Advance Certificate (Online) | P-001

Pastures, Pastoralism and Rangeland Governance

Course Director: Dr. Hasrat Arjjumend

Welcome to the short course ‘Advanced Certificate on Pastures, Pastoralism and Rangeland Governance’. It is of 6 weeks duration. First 3 weeks will be devoted to learning 3 Modules, each having 6 Units. Upon completion of 3 Modules in 3 weeks, all the students will choose a topic from the suggested list, or will propose a topic from their side. On this topic, the student will undertake a field study and write a case Study or Project Document. For all 3 Modules, 3 different Instructors will facilitate the course. The objectives and intended outcome may be browsed on the web link https://grassrootsinstitute.ca/courses/p-001.php.

What is expected from student? A student needs to spend average 3 hours every day to read and comprehend the written content in the lessons, and fulfil the requirements of the everyday lessons. One Unit has to be completed within one day. There are 6 Units under one Module and all these 6 Units should be completed within one week. Thus, approximately 18 hours need to be spared and devoted by the student to complete one Module. All 3 Modules will require 54 hours commitment by the student. Additional 6 hours overall will be required to answer the Quizzes. Moreover, 24 hours will be spent by a student on different Zoom sessions. Thus, total 84 hours need to be spent on completing course work spanned over 3 Modules.

Upon completion of 3 weeks long 3 Modules, the student will book the Certificate through the link provided at the end of lessons.

On submission of field work based Case Study or Project Document, the Advance Certificate will be sent to the student by email upon a claim by the student.

The students will read text of the lessons, watch the videos, answer the questions in the Forum P-001, attempt the quizes, attend the Livestream Zoom sessions of Instructors and Field Practitioners, join the Global Lectures on Zoom, and so on.

Now, we wish you all the best in your studies and expect your full cooperation.

Course Director: Dr. Hasrat Arjjumend
Academic Instructor - Module 1: Dr. Muhammad Khurshid
Academic Instructors - Module 2: Dr. Abdelaziz Karamalla Gaiballa |  Dr. Evan F. Griffith
Academic Instructor - Module 3: Dr. Hasrat Arjjumend
Field Practitioners: Dr. Hijaba Ykhanbai | Ms. Kuluipa Akmatova | Ms. Elvira Maratova | Celia Alba Martinez Aragon | Dr. Hussein Tadicha Wario |
  Mr. Oleksandr Koval

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MODULE 1: PASTURES AND RANGELANDS

Unit 1.1: Pasture and Rangeland Ecosystem 

1.1.1 Introduction to Pastures and Rangelands
1.1.2 Geographical Extent of Rangelands
1.1.3 Socio-Economic and Ecological Functions of Rangelands 
1.1.4 Sustainable Rangeland Management and Contributions to the SDGs

Unit 1.2: Pastures and Pastoralists Communities (Case Studies)

1.2.1 Pastoralism or Pastoral System 
1.2.2 Case Study: Pasturing System in Kazakhstan
1.2.3 A Case of Pastoralists from Himalayan Region
1.2.4 Socio-Cultural Features of Pastoral Societies 
1.2.5 Key Challenges 

Unit 1.3: Pasture Biodiversity and Ecology of Species

1.3.1 What is Biodiversity? 
1.3.2 Pasture Biodiversity
1.3.3 Major Threats to Pastures Biodiversity 

Unit 1.4: Participatory Pasture Conservation 

1.4.1 Understanding Participatory Process 
1.4.2 Participatory Pastures Management and Conservation 
1.4.3 Pasture Management Plan 
1.4.4 Case Study: Community based Pasture Management in Kyrgyzstan: Success and lesson learned 

Unit 1.5: Natural Livestock Farming and Grazing Management 

1.5.1 Natural Livestock Farming 
1.5.2 Animal Health Care
1.5.3 Grazing Management
1.5.4 Rotational Grazing: Best Management Practice
1.5.5 Continuous Grazing and Overgrazing

