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?

 

In this International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is highlighting everything you need to know about rangelands and pastoralists to celebrate their importance. Here are five of the basics:

 

 

Rangelands are expanses of land covered by grasses, grass-like plants, forbs (a type of flowering plant), shrubs and sometimes trees where livestock can graze. They cover nearly half of the Earth's land surface and comprise drylands, grasslands, shrublands, savannahs, deserts, steppes, mountain areas and wetlands, among other ecosystems.

 

Rangelands help regulate water and protect soils. In healthy rangelands, plants grow deep roots to access water and nutrients. These roots hold down the soil while aerating it, improving soil structure, porosity, water infiltration and soil biodiversity. Plant cover also moderates surface temperatures and shields the soil from rain, helping stop erosion. By capturing up to 30 percent of the world's carbon, rangelands also help mitigate climate change.

 

 

Unconstrained by borders, rangelands can be found on all continents. From the semi-arid plains of the Patagonian Steppe to the expansive grasslands of Mongolia, what rangelands all have in common are pastoralist communities who live there and coexist with the environment.

 

These landscapes support a rich variety of fauna and flora and supply natural forage for animals that graze and browse (i.e. feed on leaves and trees). Vegetation, wildlife and livestock vary based on their location. In some regions, rangelands are home to wild yaks and antelopes, while in others pronghorns and guanacos can be found. 

 

Their plant diversity can be remarkable, as a recent study found that permanent grasslands in France contain up to 100 different plant species. Rangelands continually evolve with the seasonal movements of both people and animals. 

 

Rangelands also connect communities through local and cross-border trade, and their impact on meat, dairy and fibre production is global.

 

Worldwide, an estimated two billion people —including pastoralists, small-scale herders, ranchers and farmers—depend on healthy rangelands for their homes and livelihoods.

 

Enter the pastoralists, the true guardians of rangelands. Pastoralists are people whose livelihoods mainly rely on domesticated and semi-domesticated animals that graze on rangelands. Worldwide, they herd about 1 billion animals, including sheep, goats, cattle, camelids, yaks, horses, reindeer or buffaloes. 

 

Pastoralists live in more than 75 percent of the world's countries. Guided by traditional knowledge maintained over millennia, pastoralists work with nature to produce food while protecting the land. By moving their herds strategically according to seasonal conditions and forage availability, pastoralists allow vegetation to recover, keep their animals healthy and reduce pressure on fragile soils and water sources.  

 

 

Rangelands support biodiversity, provide food and help mitigate climate change. For thousands of years, rangelands have sustained communities, cultures and economies. From these lands, pastoralists produce high-quality meat, milk and other animal-sourced foods and goods. 

 

And just as rangelands shape pastoralist societies, pastoralists shape rangelands. By working with the land, pastoralists' work provides benefits to both people and the planet. They maintain ecosystems and preserve indigenous livestock breeds that are adapted to the local environment. Pastoralism is not only a livelihood but also a cultural heritage. Their practices show how human livelihoods and nature can coexist and thrive together.

Mobility for pastoralists is key. Their strategic and adaptive mobility help regenerate rangelands and wildlife habitats. Protecting this mobility is essential. Addressing land fragmentation and conversion to other land uses incompatible with pastoralism can help remove barriers to movement, maintaining healthy rangelands and supporting pastoral livelihoods.

 

Policies that uphold pastoralists' rights and integrate indigenous knowledge and customary governance into legal and policy frameworks can strengthen pastoralist communities. Ensuring that pastoralists have access to education, services and markets means they can better sustain rangeland ecosystems. 

 

This year, join the global conversation on the importance of rangelands and pastoralists. Take part in the many activities and events organised around the world to promote the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, and learn more while helping spread the word.