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Nomadism or more precisely pastoralism is a rational adaptation of human life to the environment and becomes a way of life. The nomads are no longer conjures up the image of mythic and inscrutable creatures, fiercely independent and existing outside the purview of the civilized world. The traditional roots of nomads belong from hunting and gathering societies which eventually become different types of tribes and has its unique culture and livelihood and quality of life with different socio-economic conditions and cultural characteristics. This evaluative study was conducted in district Layyah Punjab, Pakistan and the participants were head (male & female) of the nomad’s families and who currently reside in the areas of district Layyah. Purposive sampling techniques applied and primary data collected through survey. The findings of the study reveals that most of the nomads families migrate from one place to other place due to economic, social and cultural reasons. Study highlighted that due to this continues movement the quality of health and level of education strongly impacted, they face meager conditions regarding basic human needs such as water, sanitation, hygiene, nutritional needs especially among women’s and children’s. Even these pathetic socio-economic and health conditions they are satisfied with their livelihood and strongly associated with their cultural values.

Accounts of conservation conflicts often reveal that people living around protected areas feel like their lives are less valued than animals' lives —they are confined to ‘less-than-human geographies’. Recent literature on necropolitical ecology illustrates how such geographies were created and maintained by the state, which holds the power to decide over life and death in and around conservation areas. This paper integrates Judith Butler's politics of mourning into necropolitical ecology to interrogate which lives are considered grievable and which ones are not in conservation landscapes. It focuses on two vignettes of violent human-carnivore interactions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, western Uganda: the poisoning of allegedly 11 (but actually three) lions and the killing of a baby girl by a leopard. Both incidents happened in the park's condoned fishing villages, where historically marginalised Basongora pastoralists have been confined to live since the park's creation. We examine how the lost lives —of humans and animals— are publicly mourned and which lives are actually considered lost. We show how the politics of mourning in violent human-wildlife encounters goes beyond the (colonial-)state; rather, the unequal distribution of precarity is entrenched by a range of public authorities (e.g., (social) media, (I)NGOs, and politicians). This is, in part, because sovereignty in conservation territories has become transnationalised as post-colonial states allow international NGOs to carve out their own zones of influence. This coloniality of power influences human-carnivore relations and reifies racialised conservation spaces as less-than-human geographies.

The purpose of this study is to examine the dynamic relationship between British investment and the development of pastoralism and wool production in Australia from 1788 to 1850. It focuses on the crucial period of early European settlement and the subsequent growth of the wool industry as one of their first major staple industries. This study utilizes a multidisciplinary methodology approach, integrating historical, economic, political, and agricultural perspectives in order to provide a clearer understanding of the factors influencing British investment decisions. Research is conducted into the motivations behind British colonization in Australia with an emphasis on the role of wool production as a significant economic driver. It explores the establishment of the Australian wool industry and its intricate connections to British economic policies, trade networks, and the global demand for wool during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Furthermore, this study delves into the key interactions of stakeholders, including British investors, government officials, pastoralists, and local communities in Australia. A critical component of this study is an in-depth investigation into the different phases of sheep farming and wool production in various Australian regions, highlighting the diverse challenges and opportunities faced by investors. In addition, research is conducted into the examination of the staple theory, the role of convict labor, land regulations, and the emergence of large-scale pastoral estates together with the implications of the ever changing climate of British economic policies. It also explores the transformation of Merino sheep breeding and the introduction of new sheep strains, emphasizing their significance in shaping the woolen industry. As a result, this study provides valuable scholarly research into the motivations of British investors, the challenges faced by pastoralists, and the overall impact of these dynamics on the trajectory of Aust

"The research carried out by master’s and doctoral students is an essential element in the production of scientific knowledge in universities. Under the guidance of their research supervisors, students are trained in documentary research methods, rigorous experiment design, and accurate data analysis, all the while contributing to the emergence of new knowledge. These pages introduce the research work of up-and-coming members of the scientific community: les jeunes pousses (budding scientists). [...]"

This review focuses on the Sahel/Savannah belt, a large region of Africa where two alternative subsistence systems (pastoralism and agriculture), nowadays, interact. It is a long-standing question whether the pastoralists became isolated here from other populations after cattle began to spread into Africa (similar to 8 thousand years ago, kya) or, rather, began to merge with other populations, such as agropastoralists, after the domestication of sorghum and pearl millet (similar to 5 kya) and with the subsequent spread of agriculture. If we look at lactase persistence, a trait closely associated with pastoral lifestyle, we see that its variants in current pastoralists distinguish them from their farmer neighbours. Most other (mostly neutral) genetic polymorphisms do not, however, indicate such clear differentiation between these groups; they suggest a common origin and/or an extensive gene flow. Genetic affinity and ecological symbiosis between the two subsistence systems can help us better understand the population history of this African region. In this review, we show that genomic datasets of modern Sahel/Savannah belt populations properly collected in local populations can complement the still insufficient archaeological research of this region, especially when dealing with the prehistory of mobile populations with perishable material culture and therefore precarious archaeological visibility.

This review focuses on the Sahel/Savannah belt, a large region of Africa where two alternative subsistence systems (pastoralism and agriculture), nowadays, interact. It is a long-standing question whether the pastoralists became isolated here from other populations after cattle began to spread into Africa (similar to 8 thousand years ago, kya) or, rather, began to merge with other populations, such as agropastoralists, after the domestication of sorghum and pearl millet (similar to 5 kya) and with the subsequent spread of agriculture. If we look at lactase persistence, a trait closely associated with pastoral lifestyle, we see that its variants in current pastoralists distinguish them from their farmer neighbours. Most other (mostly neutral) genetic polymorphisms do not, however, indicate such clear differentiation between these groups; they suggest a common origin and/or an extensive gene flow. Genetic affinity and ecological symbiosis between the two subsistence systems can help us better understand the population history of this African region. In this review, we show that genomic datasets of modern Sahel/Savannah belt populations properly collected in local populations can complement the still insufficient archaeological research of this region, especially when dealing with the prehistory of mobile populations with perishable material culture and therefore precarious archaeological visibility.

This review focuses on the Sahel/Savannah belt, a large region of Africa where two alternative subsistence systems (pastoralism and agriculture), nowadays, interact. It is a long-standing question whether the pastoralists became isolated here from other populations after cattle began to spread into Africa (similar to 8 thousand years ago, kya) or, rather, began to merge with other populations, such as agropastoralists, after the domestication of sorghum and pearl millet (similar to 5 kya) and with the subsequent spread of agriculture. If we look at lactase persistence, a trait closely associated with pastoral lifestyle, we see that its variants in current pastoralists distinguish them from their farmer neighbours. Most other (mostly neutral) genetic polymorphisms do not, however, indicate such clear differentiation between these groups; they suggest a common origin and/or an extensive gene flow. Genetic affinity and ecological symbiosis between the two subsistence systems can help us better understand the population history of this African region. In this review, we show that genomic datasets of modern Sahel/Savannah belt populations properly collected in local populations can complement the still insufficient archaeological research of this region, especially when dealing with the prehistory of mobile populations with perishable material culture and therefore precarious archaeological visibility.

