Phunthso, Karma

Yi, Shaoliang

English

University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky UKnowledge International Grassland Congress Proceedings XXI International Grassland Congress / VIII International Rangeland Congress Knowledge Evolution and Policy Changes in Rangeland Management of HKH Region Karma Phunthso International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Nepal Shaoliang Yi International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Nepal Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc  Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/21/18-1/40 The XXI International Grassland Congress / VIII International Rangeland Congress took place in Hohhot, China from June 29 through July 5, 2008. Proceedings edited by Organizing Committee of 2008 IGC/IRC Conference Published by Guangdong People's Publishing House This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Plant and Soil Sciences at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Grassland Congress Proceedings by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact UKnowledge@lsv.uky.edu. 瞯 ]936　 瞯 　 Multifunctional Grasslands in a Changing World 　 Volume Ⅱ 　Grasslands/Rangelands People and Policies——— Policy Issues for Grasslands/RangelandsKnowledge evolution and policy changes in rangeland management of HKH regionK arma Phunthso 倡 Y i ShaoliangInternational Central f or Integrated Mountain Management ( ICIMOD) , K athmandu , Nepal倡 Correspondence : kphuntsho＠ icimod .orgKey words : common pool resources , rangeland policy , Hindu Kush‐Himalaya , disequilibrium systemIntroduction Rangelands , typical common pool resources , constitute more than ６０％ of ecosystem of the Hindu Kush Himalaya( HKH) Region . Over the years , theoretical advancement added new knowledge to rangeland ecology and common poolresources management . The academic circle has generally accepted that a major policy re‐orientation based on sound ecologicaland social understanding is needed ( Blench , ２００１ ) .This paper seeks to examine how the new knowledge has shaped therangeland policy in the region .Materials and methods Research findings on rangeland ecology and policy documents that are in force in the HKH Region havebeen gathered . The policy documents have been studied to discern the correspondence between the research findings and policyprovisions .Results and discussion The role of self‐governing indigenous institutions is critically important for sustainable management ofcommon pool resources (Dietz et al , ２００３ ) . Stakeholder participation with secure tenure right and clear property boundary isindispensable to guarantee the flexibility needed for pastoralists to make use of the highly variable , heterogeneous and patchyresources . This finding is a breakaway from the theory of �T ragedy of the Commons" upon which many governmental policieson common property management have been founded . On the other hand , new current literature suggests that rangelands inarid and semi‐arid regions are�disequilibrium systems" ( Gilson , ２００７ ) . In this system climatic variability , especially erraticrainfall , of ten keeps the animal population below a threshold . Density‐dependent animal‐vegetation interaction never occurs ,making the concept of carrying capacity , which has been successfully used by commercial ranches for livestock management ,irrelevant . Further , pastoralism is increasingly recognized as a socio‐ecological mode of culture and rangeland resources in thearid and semi‐arid regions should at best be used through extensive grazing . Animal mobility , as opposed to sedentarization , isof utmost importance for sustained development as the role of technological innovations in raising rangeland productivity islimited (Blench , ２００１) . Especially , market‐oriented development will be highly detrimental to rangeland ecosystems .The rangeland policies in the HKH region differ from country to country , though , invariably , across the region , the ownershipof the rangelands is vested with the State . Except in China there is no rangeland policy per se . The rangeland matters are eithergoverned by other policies and policy instruments such as Forest and Land Policies and Acts . Some countries ( Afghanistan ,Bhutan , China , Nepal) grant user rights to the pastoralists , while in some cases ( Pakistan , India) some pastoralists do nothave guaranteed user rights while some have . In some cases ( Bhutan , China , India , Nepal) the user rights are spread acrossthe summer and winter grazing areas allowing season‐dependent vertical migrations . In some cases ( Bhutan , India , Nepal ,Pakistan) , there are conflicting land use between Forestry and Pasture . In China , India and Pakistan the policy intention tosedentarize the pastoralists is discernable .Conclusions The review of rangeland policies of the governments in the HKH region reveals that none of the governments havepursued polices to promote the management of rangeland resources through self‐governing indigenous institutions . The policyexpression to sedentarize pastoralism and promotion of intensive use of rangeland is obvious in some countries ( China , India) .In some cases (China , Nepal and Pakistan) , other land uses such as afforestation , community forestry , horticulture , etc . haveundermined the sustainable use of rangelands .ReferencesBanks T , ２００３ . Property Rights Reform in Rangeland China : Dilemmas On the Road to the Household Ranch . MasseyUniversity , Palmerston North , New Zealand .Blench , R . , ２００１ . Pastoralism in the New Millennium . FAO . www .fao .org / docrep/００５ / y２６４７E/y２７４７e００ .htm , accessed onJuly ２０ , ２００７ .Dietz , T . , Ostrom , E . , Stern , P .C . , ２００３ . The Struggle to Govern the Commons . Science ３０２ (５６５２) : １９０７‐１９１２ .Gilson , L . , Hoffman , M .T . , ２００７ . Rangeland Ecology in a Changing World . Science ３１５ : ５３‐５４ .Sadar , R .M , ２００３ .Agropastoral production systems of high altitude pastures of the upper Kaghan Valley , North WestFrontier Province , Pakistan , Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations , Rome .Sikandar S , ２００６ . A case study on rangeland management : legal context in Nepal . Satdobata , Lalitpur , Nepal .Sharma , P .V , Rollesfson , I . K , Morton , J . undated : Pastoralism in India : A Scoping Study . Centre for Manageemtn inAgriculture , Indian Institute of Management , Ahmedabad , India .１９７９ , Land Act of Bhutan , Ministry of Home Affairs , Royal Government of Bhutan , Thimphu , Bhutan .

Knowledge Evolution and Policy Changes in Rangeland Management of HKH Region

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Knowledge Evolution and Policy Changes in Rangeland Management of HKH Region

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