Nomadism is connatural to any animal species and it has been an inherent part of the human condition for millennia, and it still is, if we look at the omnipresent issue of migration. Nowadays, the total number of nomads, including pastoralists, hunter-gatherers and itinerants, could be near 30 millions. But, in turn, this approximate number is rapidly decreasing, mainly due to the growing pressure exerted over them and their ancestral practices, considered as obsoletes, as well as their genuine territories, now under the management of the mega-cities and the urban elites.
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Welcome ~ Bienvenidos ~ Bienvenue ~ Добро пожаловать ~ 欢迎 ~ میں خوش آمدید
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WHY NOMADS AND PASTORALISTS ?
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Humans have basically pursued a nomadic or semi-nomadic way of life for millennia until Neolithic period brought them to a more settled way of life. Nevertheless, different versions of mobility have subsisted because of their feasibility in specific environments where agriculture is less profitable or even impossible to develop. Recent studies have demonstrated that far of being an obsolete survival strategy, pastoralism, the most prominent from among all the traditional mobile economies, is very modern in the broadest sense of the word. But to continue with their beneficial practices, pastoralists are needed of more support from institutions and governments. Particularly, those pastoralists living in the most remote and hostile regions have been systematically marginalized and considered as mere remnants of a moribund past.
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OUR PRIORITY WORKING AREA: The High Asia region
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Due to its environmental, cultural and biological importance, but also because of its fragility, High Asia requires a special attention and demands a high level of protection on the part of those concerned governments, civil society organizations, cutural institutions, specialized UN agencies, and international foundations. For the moment, attention have been only given to political and more scientific issues, but not, or only partially, to the cultural aspects related to their original inhabitants as well as their economic upliftment considering an integrated and long-term sustainable development model following their own criteria. Thus, despite the fact that the High Asia´s indigenous communities have been, and continue to be, invariably marginalized, and being kept out of the decission-making process, they are indeed the true specialists in the management of their own territories, as well as a connatural part of these cultural spaces because of their millennial interaction with nature. Therefore, their direct participation and co-management in a transboundary social platform, in collaboration with local, national and interregional political, academic and cultural entities, appears to be so necessary as useful to reach consensual and well-balanced development models. |
OUR LAST PROJECT (2016-2017): The World Yak Herders Association
Yak husbandry is rapidly declining in most of the countries where is to be found, in spite of yak is the only domesticated native species from the high-mountain areas of these countries conforming the so-called greater Central Asia geographical context. This decline is still more striking if we consider the proven benefits derived from yak husbandry: the high quality of the yak milk, yak meat and yak wool. Aditionally, yak husbandry is the most ecological type of pastoralism in this specific high-altitude ecosystem, as it contributes to restrain the soil desertification and the glacier melting processes on the headwaters of the Earth´s largest fluvial network.
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Phase I sponsored by:
PASTORALISM KNOWLEDGE HUB
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OUR PRINCIPLES ARE BASED ON:
Considering mountain, we primary operates according to the Rio´s principles
"... the benefits derived from mountain regions are essential for sustainable development. Mountain ecosystems play a crucial role in providing water resources to a large portion of the world’s population; fragile mountain ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, deforestation and forest degradation, land use change, land degradation and natural disasters; and mountain glaciers around the world are retreating and getting thinner, with increasing impacts on the environment and human well-being.
...mountains are often home to communities, including indigenous peoples and local communities, who have developed sustainable uses of mountain resources. These communities are, however, often marginalized, and we therefore stress that continued effort will be required to address poverty, food security and nutrition, social exclusion and environmental degradation in these areas. We invite States to strengthen cooperative action with effective involvement and sharing of experience of all relevant stakeholders, by strengthening existing arrangements, agreements and centres of excellence for sustainable mountain development, as well as exploring new arrangements and agreements, as appropriate.
... We call for greater efforts towards the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity. We encourage States to adopt a long-term vision and holistic approaches, including through incorporating mountain-specific policies into national sustainable development strategies, which could include, inter alia, poverty reduction plans and programmes for mountain areas, particularly in developing countries. In this regard, we call for international support for sustainable mountain development in developing countries".
United Nations General Assembly Resolution: Sustainable Mountain ... The Future We Want: Outcome document adopted at Rio+20 - Mountains (2012). Signed by 191 States
...mountains are often home to communities, including indigenous peoples and local communities, who have developed sustainable uses of mountain resources. These communities are, however, often marginalized, and we therefore stress that continued effort will be required to address poverty, food security and nutrition, social exclusion and environmental degradation in these areas. We invite States to strengthen cooperative action with effective involvement and sharing of experience of all relevant stakeholders, by strengthening existing arrangements, agreements and centres of excellence for sustainable mountain development, as well as exploring new arrangements and agreements, as appropriate.
... We call for greater efforts towards the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity. We encourage States to adopt a long-term vision and holistic approaches, including through incorporating mountain-specific policies into national sustainable development strategies, which could include, inter alia, poverty reduction plans and programmes for mountain areas, particularly in developing countries. In this regard, we call for international support for sustainable mountain development in developing countries".
United Nations General Assembly Resolution: Sustainable Mountain ... The Future We Want: Outcome document adopted at Rio+20 - Mountains (2012). Signed by 191 States