Agro Pastoralism and Husbandry

Historically, hardly any farming could function without animal integration. Today, animal husbandry still plays a role in most farming systems, albeit with varying significance and intensity. However, despite its recognised importance for rural economies and livelihoods, animal husbandry is increasingly coming in for criticism. Whereas calls for a general restriction of animal husbandry are on the increase in politics and civil society in the Global North, many governments in the Global South want to curb nomadic husbandry and related ways of living. Welthungerhilfe is campaigning for recognising locally well adapted nomadic and semi-nomadic as sustainable livelihood systems and promotes economically and ecologically viable production of animal products in accordance with ambitious animal welfare standards and environmental resources. However, also nomadic ways of extracting eco-resources must gradually change to balancing extraction with protection of natural regeneration and limited inputs for stability.