Unit 1.6: Sustainable Livelihood of Shepherds and Pasture Tourism

1.6.1 Pastoral Livelihoods in Sustainability Context 
1.6.2 Pastoralism as a Risk Management Strategy 
1.6.3 Pastoral Livelihood’s Assets 
1.6.4 Pastoral Tourism

MODULE 2: PASTORALISM AND TRANSHUMANCE

Unit 2.1: Pastoralism and Transhumance

2.1.1 Pastoralism
2.1.2 Transhumance

Unit 2.2: Pastoralism and Logic of Mobility

2.2.1 Understanding the Mobility
2.2.2 Logic of Mobility

Unit 2.3: Pastoralism and Development: A Critical Debate

2.3.1 Views on Pastoralism in Development Context
2.3.2 Future of Pastoralism

Unit 2.4: Traveling through Landscapes

2.4.1 Understanding Landscape Concept
2.4.2 Pastoralism and Landscape

Unit 2.5: Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Herders

2.5.1 Introducing Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Pastoralism
2.5.2. Pastoral Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Action
2.5.3. Traditional Ecological Knowledge under Threat

Unit 2.6: Climate Change Adaptation Measures by Local Communities

2.6.1. Vulnerability and Resilience
2.6.2. Lessons from Pastoralists in Climate Resilience
2.6.3. Conclusion

MODULE 3: RANGELAND GOVERNANCE AND POLICIES

Unit 3.1: Problems and Issues Challenging the Rangelands and Pastoralism

3.1.1 Participatory Exercise in Forum P-001 
3.1.2 Exclusion of Nomadic Pastoralists and Policy Asymmetry 

Unit 3.2: Enclosure, Fragmentation and Conversion of Rangelands

3.2.1 Understanding the Enclosure of Commons and Grazing Pastures
3.2.2 Implications of Enclosure of Commons
3.2.3 Use of Legal and Policy Instruments to Enclose the Lands 
3.2.4 Fragmentation and Conversion of Rangelands 
3.2.5 Impacts of Fragmentation and Conversion

Unit 3.3: Governance of Pastures and Grasslands: Role of Local Institutions

3.3.1 Dissecting the Incorrect Narratives
3.3.2 Case Study: Rangeland Governance and Management in Mongolia
3.3.3 Role of Local Institutions in Rangeland Governance

Unit 3.4: Improving Governance of Pastoral Lands

3.4.1 Importance of Mobility for Pastoral Land Governance
3.4.2 Improving Legislation and Policies

Unit 3.5: EU Common Agriculture Policy and Rangeland Governance

3.5.1 Provisions under Common Agricultural Policy
3.5.2 CAP Implementation Cases

Unit 3.6: World Movements and Rangelands Governance

3.6.1 History of Pastoralist People’s Movements 
3.6.2 Case Study of Gujjar Nomadic Pastoralists
3.6.3 Indicative List of Contemporary Movements and Organizations

SPECIAL MODULE: CASE STUDY AND PROJECT WORK

S-1: Guidelines & Instructions
S-2: Livestream Zoom Session with Course Director & Instructors
S-3: Mid-Term Reporting; Final Submission

CERTIFICATE CLAIMS

PEDAGOGY ADOPTED FOR DELIVERING ONLINE SHORT COURSES

What methods are used?

- Participation in Forum and receiving suggestions from students
- Participation in Forum and reflecting views
- Quiz
- Case Study
- Reading material (PDF attachments are kept well classified and are attached at corresponding locations)
- Videos
- Photos
- Livestream Zoom Session (followed by Participatory Discussions)
   (It may also be a PPT presentation by Instructor)
- Text and narration (with proper references in Harvard style)
- Essential Readings (references with PDF attachment if DOI or link not available) and Optional Readings
- Wrap Up reflection
- Livestream/Zoom Session: Interaction with Field Practitioner (2 in each Module)
- Global Lecture(s)
- Assignment or Project Work or Field-Based Case Study 

Unlock the secrets of sustainable land management with our groundbreaking online course. The course is to support IYRP 2026.

Collaborating Organizations