Environment & Ecology20 Concepts & Facts

International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 GK Facts, Overview & Study Guide

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The International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly under Resolution 76/253, adopted unanimously in March 2022. Initiated upon the formal proposal of the Government of Mongolia and co-sponsored by sixty-eight member states, the observance positions global attention on the ecological importance of rangelands and the socio-economic contributions of pastoralist communities. Rangelands—encompassing natural grasslands, savannas, shrublands, steppes, open woodlands, and cold deserts—cover roughly fifty-four percent of the Earth's terrestrial surface. Despite their vast geographical extent, these arid and semi-arid ecosystems have historically suffered from institutional neglect, statutory under-protection, land fragmentation, and conversion to intensive cultivation.

Ecologically, rangelands perform essential planetary functions that are critical to global environmental stability and the mitigation of climate change. Operating as extensive terrestrial carbon sinks, rangeland soils and deep fibrous root networks store an estimated thirty percent of the world's soil organic carbon, demonstrating superior resilience against wildfires compared to above-ground forest biomass. Rangelands also preserve deep hydrological catchments, buffer downstream river systems against sudden flash floods, and sustain wild herbivore populations alongside domesticated livestock breeds. Pastoralism, practiced by more than five hundred million pastoralists worldwide, represents an ecologically adapted production model that leverages seasonal herd mobility across variable landscapes to convert low-moisture fibrous vegetation into high-protein dairy, meat, and wool without consuming arable agricultural land.

For ecologists, agricultural economists, and competitive examination candidates, the 2026 observance aligns with the goals of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the Sustainable Development Goals. In India, pastoralists such as the Gujjars, Bakarwals, Raikas, Maldharis, Kurubas, and Changpas manage indigenous livestock varieties suited to harsh environments, from the arid pastures of Thar and Kutch to the high-altitude trans-Himalayan meadows. Protecting customary pastoral grazing routes, securing community forest rights under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, and restoring degraded communal grasslands remain central objectives for national ecological resilience and rural livelihood security.

Key Concepts & Self-Assessment20 Key Facts

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The United Nations General Assembly declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) via Resolution 76/253 in March 2022.

The resolution was formally proposed by the Government of Mongolia and co-sponsored by 68 UN member states.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) acts as the lead coordinating UN agency for the observance of IYRP 2026.

Rangelands cover approximately 54 percent of the Earth’s terrestrial surface, making them the largest land-use category on the planet.

Rangeland ecosystems encompass grasslands, savannas, shrublands, steppes, open woodlands, tundra, and arid cold deserts.

Global rangelands store roughly 30 percent of the world’s terrestrial carbon, primarily within deep underground root systems and undisturbed soil organic matter.

Pastoralism is practiced by more than 500 million people across the globe, supporting over one billion domesticated grazing animals.

Pastoralism relies on seasonal mobility (transhumance or nomadism) to access patchy forage and water resources without exhausting fragile dryland vegetation.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) identifies rangeland restoration as essential to achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).

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The Global Land Outlook thematic report by UNCCD highlights that up to 50 percent of the world’s rangelands suffer from varying degrees of degradation.

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Major global rangeland biomes include the Eurasian Steppe, North American Great Plains, African Savannas, South American Pampas, and Australian Outback.

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In India, pastoral communities include the Raikas and Maldharis (western arid zones), Gujjars and Bakarwals (Himalayas), and Changpas (Ladakh).

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Changpa pastoralists of the Changthang plateau in Ladakh rear the Changthangi goat, the primary source of fine Pashmina (Cashmere) wool.

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Section 3(1)(d) of India’s Forest Rights Act, 2006 recognizes community rights over customary grazing grounds and transhumance migratory routes.

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Banni Grasslands in the Kutch district of Gujarat represent one of the largest natural tropical grasslands in Asia, stewarded by the Maldhari community.

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Pastoral livestock systems produce high-value protein on marginal lands unsuitable for intensive crop cultivation, enhancing global food security.

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The FAO Pastoralist Knowledge Hub operates as an international platform connecting pastoral organizations to global agricultural policy debates.

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Overgrazing, urban infrastructure encroachment, invasive plant species, and agricultural conversion represent the main threats to rangeland biodiversity.

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Rangeland grass root systems increase soil porosity and organic matter, enhancing rainwater infiltration and recharging groundwater aquifers.

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Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework mandates that at least 30 percent of degraded terrestrial ecosystems be under effective restoration by 2030.

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Educator's Insight

The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, under the lead of the Food and Agriculture Organization, following a proposal by Mongolia. Rangelands—including savannas, grasslands, and steppes—cover over half the planet's land area and store thirty percent of terrestrial carbon. Over 500 million pastoralists rely on seasonal migration, known as transhumance, to graze livestock on arid lands that are unsuitable for conventional crop farming.

For UPSC environment and geography papers, watch out for the misconception trap that rangelands are unproductive wastelands; in truth, their deep root systems store massive amounts of carbon and prevent soil desertification. Questions regularly test Indian nomadic communities: remember the Changpas of Ladakh who rear Pashmina goats, the Maldharis of Gujarat's Banni grasslands, and Himalayan Gujjars. Also note for revision that the Forest Rights Act of 2006 legally protects customary pastoral grazing routes.

International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 GK Facts, Overview & Study Guide

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