Los pastizales de altura de la Cordillera Cantábrica han sido un importante recurso para las comunidades que han ocupado estos territorios a lo largo de los siglos. En este artículo presentamos los resultados iniciales de un proyecto de investigación que tiene como objetivo comprender los procesos históricos de formación de los paisajes culturales del Noroeste peninsular. Para ello, se presta especial atención a los procesos de antropización de las zonas de montaña, interpretadas en el marco de un sistema de aprovechamiento complementario entre la ganadería y la agricultura. Los datos para época prehistórica ya permiten documentar la utilización de estos espacios, aprovechamiento que se intensificará a partir de la Edad Media. La atención a diversos tipos de fuentes (arqueológicas, documentales, etnográficas y paleoambientales) para este período nos permite calibrar la fuerte presión a la que fueron sometidos los espacios de pasto en relación con los intereses de distintos grupos sociales que competían por su control de cara al desarrollo de distintos modelos de aprovechamiento económico. [ABSTRACT] The upland pastures in the Cantabrian Mountains have been a significant resource for the communities which inhabited this territory during the last centuries. In this paper, the preliminary results of our on-going research project are presented. Our research tries to understand the historical formation processes of the cultural landscapes in the North-West of Iberia. A special attention is paid to the anthropization processes in the mountains, which is discussed in relation to the complementary exploitation system including agricultural and pastoralism practices. The archaeological data allow us to consider the exploitation of the uplands since the Later Prehistory, which will be intensified since the Middle Ages. Taking into consideration of several types of data for the medieval period —such as archaeological remains, written sources, ethnographic information or palaeo, Depto. de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y Arqueología, Fac. de Geografía e Historia, TRUE, pub

The cultural heritage of the Aromanian (Vlach) shepherds in Bulgaria is still an underresearched topic in the field of contemporary heritology and memory studies. The Aromanians settled there after years of severe persecution perpetrated by the Turks and Albanians at the end of the 18th century. For almost two centuries, Bulgaria was a space where they created their own world, with houses, farms, and places of religious worship They set up a network of herding and trade routes leading to various regions of the Balkans and Europe. The aim of this paper is to explore the remaining traces of the cultural heritage of Aromanian shepherds that can be found in the settlements of southern Pirin in Bulgaria. It presents the main Aromanian mountain villages, former herding routes and preserved cultural heritage. The research is based on the qualitative methodology, including participant observations in the villages of Pirin and interviews with the inhabitants of Bulgarian mountain villages. The research has shown that today’s sparse Aromanian community living in the Bulgarian Pirin Mountains has retained the memory of its roots, as well as a small number of neglected cultural heritage sites. Undoubtedly, places and non-places of this community require description, documentation, and revitalisation., Dziedzictwo kulturowe aromańskich (wołoskich) pasterzy w Bułgarii jest wciąż niedostatecznie zbadanym tematem w dziedzinie współczesnej heritologii i studiów nad pamięcią. Aromani osiedlili się tam po latach dotkliwych prześladowań ze strony Turków i Albańczyków pod koniec XVIII wieku. Przez prawie dwa stulecia Bułgaria była przestrzenią, w której stworzyli swój własny świat, z domami, gospodarstwami i miejscami kultu religijnego. Stworzyli sieć szlaków pasterskich i handlowych prowadzących do różnych regionów Bałkanów i Europy. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest zbadanie pozostałych śladów dziedzictwa kulturowego pasterzy aromańskich, które można znaleźć w osadach południowego Pirinu w Bułgarii. Przedstawiono w nim główne górskie wioski aromańskie, dawne szlaki pasterskie i zachowane dziedzictwo kulturowe. Badania opierają się na metodologii jakościowej, obejmującej obserwacje uczestniczące w wioskach Pirinu i wywiady z mieszkańcami bułgarskich wiosek górskich. Badania wykazały, że dzisiejsza nieliczna społeczność aromańska zamieszkująca bułgarskie góry Pirin zachowała pamięć o swoich korzeniach, a także niewielką liczbę zaniedbanych miejsc dziedzictwa kulturowego. Niewątpliwie miejsca i nie-miejsca tej społeczności wymagają opisu, dokumentacji i rewitalizacji.

Recent Conflict Early Warning Systems have found little evidence of predictive power of drought indicators for conflict prediction. However, this may result from the context-specificity of the drought-conflict relationship, as stressed in the more recent climate-conflict literature. The present thesis assesses the local role of meteorological drought indicators for communal conflict prediction in North-Western Kenya, as a region where the narrative of resource-scarcity driven conflicts exists. A local-scale literature review on conflict dynamics followed by a fixed-effects logistic regression modelling approach stress the importance of the spatial dimension when analysing drought-conflict relationships. The role of cross-border transhumance in linking climate variability to conflict occurrence is stressed by the lower confidence intervals and more significant effects when moving the regression analysis from the spatial delimitation of administrative units to the agency level of ethnic groups. Differences in between ethnic groups in the obtained patterns of conflict behaviour in response to drought or water abundance are explained by their migratory behaviour along with a differentiated account of their relative drought vulnerability. The lack of any considerable role of drought in the subsequently built quasi-replication of the WPS Global Early Warning Tool, is therefore assigned to the mismatch of administrative units as the spatial unit of analysis in a pastoralist area, where herders frequently move their cattle to the other side of the border. It is advocated for an ethnic-group centered approach to predicting conflict, which relaxes assumptions on spatial containment of conflict events. However, whether this alternative model specification leads to a greater role of drought indicators in conflict prediction and better overall predictions, needs to be assessed in future work., Civil Engineering

The significance of local spatial choices and memory and their impact on mobility networks is scarcely recognised in Mongolian archaeology. Here, we present a mapping strategy aimed at disentangling the landscapes of movement and investigating the materiality that accumulated in the palimpsest of the Ikh Bogd Uul Mountain (Bayankhongor, Mongolia). Based on an integrated and diachronic approach, our analysis encompasses a variety of strategies and sources: satellite imagery and historical cartography, a rescaling of the research area and path-centered fieldwork, which we conceptualize as 'linear’ survey. We document Late Prehistoric mounds as well as ‘modern’ springs, pastoral campsites, and paths. They are interpreted as landscape-objects associated with persistent mobility patterns and the construction of local knowledge and identity – in the sense of a nutag or homeland. This study thus contributes to expanding the archaeological information available for a remote and scarcely investigated area and enriching the archaeological approach to a complex and highly mobile context over time. It also offers new insights into how ancient mobility contributed to shaping the local landscapes of movement, both in terms of seasonal pastoral shifts and long-distance networks in the Mongolian and Central Eurasian Late Prehistory and afterwards.

