Africa’s rangelands, crucial for food security and rural livelihoods, face multiple threats under climate change (CC), including desertification, woody encroachment and extreme weather. In this event, jointly led by researchers from SLU and Nelson Mandela University, we explore the thesis that solutions for these challenges might lie in wild grazing systems. Such rangelands may provide enormous opportunities for CC mitigation, through carbon storage, altered fire dynamics, increased albedo and reduced methane production, while achieving equitable social empowerment. In this small workshop, we will bring together scientists from diverse disciplines to explore this thesis and identify knowledge gaps, exploring opportunities for a collaborative synthesis and future research opportunities.
Keywords: grazing systems, food security, rural livelihoods, rewilding, natural resources.
Venue: Nelson Mandela University, Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Summerstrand South Campus, Port Elizabeth
Contact details: Prof. Dr. Graham Kerley,
graham.kerley@mandela.ac.za, 083 633 3088