Managing grasslands for planet and profits: The essential role of pastoralism

Acknowledgments

Patrick Worms (CIFOR-ICRAF) authored this Insights Brief on managing grasslands for planet and profits.

The brief was further enriched by a continent-wide virtual learning and exchange event co-organised by Patrick Worms and Constance Neely (SHARED, CIFOR-ICRAF) as part of the SHARED Learning Exchange series. The event convened multiple thematic experts who contributed case studies and innovations demonstrating the critical role of regenerative grazing in land restoration.

Suggested citation:
Regreening Africa. 2022. Pastoralism: Climate-smart, effective grassland management. Regreening Africa Insights Series Volume 1. World Agroforestry, Nairobi, Kenya.

Summary for Policymakers

Pastoralism and livestock are central to African farming systems, particularly in drylands where cropping is often impractical. Well-managed grazing and mobile pastoral systems can produce nutritious food while restoring degraded landscapes, supporting biodiversity, and strengthening water and carbon cycles.

Yet pastoralism is increasingly undermined by population pressure, expanding croplands, and negative policy narratives that portray it as inefficient or harmful, leading to misguided push for sedentarization. These perceptions contradict growing evidence that adaptive grazing is a powerful tool for landscape regeneration and climate mitigation, recognized by Project Drawdown and the IPCC.

Regreening Africa’s work shows that integrating livestock into restoration—through agroforestry systems and co-developed seasonal grazing plans—can enhance ecological outcomes while strengthening rural resilience and livelihoods across diverse African landscapes.