This paper investigates ancient pastoral mobility in a high mountain area of the Pyrenees. Firstly, modern transhumant routes were analysed using GIS tools in order to understand possible determinant factors (such as terrain slope and altitude, water courses and possible nodes) in the layout of a route used for seasonal livestock movements. The observations obtained were then used to model optimal paths which may have been used by ancient shepherds. Subsequently, an analysis was made of the spatial relationship between the simulated paths and the dispersion pattern of archaeological sites in two time periods: Late Antiquity-Medieval (3rd-14th centuries AD) and Modern-Contemporary (18th-20th centuries AD). The results show significant differences in the spatial distribution of the sites throughout both periods in terms of accessibility and proximity to possible pathways. This variability provides information concerning historical changes in the social structure of pastoral alpine landscapes over long periods of time.

Purpose: Transhumance has rarely been analyzed through LCA approaches, and there is little evidence about its emissions level when conducted under different practices (by truck or on foot) or compared to sedentary livestock systems. Moreover, mobile pastoralism is strongly linked to natural resources by its seasonal grazing patterns, thereby occupying the niche of wild herbivores. Considering natural emission baselines in these ecosystems could have relevant effects when estimating their carbon footprint. Materials and methods: Inventory data of 20 sheep farms was collected to estimate the carbon footprint (CF) of lamb meat produced. Farms were divided into three sub-groups representing typical management practices in the region: (1) sedentary (SED), (2) transhumance by truck (THT), and (3) transhumance on foot (THF). Livestock GHG emissions were modeled according to herd structure and IPCC guidelines. Off-farm emissions from external feeds and fuels were accounted based on existent LCA databases. A natural baseline of wild herbivores was established from the population of red deer reported in a hunting preserve, previously considered to be a reference for the natural carrying capacity in Mediterranean ecosystems. GHG emissions of wild herbivores were estimated through two methods based on (1) IPCC guidelines and (2) allometric regression equations. Results and discussion: Carbon footprint ranged from 16.5 up to 26.9 kgCO2-eq/kg of lamb liveweight (LW). Significant differences were identified among sedentary and transhumant farms, the latter consistently showing lower CF values (SED: 25.1 kg CO2-eq/kg LW, THT: 18.3 kg CO2-eq/kg LW, THF: 18.2 kg CO2-eq/kg LW). Sedentary farms resulted in higher GHG emissions (+ 27%) and higher CO2 and N2O, contributions derived from the consumption of additional feeds. Both methods applied to compute emissions for wild herbivores led to similar results (25.3–26.8 Mg CO2-eq/km2), comparatively lower than estimation for transhumant she

Pastoralism in Old World savannas is known to emit a significant share of global livestock-sourced greenhouse gases (GHG). Here, we compare calculated emissions from animals in a wildlife-dominated savanna (14.3 Mg km−2), to those in an adjacent land with similar ecological characteristics but under pastoralism (12.8 Mg km−2). The similar estimates for both, wildlife and pastoralism (76.2 vs 76.5 Mg CO2-eq km−2), point out an intrinsic association of emissions with herbivore ecological niches. Considering natural baseline or natural background emissions in grazing systems has important implications in the analysis of global food systems. © 2023, The Author(s).

This review focuses on the Sahel/Savannah belt, a large region of Africa where two alternative subsistence systems (pastoralism and agriculture), nowadays, interact. It is a long-standing question whether the pastoralists became isolated here from other populations after cattle began to spread into Africa (similar to 8 thousand years ago, kya) or, rather, began to merge with other populations, such as agropastoralists, after the domestication of sorghum and pearl millet (similar to 5 kya) and with the subsequent spread of agriculture. If we look at lactase persistence, a trait closely associated with pastoral lifestyle, we see that its variants in current pastoralists distinguish them from their farmer neighbours. Most other (mostly neutral) genetic polymorphisms do not, however, indicate such clear differentiation between these groups; they suggest a common origin and/or an extensive gene flow. Genetic affinity and ecological symbiosis between the two subsistence systems can help us better understand the population history of this African region. In this review, we show that genomic datasets of modern Sahel/Savannah belt populations properly collected in local populations can complement the still insufficient archaeological research of this region, especially when dealing with the prehistory of mobile populations with perishable material culture and therefore precarious archaeological visibility.

This review focuses on the Sahel/Savannah belt, a large region of Africa where two alternative subsistence systems (pastoralism and agriculture), nowadays, interact. It is a long-standing question whether the pastoralists became isolated here from other populations after cattle began to spread into Africa (similar to 8 thousand years ago, kya) or, rather, began to merge with other populations, such as agropastoralists, after the domestication of sorghum and pearl millet (similar to 5 kya) and with the subsequent spread of agriculture. If we look at lactase persistence, a trait closely associated with pastoral lifestyle, we see that its variants in current pastoralists distinguish them from their farmer neighbours. Most other (mostly neutral) genetic polymorphisms do not, however, indicate such clear differentiation between these groups; they suggest a common origin and/or an extensive gene flow. Genetic affinity and ecological symbiosis between the two subsistence systems can help us better understand the population history of this African region. In this review, we show that genomic datasets of modern Sahel/Savannah belt populations properly collected in local populations can complement the still insufficient archaeological research of this region, especially when dealing with the prehistory of mobile populations with perishable material culture and therefore precarious archaeological visibility.

We reconstructed vegetation, fire and watershed history during the Late Roman-Early Middle Ages and in the last three centuries in a mixed conifer forest forming the middle mountain elevational belt in the inner Alpine region, analyzing co-registered micro-botanical data, charcoal particles, sediment lithology, nutrients, and modern pollen deposition from a high-resolution peat record in Valmalenco (Italian Alps). During Late Roman Age the site hosted a dump mixed conifer forest dominated by Picea abies and Abies alba on peaty forest soil, locally affected by fires which also triggered episodes of hillslope denudation. Fire frequency increases during Early Middle Ages dry and warm phases, favoring Alnus viridis and Larix, while Abies alba and Alnus glutinosa type maintained a main role in the pre- and post-fire. Specifically, Abies alba, nowadays eradicated from the Valmalenco watershed, withstood the local regime of low intensity surface fires for more than a millennium, from the Late Roman throughout the Early Middle Ages. Larix, Alnus viridis and Fraxinus excelsior abundance in modern vegetation is ascribed to effects of intensified disturbance in the Early Modern Age, and to further woodland thickening triggered by fire suppression and abandonment after the Second World War.

