ABSTRACT
This chapter is set against the backdrop of attempts by governments worldwide to settle pastoralists, remove their access to open rangelands through land privatization or conservation schemes, forced settlement and denial of citizenship. Yet, the Indigenous Environmental Knowledge of pastoralist groups in Asia and the Middle East has supported sustainable practices of resource use over many generations. The chapter argues that pastoralist knowledge that encompasses the relationships between social groups, between people and their livestock, and survival strategies in harsh dryland environments is relevant today in our plight to address global challenges.
