Workshop on Rangelands, Transhumance and Pastoralism

Progress of Preparatory Workshops

Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on
Rangelands, Transhumance and Pastoralism

16 November 2025 | Peja, Kosovo

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.

This workshop was organized and conducted by Dr. Blerta Mehmedi Kastrati, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina. About 10-12 participants gathered in Peja on invitation of Dr. Blerta. Prof. Luigj Turmalaj and his wife joined from Tirana. After the brief introduction by Dr. Blerta, Dr. Arjjumend presented the context of the workshop/meeting. Martine Wolff emphasized the need and urgency of the time for shepherds to organize themselves and assert their rights. Pastoralism in the hilly terrains of Alps in Kosovo and the hills bordering Macedonia has been under threat of globalization, changed land tenures, changing lifestyles of new generations, and lack of the support of State. Examples of shepherds’ unique initiatives and their survival of transhumance and animal production amid odd circumstances were presented by different participants. It was decided to start IYRP zonal/national gathering in north-west and south-west Kosovo.