Community-based conservation efforts represent an important approach to facilitate the coexistence of people and wildlife. A concern, however, is that these efforts build on existing community structures and social norms, which are commonly dominated by men. Some biodiversity conservation approaches may consequently neglect women’s voices and deepen existing inequalities and inequities. This paper presents two community case studies that draw upon the knowledge and experience gained in our snow leopard conservation practice in pastoral and agro-pastoral settings in Mongolia and India to better understand women’s roles and responsibilities. In these settings, roles and responsibilities in livestock management and agriculture are strongly differentiated along gender lines, and significant gaps remain in women’s decision-making power about natural resources at the community level. We argue that context-specific and gender-responsive approaches are needed to build community support for conservation actions and leverage women’s potential contributions to conservation outcomes., Peer Reviewed

Livestock grazing intensity gradients associated with sheep holder shelters influenced the longevity of rangelands vegetation. This study aimed to examine the effects of livestock grazing pressure on vegetation structure and diversity with distance from herder shelters. Six shelters were sampled. From each herder shelter, a grazing gradient was set aligned to the contour lines. Along each grazing gradient, we surveyed seven 100-m transects between 10 and 800 m from the herder shelter. The standing crop biomass (dry matter = DM) along the gradient from the shelters, bare soil, cover of vegetation functional groups and plant species diversity were determined using the point intercept method along each transect. Bare soil cover increased as we approached herder shelter. The total standing crop biomass (DM) (in g DM m−2) increased with the distance from the shelter. Shrub biomass decreased when approaching shelters, as so did the percentage of shrub cover. Cover of perennial forbs and grass also increased with distance from shelter, whereas annual cover increased as we approached the shelter. Species richness and diversity increased when moving away from the shelter. Changes in vegetation structure were not linear. Strong changes were detectable within the first 200 m, whereas little responses were found behind this threshold. The 200 m threshold should be used to monitor the main keystone species that preserved these rangelands.

Drylands cover about 40 per cent of Africa’s land mass, mostly along the belt that includes the Sahel region on the western flank and the Horn of Africa on the eastern. These are home to tens of millions of pastoralists, for whom small ruminants, cattle, and camels provide a main source of livelihood. The region is characterised by marked rainfall variability and intense environmental change; the increasing economic and institutional uncertainties associated with the penetration of the market economy and the incorporation of grazing lands into the wider political and commercial arena also impinge on the livelihoods of herding communities. Extensive livestock production contributes significantly to local food security, national economies and regional integration, and shapes the socio-cultural patterns of distinct communities. However, the recent history of policy development in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is one of misplaced modernization efforts, and dispossession and dislocation of pastoralists. Most policies, laws, investments and programmes have failed to harness the potential of pastoral systems, instead engaging in dismantling the mobility practices and social networks that make them viable. The marginalisation of pastoralists in national politics and mainstream society is evident in most SSA countries; poverty rates are higher, while levels of investment and service provision are often much lower than the national average. Despite growing calls for change, inclusion and investment, the situation in most of sub-Saharan Africa’s drylands has worsened, and prospects for development have given way to humanitarian and security crises. There is growing political will, scientific literature and civil society efforts to overcome misconceptions and mistakes. However, translating good intentions and innovative thinking into effective institutional arrangements and governance practices seems challenging, as in most SSA countries the policy framework dealing with pastoral ar

The rangelands of West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region - which includes the Maghreb and Mashreq, Turkey and other countries of the Arabian Peninsula - are conducive to different patterns of pastoral resource management, due to the prevailing arid and mountainous conditions. Environmental change in the region is quite intense, resulting from population growth, shifts in land use and climate dynamics, and is one of the main drivers of socio-economic and political transformation in the region. In most WANA countries livestock rearing is a primary source of livelihood for a large segment ofthe population, and the governance of rangeland management and livestock trade are high priority issues for the national and regional political economy. Despite a fragmented and conflicting political setup that affects regional economic integration and the establishment of a common institutional framework, development trajectories regarding agriculture and food security have converged over time. Throughout the region, there have been repeated attempts to convert herding communities into stable and controllable producers through their incorporation into state and market mechanisms. Patterns of herd management and livestock mobility have been profoundly reconfigured, and while the movement of animals is increasingly restricted as feed and water are brought to them, the mobility of rural dwellers has intensified, through intense migration flows that are contributing to major transformations in local societies. Over time, development approaches, institutional arrangements and market dynamics have proven inconsistent in addressing the long-term needs of rural producers and ecosystems. Particularly in the arid and remote pastoral regions, local livelihoods have significantly deteriorated in recent decades, and are now increasingly shaped by processes that take place outside the realm of livestock production and very often beyond regional boundaries. The reconfiguration of land, livestoc

Pastoralism in Asia features a variety of agro-ecological and socio-cultural settings. From Russian Siberia to Indian drylands, the continent is home to large and diverse pastoral territories and communities. Policies and legislation regulating rangeland governance and livestock production are of great concern in the region, as they affect the livelihoods of significant parts of the population. Herding communities across the continent are also highly heterogeneous in their historical trajectories, and socio-political institutions; during the twentieth century, Asian rangelands underwent important political reconfigurations that brought specific consequences for the territories and lives of pastoralists. The Socialist and the capital-intensive Green revolutions that have characterised the recent history of different portions of the region with the goal of modernising agricultural systems have generated significant and differentiated forms of uncertainty for most rural communities. Agrarian reforms, large-scale infrastructure, subsidy and loan schemes, along with integration into market dynamics, have been instrumental in supporting the stabilization of livestock production and the sedentarisation of herding communities, as part of their broader incorporation into the global economic and political arena. The overall impact has been one of widespread dispossession, dislocation, and marginalization, forcing pastoralists to reconfigure herd management and mobility strategies, and to constantly negotiate their access to grazing resources, market options, and income opportunities, including through land use conversion and migration. This review of past and evolving policy frameworks in different parts of Asia shows that, despite contrasting differences in ideological perspectives and development trajectories, the dismantling of pastoral resource management has always been purported as a prerequisite for modernisation, through the multiple and divergent agendas of increasin

