International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists Initiative ARCHIVE
Background on the IYRP Initiative (IYRP History, Process, Priority Themes and Way Forward (PPT))
Beginning in early 2016, many organizations began working together to gain support for a United Nations designated International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP). This led to the formalization of an IYRP Steering Committee, and after the Mongolian Government's formal IYRP proposal was submitted, to a renamed and reconfigured IYRP Support Group (ISG). The ISG has spearheaded this effort by actively engaging with colleagues and interested parties around the world. Most recently, the Mongolian Government presented the request for an IYRP designation at an open session of the October 2018 COAG meeting in Rome and the proposal was approved without reservations by the 2020 COAG meeting representatives. The proposal has since been approved by the FAO Council and FAO Conference, and on March 15, 2022 by the UN General Assembly. IYRP 2026 is now official!! Please contact Jim O'Rourke (jorourke@csc.edu) or Maryam Niamir-Fuller (mniafull2@gmail.com) for more information.
Press Releases: IYRP Approved by UNGA (March 2022)
COAG Endorsement of IYRP: Press Release (October 2020)
FAO-COAG IYRP Proposal (August 2020)
Mongolia Government Proposal to FAO-COAG for an IYRP (August 2019)
Letters of Support for Mongolia Proposal (March 2022)
Gap Analysis Report - "A case of benign neglect: Knowledge gaps about sustainability in pastoralism and rangelands” - StoryMap Presentation
Mongolian Proposal for an IYRP: Resources & COAG Results
- FAO Council Passes IYRP Proposal - See Appendix D in Report (December 2020)
- COAG Endorsement of IYRP: Press Release - English (October 2020)
- COAG Endorsement of IYRP: Press Release - Spanish (October 2020)
- COAG Endorsement of IYRP: Press Release - French (October 2020)
- COAG Endorsement of IYRP: Press Release - Mongolian (October 2020)
- COAG Endorsement of IYRP: Press Release - German (October 2020)
- COAG Endorsement of IYRP: Press Release - Arabic (October 2020)
- COAG Endorsement of IYRP: Press Release - Chinese (October 2020)
- FAO-COAG IYRP Proposal (August 2020)
- COAG Member Countries (updated October 2019)
- Ministerial Letter Delivering Mongolian Proposal for an IYRP (July 2019)
- Mongolian Proposal for an IYRP (July 2019)
- Support Letters to Mongolian Proposal for an IYRP (July 2020)
- FAO cover letter to response letter (August 30, 2018)
- FAO response letter to Government of Mongolia (August 23, 2018)
- Letter from Government of Mongolia to FAO (July 1, 2018)
- Preliminary Proposal to US Agencies for an International Year of Rangelands
- Proposal Calling for Support to Designate and International Year of Rangelands & Pastoralists
- Letter to UNEA-2 President, Dr. Oyun, requesting support for an IY designation
- FAO Call to Support IY Designation
IYRP Support Group (formerly called Steering Committee)
- Progress Update on IYRP Campaign (July 2021)
- Progress Update on IYRP Campaign (May 2021)
- Minutes from ISG Meeting (March 18, 2021)
- Minutes from Conference Call (October 15, 2020)
- IYRP Support Group Member List (October 30, 2020)
- Summary Minutes from Conference Call (September 9, 2020)
- Minutes from Conference Call (September 9, 2020)
- Minutes from Conference Call (June 25, 2020)
- Minutes from Conference Call (June 25, 2020; Arabic)
- Minutes from Conference Call (June 25, 2020; Chinese)
- Minutes from Conference Call (June 25, 2020; French)
- Minutes from Conference Call (June 25, 2020; Mongolian)
- Minutes from Conference Call (June 25, 2020; Spanish)
- Minutes from Conference Call (June 20, 2019)
