Workshop on Rangelands, Transhumance and Pastoralism

Progress of Preparatory Workshops

Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on
Rangelands, Transhumance and Pastoralism

9 November 2025 | Skhoder, Albania

As part of Pre-Gathering preparatory activities, we organized Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on Rangelands, Transhumance and Pastoralism (1 day) with the partnership and leadership of local organizations organization in Western Balkan countries/ zones.

This 1-day Workshop considered an agenda for discussions:

Importance and Challenges of Pastoralism and Shepherds Globally
Transhumance, Pastoralism and Landscapes in Balkan country/zone
Plan of Regional Gathering (April 2026), and Constitution of National/Zonal Organizing Committee
How to prepare for Regional Gathering: inviting collaborations; arranging logistics; mobilizing stakeholders; mobilizing shepherd participants; promotion through media and social media; volunteering etc.

The participants invited in the Workshop were: municipalities, agriculture department, regional authority, local NGOs, citizen groups, shepherd associations/groups, chamber of agriculture commerce, business groups dealing in animal products, academic/research institutions, local colleges, local school administration, and others.

At the ARKA Youth Center Skhoder, about 9 shepherds and 3 CSOs, 2 academic experts, one veterinary Officer and a few others (total 16-17 participants) gathered. There were a series of discussions: 1) fundamental reasons of dispossession of pastoralists from common resources; 2) bases of negative attitudes of government machinery towards pastoralists; 3) unwritten and written customary rights of shepherds on lands; 4) suspended or restricted rights of mobility across the grazing spaces; 5) rapidly declining population of pastoralists practicing herding; 6) need of organizing together and assert for rights. IYRP Regional Gathering was also discussed with the participants.

The plan of pre-gathering, during-gathering and post-gathering activities was discussed and presented by Dr. Arjjumend using the flit chart. Signature Campaign and Public Hearings would be the key activities in pre-gathering phase. Public Hearing will be instrumental in documenting the problems and issues of the shepherds at local level and area level. The documentation of these problems will lead to the preparation of Western Balkans Declaration of Pastoralists.

Acknowledgment

ARKAS Youth Centre Skhoder is acknowledged and thanked for their in-kind contribution to provide training/workshop room equipped with all facilities. It is highly appreciated.