Unlike other regions of the world, the policy framework in Europe is in principle favourable to extensive livestock farming. EU policies recognise the multiple values of pastoralism and its contributions in terms of cultural heritage, environmental management and territorial cohesion. Recognising that these public goods are not sustainable without remuneration, the EU supports pastoralists with direct and indirect measures, including subsidies. These are considered as forms of compensation and reward for producers operating in Less Favoured Areas and High Nature Value settings. However, over recent decades, the number of extensive livestock farms has declined sharply, generational renewal amongst pastoralists is scanty and mountainous, island, and inner territories all over Europe are undergoing processes of socio-economic and agro-ecological desertification. The outcomes of the CAP political and financial commitment in pastoral contexts are hence quite disappointing. Translating good intentions and societal appreciation into effective social facilities and economic returns appears to be a major challenge for policy makers and administrators across Europe. On the one hand, the European Green Deal and its ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy show high levels of ambition in reorienting agriculture and enhancing the transition to more sustainable food systems in Europe. On the other hand, the long-awaited reform of the Common Agricultural Policy has not addressed its fundamental inconsistencies in technical, administrative and political terms. In a policy framework also influenced by broader trade and political agreements, CAP measures are more likely to support intensification of livestock production, than to favour extensive pastoral systems. The EU institutional architecture and policy domain represent important drivers of uncertainty for European pastoralists, who must continually navigate through multiple, fragmented and sometimes conflicting measures, rules and requirements t

Unlike other regions of the world, the policy framework in Europe is in principle favourable to extensive livestock farming. EU policies recognise the multiple values of pastoralism and its contributions in terms of cultural heritage, environmental management and territorial cohesion. Recognising that these public goods are not sustainable without remuneration, the EU supports pastoralists with direct and indirect measures, including subsidies. These are considered as forms of compensation and reward for producers operating in Less Favoured Areas and High Nature Value settings. However, over recent decades, the number of extensive livestock farms has declined sharply, generational renewal amongst pastoralists is scanty and mountainous, island, and inner territories all over Europe are undergoing processes of socio-economic and agro-ecological desertification. The outcomes of the CAP political and financial commitment in pastoral contexts are hence quite disappointing. Translating good intentions and societal appreciation into effective social facilities and economic returns appears to be a major challenge for policy makers and administrators across Europe. On the one hand, the European Green Deal and its ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy show high levels of ambition in reorienting agriculture and enhancing the transition to more sustainable food systems in Europe. On the other hand, the long-awaited reform of the Common Agricultural Policy has not addressed its fundamental inconsistencies in technical, administrative and political terms. In a policy framework also influenced by broader trade and political agreements, CAP measures are more likely to support intensification of livestock production, than to favour extensive pastoral systems. The EU institutional architecture and policy domain represent important drivers of uncertainty for European pastoralists, who must continually navigate through multiple, fragmented and sometimes conflicting measures, rules and requirements t

Unlike other regions of the world, the policy framework in Europe is in principle favourable to extensive livestock farming. EU policies recognise the multiple values of pastoralism and its contributions in terms of cultural heritage, environmental management and territorial cohesion. Recognising that these public goods are not sustainable without remuneration, the EU supports pastoralists with direct and indirect measures, including subsidies. These are considered as forms of compensation and reward for producers operating in Less Favoured Areas and High Nature Value settings. However, over recent decades, the number of extensive livestock farms has declined sharply, generational renewal amongst pastoralists is scanty and mountainous, island, and inner territories all over Europe are undergoing processes of socio-economic and agro-ecological desertification. The outcomes of the CAP political and financial commitment in pastoral contexts are hence quite disappointing. Translating good intentions and societal appreciation into effective social facilities and economic returns appears to be a major challenge for policy makers and administrators across Europe. On the one hand, the European Green Deal and its ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy show high levels of ambition in reorienting agriculture and enhancing the transition to more sustainable food systems in Europe. On the other hand, the long-awaited reform of the Common Agricultural Policy has not addressed its fundamental inconsistencies in technical, administrative and political terms. In a policy framework also influenced by broader trade and political agreements, CAP measures are more likely to support intensification of livestock production, than to favour extensive pastoral systems. The EU institutional architecture and policy domain represent important drivers of uncertainty for European pastoralists, who must continually navigate through multiple, fragmented and sometimes conflicting measures, rules and requirements t

Across much of eastern Africa, the land area coverage of private or otherwise non-state conservation areas is rapidly increasing. In Kenya, these trends have sparked renewed contestation and debate concerning the property rights and broader terms of access to non-state conservation spaces. Pursuant to these disputes, emergent conservation territories are increasingly governed through practices of landscape stratification, demarcation, and surveillance, as well as via the formalization of community-based grazing arrangements in hybridized ‘buffer zone’ spaces. Examining the empirical implications of these practices in Kenya’s Laikipia County, we highlight the somewhat counterintuitive ways in which private conservationists increasingly employ grazing arrangements ‘from above’ not only to regulate access to natural resources, but also to influence subject formation processes and to fix or otherwise reshape the spatial contours of pastoralist systems. Emphasizing the limitations of such initiatives, however, we foreground the significance of ongoing patterns of agro-pastoral transformation and their implications for the persistence of night grazing or other illicit nocturnal responses ‘from below’ amongst certain strata of Laikipia’s internally diverse communities. Whilst such forms of nocturnal agency are inherently significant insofar as they frustrate conservationists’ efforts to uniformly enforce resource access restrictions throughout the nychthemeron or complete 24-hour ‘day-night’ cycle, we suggest that these practices also grant important insight into the nature of shifting ‘conservation subjectivities’ in East African drylands.

Since the 1970s, the Sahel region has been struck by severe droughts that has brought suffering to human populations. Scientists also observed declining rainfall leading to desertification in the zone. Against this backdrop, in 2007, several African states launched the international Great Green Wall (GGW) project that aimed to create a strip of forest from Senegal to Djibouti, crossing areas mostly devoted to pastoralism. We examined the social, land tenure and environmental implications of the GGW in Senegal, in the light of policies for pastoral intensification of the zone. The colonial heritage of the foresters from the Senegalese National Green Wall Agency who implement the project on the ground influences how reforestation is managed today. To understand how local populations relate to the space affected by the project and their resources, we organized participatory workshops in four contrasted study sites along the Senegalese portion of the GGW path. Our results show that trees are of great importance for local populations, whether agricultural or pastoral, but even more so in pastoral areas. Despite this, the national and international narrative considers Sahelian pastoralism and overgrazing as strong drivers of desertification. The paradox is that overgrazing is linked to the public policy of boreholes densification. Taking a Commons approach, we show the current and past role played by water in pasture management, and how water accessed by boreholes no longer regulates grazing practices. A Commons approach would pave the way for assisting stakeholders at different levels to favor regreening the Sahel.

Trees in dryland forests and wooded areas provide key ecosystem services such as animal feed, timber, fruits and, regulation of soil and water cycles. Equally, the presence of livestock in dryland woody areas can also play an important role in the local ecosystem; not only are they a source of income for local communities, but they also help vegetation and mobilise stored biomass. When both of these ecosystem elements are wisely combined – livestock and trees – it creates an integrated agricultural system that can boost the local ecosystem, representing a welcome agro-ecological transition in livestock farming. The ‘Grazing with Trees’ report gives a thorough assessment of the positive role that optimized extensive grazing livestock farming can play in the management and restoration of drylands’ forests and lands with trees. It assesses and provides sound evidence on the benefits of applying an integrated landscape approach and utilizing farmers and pastoralists’ knowledge to halt desertification, increase resilience, and enhance food security under the actual changing scenario. The report confirms the importance of agroforestry as a primary pathway for forest restoration in dryland areas as recommended by FAO’s State of Forests 2022, and its recommendations encourage landscape planners and decision makers to consider livestock as allies, carefully restore tree cover and accelerate action to promote healthy ecosystems.