- Terms of Reference (June 2019)
- Process for Gaining an IYRP (January 26, 2017)
- Sample/Draft Resolution (January 26, 2017)
- Minutes from Conference Call (February 7, 2019)
- Minutes from Conference Call (February 7, 2019; French)
- Minutes from Conference Call (January 18, 2017)
- Minutes from Conference Call (February 16, 2017)
- Minutes from Conference Call (April 5, 2017)
- Minutes from Two Conference Calls (June 27, 2017)
- Minutes from Conference Call (November 13, 2017)
IYRP Global Communications Team
- Minutes 4th Global Communications Team Meeting (August 13, 2021)
- Minutes 3rd Global Communications Team Meeting (July 9, 2021)
- Minutes 2nd Global Communications Team Meeting (April 30, 2021)
- Minutes from IYRP Global Communications Team (March 26, 2021)
Branding Materials
Regional IYRP Support Groups
- North America RISG meeting minutes (August 2021)
- South Asia RISG meeting minutes (July 2021)
- South Asia RISG meeting minutes (May 2021)
- North America RISG meeting minutes (July 2021)
- North America RISG meeting minutes (June 2021)
- Terms of Reference RISGs including positions (revised; May 2021)
- Fifth Meeting Minutes: North America (May 2021)
- Fourth Meeting Minutes: Central Asia & Mongolia (May 21, 2021)
- Fourth Meeting Minutes: North America (April 2021)
- Kyrgyzstan Commitment to the IYRP (May 2021)
- Plan d'Action IYRP provisoire (Europe; April 9, 2021)
- Third Meeting Minutes: North America (March 2021)
- Third Meeting Minutes: Eastern & Southern Africa (April 23, 2021)
- Second Meeting Minutes: North America (February 2021)
- Second Meeting Minutes: Eastern & Southern Africa (January 22, 2022)
- Second Meeting Minutes: East & South Asia (February 23, 2021)
- Second Meeting Minutes: Central Asia & Mongolia (English; January 2021)
- Second Meeting Minutes: Central Asia & Mongolia (Russian; January 2021)
- Minutes First Meeting: North America (January 2021)
- Minutes First Meeting Europe & Arctic (December 2020)
- Minutes First Meeting: Central Asia & Mongolia (Russian; December 2020)
- Minutes First Meeting: Central Asia & Mongolia (English; December 2020)
- Minutes First Meeting: China and East Asia (December 2020)
- Minutes First Meeting: Eastern & Southern Africa (December 2020)
- Minutes First Meeting: South Asia (December 2020)
- Minutes First Meeting: MENA RISG (December 2020)
- Preparatory Process for RISGs (English)
- Preparatory Process for RISGs (French)
- Preparatory Process for RISGs (Spanish)
- Preparatory Process for RISGs (Arabic)
- Preparatory Process for RISGs (Russian)
- Preparatory Process for RISGs (Mongolian)
- Preparatory Process for RISGs (Chinese)
Promotional Materials
- IYRP 2026 Logo (March 2022)
- IYRP Flyer (4 page; February 2021)
- Open Flyer (English; November 2020)
- Word Cloud (from Google) - Rangelands (April 2021)
- Word Cloud (from Google) - Pastoralists (April 2021)
- IYRP Information for Pastoralist Organizations (October 2020)
- IYRP Información para organizaciones pastoriles (Spanish; October 2020)
- IYRP informations pour les organisations pastorales (French; October 2020)
- IYRP Graphic 3 - Pastoralists (Ethiopia; jpg; landscape)
- IYRP Graphic 4 - Rangelands Pastoralism (Europe; jpg; landscape)
- IYRP Graphic 5 - IYRP Global (U.S.; jpg; landscape)
- IYRP Graphic 1 - Worldwide (Mongolia; jpg; vertical)
- IYRP Graphic 2 - Rangelands Landscapes (Kenya; jpg; vertical)
- IYPR Graphic 3 - Pastoralists (Ethiopia; jpg; vertical)
- IYRP Graphic 4 - Rangelands Pastoralism (Europe; jpg; vertical)
- IYRP Graphic 5 - IYRP Global (U.S.; jpg; vertical)
- 12 Themes Black and White Graphic - English; April 2022
- 12 Themes Color Graphic - English; April 2022
