The year 2026 has been declared the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 https://www.fao.org/rangelands-pastoralists-2026/en, recognizing the global importance of pastoral systems for food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience. In the Western Balkans, pastoralism is deeply rooted in transhumance traditions and mountain ecosystems, yet it faces increasing socio-economic and environmental pressures. The IYRP–WBRG Launch Webinar serves as a strategic platform to initiate regional dialogue and mobilize stakeholders ahead of the Western Balkans Regional Gathering of Pastoralists (WBRG).

Pastoralist communities are at a critical crossroads. They face economic marginalization, shrinking access to grazing lands, climate-induced stress on ecosystems, and weakening recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems. Policy gaps, restrictive conservation regimes, and youth migration further threaten the sustainability of pastoral livelihoods. There is an urgent need to amplify pastoralist voices, foster cross-border cooperation, and align regional efforts with global IYRP priorities to ensure resilience, equity, and sustainability.

The webinar aims to build awareness, initiate multi-stakeholder dialogue, and set the foundation for coordinated regional action. It seeks to connect experts, pastoralists, policymakers, and civil society to jointly examine challenges, share knowledge, and outline a roadmap for strengthening pastoral systems in the Western Balkans.

The multidimensional challenges confronting shepherds and pastoral communities are deeply interconnected, reflecting structural inequalities, environmental pressures, and policy neglect.

1. Land Tenure Insecurity and Restricted Access to Pastures

One of the most pressing issues is the lack of secure land tenure. Pastoral systems depend on commons — shared grazing lands, seasonal pastures, and migration corridors — yet legal frameworks often fail to recognize customary rights. This has resulted in land fragmentation, privatization, and increasing conflicts over access to resources. In Albania, unclear land titles and overlapping claims further exacerbate the situation, leaving shepherds vulnerable to exclusion.

2. Decline of Transhumance and Mobility Restrictions

Transhumance, the seasonal movement of livestock, is central to sustainable pastoralism. However, it is increasingly under threat due to border controls, infrastructure expansion, and land-use changes. Traditional migration routes are disrupted, limiting pastoralists’ ability to adapt to climatic variability. As mobility declines, so does the resilience of pastoral systems that have evolved over centuries to manage ecological uncertainty.

3. Climate Change and Environmental Stress

Pastoralists are on the frontline of climate change impacts. Increasing droughts, irregular snowfall, shrinking alpine pastures, and rising wildfire risks are reducing pasture productivity and threatening livestock survival. Despite their deep ecological knowledge and adaptive practices, pastoralists are rarely included in climate policy frameworks, leading to missed opportunities for nature-based solutions.

4. Misguided Conservation Policies and Biodiversity Paradox

While pastoralism has historically contributed to maintaining biodiversity-rich landscapes, conservation policies often exclude grazing from protected areas. This creates a paradox where pastoralists — traditional stewards of ecosystems — are treated as threats rather than partners. Such policies not only undermine livelihoods but may also lead to unintended ecological consequences, such as shrub encroachment and increased wildfire risks.

5. Economic Marginalization and Weak Value Chains

Shepherds face significant economic challenges, including poor market access, low profitability of livestock products, and lack of infrastructure. Traditional products such as cheese, wool, and meat are often undervalued despite their high quality. Weak integration into value chains, absence of certification systems, and price volatility further discourage investment in pastoral livelihoods. These conditions contribute to a cycle of poverty and marginalization.

6. Cultural Erosion and Loss of Traditional Knowledge

Pastoralism embodies centuries-old knowledge systems, including grazing cycles, animal breeding, and weather prediction. However, globalization, urban migration, and modernization are eroding these traditions. The loss of transhumance practices and indigenous knowledge threatens not only cultural identity but also sustainable land management practices that have long supported biodiversity.

7. Demographic Decline and Labour Shortages

Rural depopulation and youth migration are leading to aging pastoral populations. Younger generations perceive pastoralism as economically unviable and socially undervalued. As a result, labour shortages are becoming acute, and knowledge transfer between generations is weakening, jeopardizing the continuity of pastoral systems.

8. Policy Invisibility and Institutional Fragmentation

Pastoralists remain largely invisible in policy frameworks. Responsibilities for pastoralism are fragmented across multiple institutions, leading to incoherent policies that fail to address the specific needs of mobile livestock systems. This lack of recognition results in inadequate support services, inappropriate regulations, and exclusion from decision-making processes.

9. Lack of Infrastructure and Essential Services

Basic infrastructure, such as water systems, shelters, roads, and digital connectivity, is often lacking in pastoral areas. In addition, veterinary and extension services are insufficient and poorly adapted to mobile systems. These gaps significantly constrain productivity, animal health, and overall livelihood security.

10. Encroachment by Large-Scale Development and Extractive Projects

Large-scale development interventions — such as hydropower dams, mining operations, tourism infrastructure, wind energy parks, and other extractive industries — are increasingly enclosing traditional grazing commons across the world, including the Western Balkans. These projects often proceed without meaningful consultation with pastoralists, leading to dispossession and fragmentation of rangelands. As grazing routes are blocked and ecosystems degraded, livestock mobility is severely constrained. In this process, the land and resource rights of pastoralists become the first casualties, undermining both livelihoods and centuries-old transhumance systems.

The webinar will address critical themes including economic marginalization and hostile markets, climate change impacts on rangelands, land rights and livestock mobility, and tensions between conservation policies and pastoral rights. It will explore cultural erosion, loss of traditional knowledge, and youth migration affecting pastoral continuity. Voices from shepherd communities will provide grounded perspectives, while expert-led discussions will propose pathways on land governance, climate adaptation, pastoral economy, and inclusion of women and youth. The session will also highlight regional cooperation mechanisms, presenting the WBRG roadmap, including the development of a Western Balkans Declaration of Pastoralists and long-term advocacy initiatives.

21 May 2026 | Duration: 180 Minutes
14.00 Hours CEST — 17.00 Hours CEST (Central European Summer Time)

Problems and issues will be presented by experts (10 min each)

3 short testimonies (5 min each)

Invited speakers will speak on (7 min each)

Presentation of > Dr. Hasrat Arjjumend