and Technical Review to pastoralism, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is encouraging debate on this important topic and helping to shape the future of pastoralists and their livestock. Pastoralism is a complex system, driven by interacting ecological, social and economic factors that cannot be adequately addressed by one discipline or sector alone. For its future development, we must engage with local knowledge systems and with all stakeholders. This issue of the OIE Review endeavours to take a broad view and provide a synthetic vision for the sustainable use of pastoral ecosystems, with innovative ideas for livelihoods, economic development, sustained ecosystem services and social and institutional development as the context for animal and human health and wellbeing.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zinsstag
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schelling
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonfoh
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Crump
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: KrÄtli
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans
keywords: Animal health; Climate change; Climate variability; High-altitude pasture; Mobility; Mountain pasture livestock; One Health; Pastoralism; Semi-arid grassland; Transdisciplinary