International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists English العربية 中文 Franais Русский Espaol Share Close About Events Take action Communication toolkit Stories Resources International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists The United Nations declared 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP). Covering about half the world's land, rangelands are home to unique biodiversity and pastoral communities whose livelihoods depend on them. Pastoralists raise animals, contribute to food security, and hold diverse cultural heritage and local and indigenous knowledge, preserving ecosystems across the world. Read more Everything you ever wanted to know about rangelands and pastoralists What exactly are these lands and who calls them home? How are these landscapes, the animals that roam them and the people who shepherd them intertwined in one of the earth’s most important ecosystems? Read more What are you asking the world to do for rangelands and pastoralists in the next 25 years? As part of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, we invite pastoralists, researchers, practitioners, policymakers and civil society organizations to share their experiences, ideas and aspirations to help shape a shared vision for the future of rangelands and pastoralism. Take the survey Get involved! Whether you are a pastoralist, researcher, government, private business, NGO, journalist, civil society organization, academic institution, or individual, you can take part in the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026. Start planning your activities for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, 2026! Events Spread the word! Communications handbook Find out more about how you can take part and promote #IYRP2026 by reading our Communication Handbook. Trello board Inform, educate and engage audiences with real facts. Join the #IYRP2026 campaign by sharing our free material on digital channels. Visual identity The official visual identity for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists is available in 6 languages. Download the multilingual visual assets and information material to support your events and promotional activities. Pastoralists herd about 1 billion animals worldwide, including sheep, goats, cattle, camelids, yaks, horses, reindeer, or buffaloes, among others Pastoralists are present in more than 75% of the countries and manage at least 25% of the world’s land Rangelands account for about 30% of global soil organic carbon stocks but about half of them are degraded Rangelands cover about half of the Earth’s land surface, and are found in different ecosystems such as grasslands, savannas, shrublands, deserts, wetlands or mountain areas Voices of pastoralists International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 16/12/2025 Covering about half the world's land, Rangelands are home to unique biodiversity and pastoral communities whose livelihoods depend on them. Pastoralists... International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 16/12/2025 Video Restoring Rangelands in Afghanistan 01/05/2025 Video Reimagining the Future of Pastoralism in Somalia: A Bold New Horizon for Resilience 01/02/2025 Video FAO in Action: Helping Mongolia’s Herders Build Resilience Against the Dzud 01/02/2025 Video Major infrastructure investment helps pastoralists and locals share limited resources in the Sahel 13/12/2024 Lokuru’s story: when lives depend on livestock 29/11/2023 Video Supporting nomadic herding and pastoral communities in a changing world 01/03/2021 Video 5 visions of the future for the cross-border territory Togo Burkina-Faso in 2035 01/02/2021 Video Cross-border pastoral mobility and territorial foresight: a method of study 01/01/2021 Playlist International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 16/12/2025 Video International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists Look and share the #IYRP2026 video on social media and among your networks. Playlist In 2026, FAO is also leading the implementation of the International Year of the Woman Farmer! As we celebrate both the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) and the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF), these global observances will amplify one another, spotlighting the vital roles that women farmers and pastoralist communities play in sustaining our lands, feeding our world, and building climate resilience. This aligns with the United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019–2028, which promotes inclusive policies and investments for family farming, and reinforces the vital contributions of women farmers and pastoralist communities to sustainable, climate-resilient agrifood systems. [emailprotected] Contact us Follow us on FAO Organizational Chart Worldwide offices Regional Office for Africa Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa Country Offices Jobs Contact us Terms and Conditions Data protection and privacy Scam Alert Report Misconduct Transparency and accountability © FAO 2026