- 12 Themes Color Graphic - Spanish; April 2022
- 12 Themes Color Graphic - French; April 2022
- 12 Themes Color Graphic - German
- 12 Themes Color Graphic - Italian
- IYRP Poster for GASL Conference (Sept. 2019)
- IYRP PowerPoint Presentation (CELEP; June 2019)
- Open Flyer, general (Chinese; 2019)
- Open Flyer, general (Spanish; 2019)
- 12 Possible Monthly Themes for an IYRP (DRAFT - August 2020; Chinese)
- 12 Possible Monthly Themes for an IYRP (February, 2019; Russian)
- Press Release: Cancun Statement (FAO; 23 December 2016)
- Press Release (Spanish) for CBD COP13 Side Event
- CELEP News: Campaign for IYRP
- Press Release IYRP & Support for UNEA-2 Resolution (SRM, RP, IRC, IGC)
- Press release on Side Event: UNEA-2
- Press release on UNEA-2 Side Event and resolution
- CBD COP13 Side Event Concept Paper (December 2016)
- Poster, CBD COP13 Side Event (December 2016)
- UNEA-2 Open Flyer (May 2016)
Presentations and Posters
- IYRP History and Update for the PKH Annual Meeting (PPT, December 2020)
- IYRP History, Process, Priority Themes and Way Forward (Voice Over PPT, July 2020)
- IYRP Open Space Session Report (Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock Conference, September 10, 2019)
- IYRP Poster (Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock Conference, September 20, 2019)
- Rangelands and the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (Global Landscapes Forum, June 23rd, 2019)
- A Global Call for a UNIYRP (Conference on Pastoralism & Rangelands Restoration, Burkina Faso, June 19, 2019)
- The Process for Gaining an IYRP & UNEA2 Outcomes (SRM conference workshop, January 31, 2017)
- Report from Australia & International Rangelands Congress 2016 - Saskatoon (SRM conference workshop, January 31, 2017)
- Report from International Grasslands Congress (SRM conference workshop, January 31, 2017)
- FAO's Advocacy Activites on Pastoralism (SRM conference workshop, January 31, 2017)
- IUCN Video Presentation for Workshop on IYRP (SRM conference workshop, January 31, 2017)
- Report on Side Event CBD COP13 (SRM conference workshop, January 31, 2017)
- Planning & Implementing an Integrated Marketing Plan: International Year of Soils (SRM conference workshop, January 31, 2017)
- Impact Strategy for an IYRP (SRM conference workshop, January 31, 2017)
- Key Messages: Cancun Side Event (CBD COP 13, Huber-Sannwald Keynote, December 2016)
- World's Grasslands & Rangelands at Risk: The Role of Pastoralists & Livestock to Conserve Biodiversity (CBD COP13 poster)
Joint International Rangelands & Grasslands Congress, 2021
Global Grassland & Savannah Dialogue Platform
- Dialogue Platform Website
- Briefing: Grassland-Savannah Priorities (October 17, 2020)
- Notes Grasslands Dialogue Meeting (July 21, 2020)
- Presentation: Remote Sensing for Grassland Mapping & Monitoring (July 21, 2020)
- Presentation: Mapping as a tool for filling data gaps in grasslands and savannahs (July 21, 2020)
- Presentation: Global Grasslands External Kick Off (July 21, 2020)
- Launching the Grasslands & Savannah Dialogue Platform (RP Newsletter article; July 2020)
International Year Resolution Resources
- Example Committees for Supporting International Years (December 2018)
- Blue Book Directory of Mission Delegations to the United Nations (June 2016)
- Resolution Guidelines
- UN International Years: 1950-2017
- FAO Policy on Proclamation and Implementation of International Years (2013)
- FAO Policy on Proclamation and Implementation of International Years (2016)
Related Declarations
- Declaration of the 4th civil society gathering Désertif’actions (June 2019)
- UNEA-4 Resolution: Innovations in sustainable rangelands and pastoralism (March 2019)