The literature on microcredit programs has largely focused on positive socioeconomic outcomes and low accessibility issues in farming areas and has provided less insight into the effects of easily acquired microcredit in pastoral areas. Using a case study approach, and econometric models, this paper addresses this gap by examining why and how easily acquired microcredit loans in Inner Mongolian pastoral areas increase the risk to the financial security of households or livelihood risk. Results show that existing microcredit programs increase livelihood risk because loan and repayment requirements do not align with the husbandry production cycle of contemporary Inner Mongolian pastoralists. This misalignment forces pastoralists to borrow from usurers to repay bank loans. Furthermore, households that need to borrow from usurers typically own smaller numbers of livestock and are less likely to be able to repay the usurers by selling animals. Instead, they tend to increase their bank loans in the coming year to repay the previous year's debt, trapping them in a vicious and ultimately impoverishing circle of annual loans they cannot fully pay back, and feeding increasing debt. We suggest that microcredit programs in semiarid areas should be in sync with the local production cycle and recognize environmental constraints that cause high variation in production seasonally and year to year. Our results supplement previous findings on microcredit applications and are particularly pertinent for other semiarid areas of the world.

In a diachronic view over large parts of the last 5000 years which focuses mainly on the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age, Roman Period, Late Middle Ages and the Modern era, Sierra Morena appears as a ResourceAssemblage in which livestock farming and the associated cattle drive, forestry and ore mining played a central role. Over time, different strategies are becoming visible with which the specific natural conditions of this mountain landscape are being countered. These are often complemen-tary to the resources and their forms of use in the neighbouring fertile river valleys of the Guadalquivir and Guadiana. In a historical view, the ways of dealing with the respective important resources in the Sierra Morena are examined in relation to the ways of using the neighbouring landscapes. Long-term trends are also sought which characterise the specific ResourceCultures, perceptions, use and representations of the landscape in the Sierra Morena. Important aspects are the associated effects on the socio-cultural dynamics in the region.

This dissertation is an ethnographic study of pasture-cheesemaking in Kars, Northeastern Turkey, amid politicized boundaries and transnational connections. It investigates cheesemaking within the larger agro-pastoral worlds molded by the everyday practices of animal care, dairy crafts, and technosciences, and regulated by the nation-state politics of food safety and national security. Focusing on a farmers’ association in a village in Kars, I question the ways in which pasture-cheesemaking enabled farmers to organize for “a better life” for their more-than-human community. Cheesemaking is not a mere economic opportunity or a milestone industry; it is also a process through which local communities can reimagine places to make a better life in a depopulated village in rural Turkey. Throughout the dissertation, I explore how cheese has become an unexpected agent to remember the shared violent past and circumvent the spatiality of state and ethnopolitical boundaries, while it also makes new places, communities, and technosciences through material practices of composing archives, doing scientific research and sustaining dairy production in Northeastern Turkey. I approach cheesemaking from practices that precede and remain as the underpinning of the dairy craft, namely mera hayvancılığı (agro-pastoralism) and processes of arranging pastures for dairy production. I focus on two kinds of trademark cheeses of Kars: gravyer and kaşar. I argue that appropriating the Swiss cheesemaking heritage of the early 20th century as Boğatepe Gravyer cheese and composing the archive of cheesemaking in the village ecomuseum entailed place-making through reconfiguration of dairy arrangements in the everyday practices of agro-pastoral livelihoods in Boğatepe pastures. By analyzing a nascent collaboration between small farmers, cheesemakers, and a group of dairy scientists engaged in the Geographical Indication certification process of Kars Kaşar cheese, I argue that the collaborative efforts

The purpose of this article is to show the emergence of the concept of government in Foucault’s concept of power, and to apply it to the current contingency of COVID-19. Government and power operate in tandem, although they maintain their differences. The former focuses on the care of men; the latter is concerned with the relations of force that traverse and control them. Both comprise surveillance mechanisms that operate tactically and strategically. They do not refer to a prohibitive issue or care of the territory, but there is a whole machinery that intervenes in a shrewd way on men., El propósito del presente artículo es mostrar las emergencias del concepto de gobierno en el concepto de poder en Foucault y aplicarlas a la contingencia actual del covid-19. El gobierno y el poder operan de manera conjunta, aunque mantienen sus diferencias. El primero se centra en el cuidado de los hombres; el segundo se ocupa de las relaciones de fuerza que los atraviesa y controla. Ambos comprenden mecanismos de vigilancia que obran de manera táctica y estratégica. No hacen referencia a una cuestión prohibitiva o cuidado del territorio, sino que hay toda una maquinaria que interviene de manera sagaz sobre los hombres.

In a diachronic view over large parts of the last 5000 years which focuses mainly on the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age, Roman Period, Late Middle Ages and the Modern era, Sierra Morena appears as a ResourceAssemblage in which livestock farming and the associated cattle drive, forestry and ore mining played a central role. Over time, different strategies are becoming visible with which the specific natural conditions of this mountain landscape are being countered. These are often complemen-tary to the resources and their forms of use in the neighbouring fertile river valleys of the Guadalquivir and Guadiana. In a historical view, the ways of dealing with the respective important resources in the Sierra Morena are examined in relation to the ways of using the neighbouring landscapes. Long-term trends are also sought which characterise the specific ResourceCultures, perceptions, use and representations of the landscape in the Sierra Morena. Important aspects are the associated effects on the socio-cultural dynamics in the region.

This research explores the territorial transformation processes of the metropolitan foothills of Mendoza, the tensions they cause and the challenges faced by food producers located in urban-rural border areas. The results obtained from the integration and analysis of secondary (1897 to 2010) and primary (2018 and 2020) data highlight the importance of recognizing pastoral presences on the metropolitan edge, as well as the set of rural-urban articulations and the diversity of actors that converge there in the face of the advance of real estate capital., Se analizan los procesos de transformación territorial del piedemonte metropolitano de Mendoza, las tensiones que provocan y los desafíos que afrontan los/as productores de alimentos situados en las zonas de borde urbano-rural. Los resultados, obtenidos de la integración y análisis de datos secundarios (1897 a 2010) y primarios (2018 y 2020), señalan la importancia de reconocer las presencias pastoriles en el borde metropolitano; también el conjunto de articulaciones rurales-urbanas y la diversidad de actores/as que allí convergen frente al avance del capital inmobiliario.

