LETTERS
Update on International Year on
Rangelands and Pastoralism
Maryam Niamir-Fuller
Vice Chair International Support Group for IYRP
E-mail Address: [email protected]
Dear Colleagues
The Government of Mongolia has stepped
up to take leadership in proposing an Inter-
national Year on Rangelands and Pastoral-
ism (IYRP) at the recent Committee of Agri-
culture (COAG) of FAO in Rome in October
2018. The COAG subsequently decided to
put the issue for formal review/approval at
their next meeting in October 2020. The
likely date for an IYRP is 2028, but there
might be a chance for 2026.
We are pleased that the IYRP is now formal-
ly in the UN process. But there is much to do
between now and 2020. Most importantly
being that the leadership shown by Mon-
golia now needs to be supported by other
countries, partners and civil society, so that,
by the time the issue is debated at COAG
2020, it can be approved seamlessly.
Furthermore, COAG rules require that Gov-
ernments supporting such an IY should pro-
vide evidence of budgetary support. While
the COAG debate is two years away, in fact
there is only about 1.5 years left for all of
us to find ways to ensure that governments
are ready to support this initiative (because
the Mongolian proposal and all other ex-
pressions of support should be submitted
months before the actual meeting).
With Mongolia now a formally leading coun-
try, it is time that we consider restructuring
our “international steering committee”.
Perhaps a more apt title for our partnership
would be an “international support group”.
On behalf of this group, Jim has now sent to
the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light
Industry of Mongolia a letter to assure him
of our continued support and to seek guid-
ance on how best we can exercise that.
We have also contacted FAO to seek their
guidance on how our international partner-
ship can be of help, and to give clarity on
next steps in the formal process. It would
be good if through your own networks you
could contact the different countries and
organizations that have shown interest, in
order to update them on the steps taken by
Mongolia and the progress within the FAO
process. Once we hear back from Mongolia
and FAO, we can offer more clarity on the
next steps.
The main theme will be innovative solutions
for environmental challenges, and sustaina-
ble consumption and production (very close
to our themes). It would be good to find a
way to raise awareness on the IYRP at UNEA
– whether through side events, or through
other means.
Do let us know if there are other events
coming up that you intend to participate in,
and the possibility of raising the profile of
the IYRP.
Smart Farming/Precision
Agriculture conference.
Radisson Blue Le Vendome,
Cape Town. Cost: R5,748.85.
Contact Ryan on 073 946 9796
10 - 14 Feb 2019
Society for Range Management
Annual Meeting Gateway to the
Prairie. Minneapolis, Minnesota
Visit http://bit.ly/2ONEBYg for
more details
3 - 8 March 2019
International Savanna
Science Network Meeting.
See webpage for more details
www.savannascience.com
10 - 15 March 2019
We look forward to hearing from you
Dr. Maryam Niamir-Fuller
11-15 March 2019
2020
28 - 29 Nov 2018
Also, we should continue to raise awareness
as we have done in the past, during upcom-
ing events. In particular, I would like to know
who intends to attend the UNEA confer-
ence in Nairobi on 11–15 March 2019.
Fourth Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-4)
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
For more information: http://bit.ly/2P7IXK9
Joint International Grassland-
International Rangeland
Congress to be held in Nairobi
in 2020. Information is available
here: http://bit.ly/2NY3CQR
UPCOMING
EVENTS
22 - 27 Sept 2019
African Conference for Linear
Infrastructure and Ecology.
Centred on the theme ‘Building
Partnerships and Investing in
Nature: the Linear Way in
Africa. For more details,
contact Wendy Collinson:
[email protected]
8th World Conference on
Ecological Restoration to be
held in Cape Town, South Africa.
Visit https://ser2019.org/ for
more details.
If you would like to advertise
your upcoming event, please
contact us and we will
include it in our
next edition.
03
Grassroots
Vol 18
No 4
December 2018