- International Year of Indigenous Languages for 2019 (December 2016); website
- Civil Society Declaration from the Agroecology Symposium (April 2018)
- Internationald Year of Camelids Declared for 2024 (October 2017)
- Johkamohkki Declaration, 6th World Reindeer Herders' Congress, Sweden (August 2017)
- Kenya Resolution on International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists Submitted to FAO (May 2017)
- Note Verbale on Rangelands and Pastoralists (May 2017)
- CELEP Statement on International Year of Rangelands & Pastoralists (January 2017)
- Society for Range Management Resolution on a United Nations IYRP, 2020 (2017)
- Cancun Statement: Promoting sustainable pastoralism & livestock production for the conservation of biodiversity in grasslands (2016)
- UNEA-2 Resolution: Combating desertification, land degradation, & drought and promoting sustainable pastoralism and rangelands (2016)
- FAO Pastoralist Knowledge Hub List of Declarations
- Hustai Declaration on Pastoralism and Nomadic People for Central Asia (2015)
- Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein Declaration: Shepherd Net (June 2015)
- UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2014) - See paragraph 48 for pastoralism statement of support
- UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2013) - See paragraph 34 for pastoralism statement of support
- World Soil Day and International Year of Soils (2013)
- International Year of Pulses (2013)
- N'Djamena Declaration on the Contribution of Pastoralist Livestock (2013)
- MERA Declaration: Women Pastoralists (2012)
- AU Framework on Pastoralism in Africa (2012)
- Nouakchott Declaration (2013)
- The Barioche Temperate Grasslands Declaration (2010)
- Segovia Declaration of Nomadic and Transhumant Pastoralists (2007)
- The Kiserian Pastoralist Statement
- Hohhot Declaration (2008)
Upcoming and Past Events
Worldwide IYRP Activities
- ILC Rangelands Initiative Global Annual Planning Meeting, November 20-21, 2019
- Pastoralist Knowledge Hub Meeting Report, November 18-19, 2019
- Global Landscapes Forum "Restore the Earth" 2019
- UNCCD COP14 Press Release: Monitoring and Combating Land Degradation in Pastoral Areas – Are Participatory Approaches Important?
- Some Activities Undertaken Re: IYRP by Region and Country
Background Resources (Documents, Web, News, and Photos)
- SRM DC Update, 1-30-20 - IYRP Meeting at U.S. State Department
- Climate-Smart Investments in Rangelands (Asia Development Bank, November 2019)
- A 5-Minute Starter on Rangelands and Why They Matter (June 2019)
- CELEP Toolbox for Advocacy (2019; 20 pages)
- For Karamojong, Pastoralism is Our Future, Not Our Past (Uganda; May 27, 2019)
- Pastoralists as Family Farmers (CELEP, ILC, RIG, IYRP; 2019; English)
- Pastoralists as Family Farmers (CELEP, ILC, RIG, IYRP; 2019; French)
- Pastoralists as Family Farmers (CELEP, ILC, RIG, IYRP; 2019; Spanish)
- Pastorialists as Family Farmers: some more details (CELEP, ILC, RIG, IYRP; 2019; 10 pages)
- Pastoralism & the SDGs: How supporting pastoralism can help realise the Sustainable Development Goals (CELEP, 2019)
- Improving Governance of Pastoral Lands: A Technical Guide (FAO, 2016)
- Rangelands, Drylands & Pastoralism (Land Portal)
- Pastoralism stories published on the UNEP
- Photos of the UNEA-2 Side Events (ILRI)
- ILRI News blog – UN adopts resolution promoting sustainable pastoralism and rangelands
Film and Video Resources
- GLF New York - Drylands and Rangelands: Harnessing Change (October 2019)
- Perspectives on Pastoralism Film Festival (Kassel, September 2019 & Brussels, October 2019)
- Global Landscape Forum: Drylands and Rangelands Session (September 2019)
- Conservation South Africa "Rangelands"