In a diachronic view over large parts of the last 5000 years which focuses mainly on the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age, Roman Period, Late Middle Ages and the Modern era, Sierra Morena appears as a ResourceAssemblage in which livestock farming and the associated cattle drive, forestry and ore mining played a central role. Over time, different strategies are becoming visible with which the specific natural conditions of this mountain landscape are being countered. These are often complemen-tary to the resources and their forms of use in the neighbouring fertile river valleys of the Guadalquivir and Guadiana. In a historical view, the ways of dealing with the respective important resources in the Sierra Morena are examined in relation to the ways of using the neighbouring landscapes. Long-term trends are also sought which characterise the specific ResourceCultures, perceptions, use and representations of the landscape in the Sierra Morena. Important aspects are the associated effects on the socio-cultural dynamics in the region.

In a diachronic view over large parts of the last 5000 years which focuses mainly on the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age, Roman Period, Late Middle Ages and the Modern era, Sierra Morena appears as a ResourceAssemblage in which livestock farming and the associated cattle drive, forestry and ore mining played a central role. Over time, different strategies are becoming visible with which the specific natural conditions of this mountain landscape are being countered. These are often complemen-tary to the resources and their forms of use in the neighbouring fertile river valleys of the Guadalquivir and Guadiana. In a historical view, the ways of dealing with the respective important resources in the Sierra Morena are examined in relation to the ways of using the neighbouring landscapes. Long-term trends are also sought which characterise the specific ResourceCultures, perceptions, use and representations of the landscape in the Sierra Morena. Important aspects are the associated effects on the socio-cultural dynamics in the region.

This research explores the territorial transformation processes of the metropolitan foothills of Mendoza, the tensions they cause and the challenges faced by food producers located in urban-rural border areas. The results obtained from the integration and analysis of secondary (1897 to 2010) and primary (2018 and 2020) data highlight the importance of recognizing pastoral presences on the metropolitan edge, as well as the set of rural-urban articulations and the diversity of actors that converge there in the face of the advance of real estate capital., Se analizan los procesos de transformación territorial del piedemonte metropolitano de Mendoza, las tensiones que provocan y los desafíos que afrontan los/as productores de alimentos situados en las zonas de borde urbano-rural. Los resultados, obtenidos de la integración y análisis de datos secundarios (1897 a 2010) y primarios (2018 y 2020), señalan la importancia de reconocer las presencias pastoriles en el borde metropolitano; también el conjunto de articulaciones rurales-urbanas y la diversidad de actores/as que allí convergen frente al avance del capital inmobiliario.

Predation on livestock presents a daunting challenge for human–carnivore coexistence in agricultural landscapes. In Germany, the recolonization of wolves is ongoing and its consequences are insufficiently understood. Knowledge about which livestock species are susceptible to wolf predation, which farm types are predisposed to attacks by wolves, and when predation on livestock occurs is valuable for mitigating stakeholder conflicts. To this end, we analyzed 14 years of monitoring data and assessed the livestock prey spectrum, identified correlates between predation on livestock, farm type and livestock category, and described temporal patterns of livestock loss caused by a recolonizing wolf population in the state of Brandenburg (Germany). Among a total of 1387 recorded cases, 42% were unequivocally attributed to wolves (SCALP criteria C1 and C2) and 12% of cases were not caused by wolves. The number of head of livestock killed during a single wolf attack was mediated by farm type and livestock species; losses per event were greater in full-time farms vs. other farm types and greater in sheep, farmed deer and other livestock species, compared to cattle. While sheep were the most commonly killed livestock species, the increase in wolf territories over the investigation period was associated with a widening of the domestic prey species spectrum. Count regression models provided evidence for the increasing frequency of predation events over the 14-year period, along with an exponential increase in wolf territories. Predation on livestock occurred throughout the year, yet seasonality of events was evident and differed across livestock categories. Predation on sheep peaked in the fall, coinciding with the post-weaning period of wolf offspring. Predation on cattle peaked in the spring, coinciding with the cattle calving period. These results call for renewed investment in the implementation of prevention methods for all susceptible domestic species, particularly during tim, Peer Reviewed

In search of a “New Grammousta”: Cultural heritage of Aromanians/Vlachs shepherds in the southern Pirine in Bulgaria (I). The history and cultural heritage of the Aromanian (Vlach) shepherds in Bulgaria is a challenging topic that requires particular inquisitiveness in scientific research. The Aromanians arrived there after years of severe persecution perpetrated by the Turks and Albanians at the end of the 18th century. In the high mountains, they created their own world, which became their refuge for decades, with settlements comprising houses, farms, places of religious worship, and pastures. They set up a network of stakeholders who purchased their goods. Due to their specific lifestyle and the oral nature of their culture, the historical and ethnographic sources illustrating their world are scarce. This paper is to present the history of the Aromanian/Vlach community from the moment they settled in the Pirin Mountains in Bulgaria in the 19th century until they left Bulgaria in the first half of the 20th century. It describes the main Aromanian settlements, including their location, traditional professions, wintering places, and the crucial herding routes in this region., Dziedzictwo kulturowe pasterzy Aromanów (Wołochów) w Bułgarii stanowi temat trudny i wymagający szczególnej dociekliwości w badaniach naukowych. Aromanie przybyli tu po dotkliwych prześladowaniach, jakie spotkały ich ze strony Turków i Albańczyków w końcu XVIII wieku. W wysokich górach stworzyli własny świat, który przez dziesiątki lat stał się ich schronieniem — zbudowali tu osady z domami, gospodarstwami, miejscami kultu religijnego, pastwiskami, stworzyli też sieć interesariuszy, którzy nabywali wytwarzane przez nich towary. Celem tego artykułu jest zbadanie jakie ślady dziedzictwa kulturowego pasterzy aromańskich zachowały się w osadach południowego Pirynu w Bułgarii. Zaprezentowano w nim główne górskie wioski aromańskie, dawne szlaki pasterskie oraz profesje, jakimi się trudnili. W badaniach wykorzystano metodologię jakościową, w tym obserwacje uczestniczące w wioskach Pirynu oraz wywiady z mieszkańcami wiosek górskich Bułgarii. Badania pokazały, że nieliczna dziś społeczność aromańska w Pirynie w Bułgarii zachowała pamięć o swoim pochodzeniu, a także niewielkie zasoby dziedzictwa kulturowego, które obecnie jest w różnym stanie — wymaga opisu, dokumentacji i rewitalizacji miejsc i (nie)-miejsc tej społeczności.

