Grasslands, savannahs and shrublands comprise over half of the Earth’s terrestrial surface, two-thirds (62 percent) of which are found across Africa. These ecosystems are integral to the livelihoods of an estimated 50 million pastoralists and directly support at least 200 million people. However, approximately 700 million hectares of these ecosystems are degraded, threatening water catchment, carbon sequestration, and community livelihoods. 

This side event will explore the critical role of sustainable livestock management in restoring rangelands, improving soil health, and mitigating climate change. It will highlight how properly managed livestock can serve as a mechanism to reverse rangeland degradation, enhance soil organic carbon (SOC), and promote ecosystem resilience. 

Key topics will include the profiling of grasslands and savannahs as well as soil carbon as integral to these solutions. The event will showcase successful conservation strategies that advance the wellbeing of communal livestock farmers, rebuild ecosystems resilience and sequester carbon. Evidence from community-led initiatives will demonstrate the economic, social, and environmental benefits of integrating livestock into land restoration efforts. These initiatives not only improve biodiversity and soil health but also provide economic value to farmers and pastoralists through improved livestock sales, leading to better livelihoods and food security.

A focal point will be the Herding for Health (H4H) model, a climate smart grazing approach for managing and restoring grasslands, savannahs and shrublands across Africa. The event will explore opportunities for scaling this model to achieve broader impacts. 

The event will focus on how these approaches can contribute to the broader UNCCD goals, including restoration of 1.5 billion hectares of degraded ecosystems by 2050. Emphasis will be placed on mobilizing investment in climate-smart, resilient agricultural models that offer both adaptation and mitigation benefits. The need for supportive policies and multi-stakeholder partnerships to scale these solutions will also be addressed. 

Participants will gain insights from a keynote presentation, a fireside chat with speakers, and a Q&A session, exploring the opportunities and challenges of using livestock as a mechanism for rangeland restoration. The event will conclude with a call to action for increased investment and collaboration in sustainable livestock management to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality, improve soil health, and contribute to global development goals. 

Moderator: Christine Magaju, Research Associate, CIFOR-ICRAF 

Speakers:

• Zvi Tangawamira, Herding for Health Programme Senior Programme Manager, Peace Parks
• Seif Hamisi, Director, Africa Rangelands Program, Conservation International 
• Smallholder farmer/CBO
• Pastoralist
• Muralee Thummaruk, G20 Global Land Initiative
• Mamadou Diakhite, Acting Head of Environmental Sustainability, AUDA-NEPAD AF100
• Lieke Verhofstad, Rabobank
• Leigh Winowiecki, CIFOR-ICRAF and Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health
• Fiona Flintan, ILRI