The economic, environmental and social importance of rangelands, and of pastoralists as their custodians, need to be fully recognized, rewarded, safeguarded and protected worldwide.

IYRP 2026 aims to raise awareness of the vital importance of rangelands and pastoralists as their frontline custodians. We recognize the indispensable benefits rangelands provide for supporting the livelihoods and socio-ecological resilience of hundreds of millions of people, conserving bio-cultural diversity, restoring degraded lands, fostering sustainable food systems, and advancing climate action.

The IYRP Global Alliance has four key goals:

• Increase public awareness of the societal value derived from rangelands and pastoralists.
• Promote pastoralist knowledge, innovation and coalition building to meet contemporary needs.
• Advocate for evidence-based policy and legislation that supports sustainable rangeland stewardship and pastoralist livelihoods.
• Foster ethical investment to address challenges confronting rangelands and pastoralists in the 21st century.

The IYRPGlobal Alliance. 2025. IYRP 2026 Global Action Plan. (Ref: Weblink).

The Society of Range Management is a friend and supporter of the IYRP 2026. Funding from this campaign will support the hiring of a communications professional to better amplify the needs of rangelands and the voices of pastoralists globally! The communications person will help to implement a large scale social media campaign that connects with pastoralists, rangeland professionals, rangeland and pastoralist organizations, non-government organizations and government organizations from local to international scales, reaching beyond the choir to share the value that rangelands and pastoralists bring to the world!