This paper examines the diversification of pastoralist herding practices in the context of socio-climatic change and the ways in which mobile technologies shape this diversification. It does so to offer a plural perspective on the relation between climate change and human mobility, showing the heterogenous and socially embedded ways in which it unfolds. Pastoralists have been moving in response to rains and droughts for centuries. This mobility is, however, faced with numerous challenges, related to privatisation of land, processes of urbanisation impacting on pastoralist livelihoods and changing rainfall patterns making decision-making on livestock mobility increasingly complex. This paper examines how pastoralists are navigating these challenges through the use of basic phones, smartphones and social media, via a case study of the Kenyan Laikipia Highlands. It demonstrates how these mobile technologies enable herding practices to endure and for them to be reshaped by taking on a mix of physical and digital forms. This happens through social media platforms, virtual herding and through pluralised networks of information exchange on grazing strategies navigating the socio-climatic limitations imposed on them.

Agropastoral societies in Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa are facing challenges in their land use. Land shifts toward large-scale land investments have exacerbated the scarcity of pastures, thus affecting the resilience of pastoral systems. In this study, we assessed how large-scale land investments affect household resilience using data from the Living Standards Measurement Survey in Ethiopia. We estimated household resilience capacity by a multivariate two-step factor analysis and welfare resilience from net changes in welfare outcomes between two survey intervals. We also assessed the effect of large-scale land investment on household resilience using random effects ordered logistic regression model. Factors that enhanced the resilience capacities of households included access to livestock markets, social safety nets, extension, mobility, and social services. Approximately one-third of the study population had a low resilience capacity, and more than half had low welfare resilience. Moreover, proximity to a large-scale land investment significantly reduced households' likelihood of having high resilience capacity. Therefore, future resilience programs in agropastoral areas should mitigate the adverse effect of large-scale land investments by enhancing livelihood diversification and households' access to communal pastures.

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are major constraints for wildlife, livestock production and human health. Chemical acaricides are widely promoted for the control of TBDs despite the uncertainty that farmers and state support can manage TBDs. This paper explores how spatial biopolitics related to TBDs are enacted by livestock keepers in Laikipia, Kenya. The results show that control of TBDs is the product of indigenous knowledge of pastoral farmers and western veterinary thought with two different logics, sometimes converging but often at odds. The analysis reveals power relations, tensions and contradictions emerging from an attempt to impose a western model for the management of TBDs resulting in marginalization of the pastoralists and their livestock. This paper shows that a practice-based approach, focused on situated agency, can provide an empowering way of understanding the spatial biopolitics of acaricide use and management of TBDs.

We examined the determinants of conflict among agro-pastoral households in areas affected by large-scale land investments in Ethiopia. We combined household and community surveys to collect data and used descriptive statistics and a binary logit model to analyze them. The results indicated that, in the last decade, land conflicts were prevalent in more than a quarter of the studied communities and that they increased since the establishment of large-scale land investments. The scarcity of pastureland and tenure insecurity are the key drivers of land conflict. We conclude that the state appropriation of traditional pastures for industrial plantations and a lack of property rights for the commons exacerbate land conflicts.

This paper explores how the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP), as an example of contemporary bottom-up development practices in the global South, governs nomadic pastoralists in the peripheries. Based on fieldwork in Ethiopia's Somali region, we show that PSNP practices of client targeting, community-based public works and (international) financial resource flows, both for their own sake and because of their entanglement with the sedentary metaphysics of Ethiopian state, have advanced sedentary governmental order into pastoral peripheries more than top-down state sedentarization interventions had ever done. Finally, we argue that bottom-up development practice is an effective tool for state-building in the periphery.

[EN] This paper analyzes the landscapes resulting from traditional economic activities in a mountain environment. It is the Huesca municipality of Gistaín (Chistén), located in the extreme northwest of the Sobrarbe region. This municipality, within the valley of the same name, preserved some traditional systems evolved over several centuries until the last quarter of the 20th century, so that its footprint is still very present in the landscape. Among the activities carried out, agricultural and livestock farming stood out for their imprint on the landscape. The interaction between these activities, accompanying the agricultural and livestock cycles, as well as the geographical position of the municipality (at the same time closed to the exterior and open to diverse influences, including those of the French side of the mountain range) endow its landscapes with a strong personality within the whole of the Aragonese Pyrenees. On the other hand, and within an interpretation of the landscape and the territory as cultural heritage, the architectural forms that supported these economic activities, both agricultural and pastoral, as a fundamental part of the construction of the landscape are studied., [ES] En este trabajo se analizan los paisajes resultado de las actividades económicas tradicionales en un entorno de montaña. Se trata del municipio oscense de Gistaín (Chistén), situado en el extremo noroccidental de la comarca de Sobrarbe. Este municipio, dentro del valle del mismo nombre, conservó unos sistemas tradicionales, evolucionados a lo largo de varios siglos, hasta el último cuarto del siglo XX, por lo que su huella está aún muy presente en el paisaje. Entre las actividades desarrolladas destacaron por su impronta en el paisaje la agrícola y la ganadera, esta última tanto en su vertiente ovina trashumante como en la del ganado mayor trasterminante. La interacción entre estas actividades, acompasando los ciclos agrícolas y los ganaderos, así como la posición geográfica del municipio, al mismo tiempo cerrada al exterior y abierta a influencias diversas, entre ellas las de la vertiente francesa de la cordillera, dotan a sus paisajes de una fuerte personalidad dentro del conjunto del Pirineo aragonés. Por otro lado, y dentro de una interpretación del paisaje y del territorio como patrimonio cultural, se estudian las formas arquitectónicas que sirvieron de soporte a estas actividades económicas, tanto agrícolas como pastoriles, como parte fundamental de la construcción del paisaje.

The literature on microcredit programs has largely focused on positive socioeconomic outcomes and low accessibility issues in farming areas and has provided less insight into the effects of easily acquired microcredit in pastoral areas. Using a case study approach, and econometric models, this paper addresses this gap by examining why and how easily acquired microcredit loans in Inner Mongolian pastoral areas increase the risk to the financial security of households or livelihood risk. Results show that existing microcredit programs increase livelihood risk because loan and repayment requirements do not align with the husbandry production cycle of contemporary Inner Mongolian pastoralists. This misalignment forces pastoralists to borrow from usurers to repay bank loans. Furthermore, households that need to borrow from usurers typically own smaller numbers of livestock and are less likely to be able to repay the usurers by selling animals. Instead, they tend to increase their bank loans in the coming year to repay the previous year's debt, trapping them in a vicious and ultimately impoverishing circle of annual loans they cannot fully pay back, and feeding increasing debt. We suggest that microcredit programs in semiarid areas should be in sync with the local production cycle and recognize environmental constraints that cause high variation in production seasonally and year to year. Our results supplement previous findings on microcredit applications and are particularly pertinent for other semiarid areas of the world.