he 42nd session of the FAO Conference held from 14th to 18th June endorsed the proposal of an International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) in 2026 by the Mongolian government and adopted the Resolution.

The Conference recognized that a significant number of pastoralists in the world inhabit rangelands and that pastoralism is globally practiced in many different forms. Healthy rangelands are vital for contributing to economic growth, resilient livelihoods, and the sustainable development of pastoralism. It acknowledged the efforts to achieve sustainable rangelands and pastoralism need to be rapidly up-scaled to significantly impact the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Conference acknowledged that FAO has a long-standing work developed in supporting sustainable rangelands and pastoralists from different approaches and thematic areas. It further recognized the relevance of sustainable rangelands and pastoralism to several UN agencies, including the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. It acknowledged their collaborative efforts with intergovernmental, private sector, and civil society partners. Moreover, the Conference called upon the United Nations Decade of Family Farming and the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration to support pastoralists and sustainable rangeland management.