Enhancing the economic viability of pastoralism: the need to balance interventions

作     者：Rueff, H. Rahim, I. 

作者机构：Univ Basel Dept Environm Sci Phys Geog & Environm Change Klingelbergstr 27 CH-4056 Basel Switzerland Univ Oxford Sch Geog & Environm S Parks Rd Oxford OX1 3QY England Fdn Res & Socioecol Harmony House 41St 32D-17-2 Islamabad Pakistan 

出 版 物：《Revue Scientifique et Technique》 

年 卷 期：2016年第35卷第2期

页      面：577-586页

核心收录：

学科分类：09[农学] 0906[农学-兽医学] 

基　　金：Leverhulme Trust 

主　　题：Food systems Information and communication technology Livestock products value chain Markets Pastoral system economies Pastoralism Payment schemes Scarce natural resources LIVESTOCK 

摘      要：Extensive mobile pastoral systems do not follow conventional marketing optimisation models, since they must deal with the factors of mobility, erratic environments, dependency on natural resources, seasonality, and distance to markets. While pastoralist systems contribute substantially to national economies, government investment to support pastoralism remains limited or non-existent. Pastoralists are becoming increasingly integrated into larger market systems and therefore need investment and specially adapted policies to supply a growing demand for livestock products and to support their livelihoods. In this paper, the authors show that investment and technology can support and empower pastoralist marketing strategies in supplying higher-value and more stable livestock products. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate that pastoralists also supply services, broadening the marketing landscape within which they operate to include more players and trading options. Pastoralists are undeniably the custodians of rangelands and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. These new market prospects nevertheless require structuring (e.g. regulation, infrastructure) and adjustments in the trading environment of stakeholders all along the value chain. There is, however, an inherent risk in intervening in pastoral marketing and production processes. Too many or ill-adapted interventions can have severe effects on these systems, resulting in over-intensification and reduced mobility. Finding the right level of intervention to support extensive pastoral systems is important when developing policy, since it is about the only form of land use that can keep a third of the world s land surface in food production without additional inputs.