Get reliable rangeland science

Rangelands generate a multitude of products and services. Some pass into value chains delivering branded luxury products. Luxury value chains are stakeholders in rangeland restoration. The juxtaposition of their perceived excess and exclusivity with the harshness of subsistence production in adverse environments is widely recognised. Luxury also conveys uniqueness, quality and provenance. Ongoing efforts at "fast fashion" and "affordable luxury", have demonstrable impacts on rangelands. In the STELAR R (Sustainable Investments for Large-scale Rangeland Restoration) project we argue that product differentiation using rangelands' provenance is established across products as diverse as meat, cosmetics and clothing. We identify models for luxury brands' investment in rangelands directly and investigate the entry points available for that investment. Context for these models' operation includes rapidly developing functionality of standards and certification relating actions in the rangelands to sustainability indicators and onwards to support claims at the retail level. Technology that enables information capture, transmission and visualisation offers opportunities for product differentiation and a product story that supports a luxury price. Global trade's move to products' verified sustainability credentials offers a convergence of value chain actor's interests and capabilities. Owners of luxury brands then have the opportunity both to advance and support their own claims by appropriate investment in rangelands; and to exclude competition all along the value chain from brands not achieving the markups associated with luxury sales. Seven investment models are identified, with entry points for deal structures to engage luxury value chains. Across the Americas, Central Asia, and Africa we identify on-going initiatives that enable the investment models, including the Rangeland Stewardship Council, and industry-and national-level actions, on the interface between sustainability and value chains. We call for a broader embrace of value chain development which aligns the high retail margins of luxury brands with the incentive to invest in rangelands.