سازمان منابع طبیعی و آبخیزداری کشور

In the 42^nd FAO Conference, which was held with the participation of Agriculture Ministers of the member countries of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) during 14-18 June 2021, the participant at the conference approved Mongolia’s proposal to name the year 2026 as International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP).

In the Final step, it should be approved at the next UN General Assembly in New York in September 2021. Under the current arrangements, FAO Director-General should formally submit the request for ratification of the year as International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) to the President of the General Assembly.

Milestones passed on long road to IYRP

•      IRC/IGC 2008 Inner Mongolia, PRC: idea arose

•      IRC 2011 Argentina: Resolutions calling for IY of Rangelands and Global Rangelands Assessment

•      Society for Range Management (SRM) and Rangeland Partnership 2015: reinvigorate efforts for IYRP

•      UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA-2) 2016: Resolution on promoting rangelands & pastoralism (R&P) and call for gap analysis

•      IRC 2016 Canada: Agreement on action plan to promote IYRP and form “International Steering Group” (ISG)

•      2018–19: UNEP-funded R&P gap analysis

•      UNEA-4 2019: Africa Group resolution for IYRP

•      Aug 2019: Mongolian Government proposed IYRP to UN; ISG became “International Support Group” to Mongolian team

•      Aug 2019: Mongolian Government proposed IYRP to UN; ISC became “International Support Group” to Mongolian team

•      Oct 2020: FAO Committee on Agriculture (COAG) endorsed Mongolian Government’s proposal for IYRP in 2026

•      Proposal supported by over 150 organisations and over 50 national governments

•      Next hurdles in UN process:

- FAO Council Dec 2020
- FAO Conference June 2021
- United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Sept 2021

 It should be noted that Dr. Badripour FRWO senior Expert who participated actively on his personal capacity in the IYRP International Support Group meetings was appointed as the Chairman of Middle East and North Africa group in regional meeting (December 2020);

For more information, a website has been developed: www.iyrp.info

Important contacts

•      ISG Chair = Jim O’Rourke (jorourke@csc.edu)

•      ISG Vice Chair = Maryam Niamir-Fuller (mniafull2@gmail.com)

•      ISG Communications Team = 

–     Barbara Hutchinson (barbaraH@cals.arizona.edu)

–     Ann Waters-Bayer (waters-bayer@web.de)

–     Engin Yilmaz (engin@bican.net)

•      IYRP archives = 

https://globalrangelands.org/international-year-rangelands-and-pastoralists-initiative