Tenure, livelihoods and sustainable development — rangelands as systems for multiple land use and livelihood support

Abstract

Conventional rangeland management has focused on optimisation of secondary production. Yet rangelands provide multiple goods and services at local and landscape scales. The diversity of resources available from rangelands underpins the livelihood security of developed and underdeveloped rural communities across all continents. This diversity of resources, and consequent livelihood options, is receiving greater recognition in management and research fora, whilst simultaneously offering greater opportunities for new and innovative uses of rangelands for subsistence and commercial needs. The session will appraise the diversity of rangeland resources used by rural communities and examine the viability and sustainability of different livelihood options within rangelands.