Pastoralism is a way of life based mainly on the shared use of natural grazing land in so-called marginal areas. These areas are considered ‘marginal’ for various reasons: scarce water, poor soil quality, extreme temperatures, steep slopes or remote locations, and other factors that make these areas unsuitable for agriculture or other forms of development. Examples include steppes, tundras, arid and semi-arid climates, as well as cold and mountainous areas of the planet. Pastoralism is thus practised in a wide variety of environments, on all continents, and in very diverse socio-economic contexts. These pastoral systems play an essential role in the development of the natural spaces and resources of these areas. In addition to feeding humans and animals, pastoral livestock farming also provides a subsistence income for populations that would
otherwise be unable to survive in these regions, which are generally unsuitable for agriculture. There is a wealth of technical and scientific literature on pastoralism around the world and its many benefits (see Box 1).
