Mountain Alliance for Pastoralists & Minority People
Facilitated by:
The Western Balkans Regional Gathering – Elbasan Zone [Albania], to be held in Librazhd on 30 May 2026, is part of the broader initiative of the Western Balkans Regional Gathering of Pastoralists (WBRG) being organized to align the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) https://www.fao.org/rangelands-pastoralists-2026 and www.iyrp.info. These gatherings are designed as localized platforms that bring together shepherds, ethnic communities, shepherd leaders, civil society actors, veterinary services, municipalities, vocational colleges, academics, and other stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share lived experiences, and strengthen community-driven advocacy on the rights of pastoralists. The Elbasan Zonal Gathering will focus on region-specific challenges and opportunities, particularly those affecting access to grazing lands, livestock mobility, herders’ livelihoods, ecological sustainability, and social inclusion within Albania’s central region.
Set in the mountainous and culturally rich municipality of Librazhd — known for its proximity to natural landscapes and diverse rural communities — the gathering will foster dialogue on participatory development and resilience-building. Through interactive discussions, storytelling, and collaborative planning, participants will contribute to shaping collective strategies aligned with the broader goals of the Regional Gathering process. The participants will sign and pass the Western Balkans Declaration of Pastoralists to highlight their voices for their rights and concerns. The event also aims to amplify shepherd people’s voices and feed local insights into wider regional and global conversations on pastoralism, minority rights, and sustainable development. ALL ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE. For further information, please contact Dr. Kristaq Skenderi, Tel: +355 2061739, Email: kristaqs.veterinary@yahoo.com Read more here: https://minoritymap.org/rg/librazhd
The Western Balkans Regional Gathering of Pastoralists (WBRG) – Elbasan Zonal Gathering, to be held in Librazhd, Albania on 30 May 2026, forms an integral part of the broader Regional Gatherings initiative facilitated by The Grassroots Institute Western Balkans in partnership of various institutions. These gatherings are designed as participatory platforms that bring together pastoralists, shepherds, veterinary services, civil society actors, researchers, and policymakers to collectively deliberate on the future of pastoral systems. Anchored in the spirit of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, the Librazhd meeting represents a critical moment for articulating grassroots perspectives from the Elbasan zone within wider Western Balkans dialogues.
Pastoralism in the Western Balkans — spanning Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia — constitutes one of Europe’s oldest socio-ecological systems. Pastoral communities are custodians of biodiversity, stewards of fragile rangelands, and bearers of rich cultural traditions rooted in transhumance and seasonal mobility. However, despite their contributions to sustainable food systems, ecological balance, and cultural heritage, pastoralists remain marginalized in policy, markets, and development discourse. The Librazhd Gathering is, thus, both a platform for dialogue and a space for advocacy toward recognition, rights, and resilience.
Situated in a mountainous landscape with strong pastoral traditions, Librazhd offers an appropriate setting to host a zonal gathering focused on shepherd communities. The Elbasan Zone reflects many of the broader regional challenges — declining pastoral livelihoods, shrinking grazing lands, and socio-economic transitions affecting rural populations. The Gathering aims to facilitate community-led discussions on these issues while strengthening networks among pastoralists and stakeholders. The event will build upon the objectives outlined in the Western Balkans Regional Gatherings (WBRG) framework, including knowledge exchange, participatory planning, and amplifying grassroots voices. Importantly, it will serve as a bridge between local realities and national/regional/global policy processes, ensuring that the lived experiences of shepherds inform broader strategies on pastoralism, climate resilience, and rights of shepherds. By integrating insights from the WBRG, the Librazhd Gathering seeks to transform identified challenges into actionable pathways.
A central focus of the Elbasan Zonal Gathering is to highlight the multidimensional challenges confronting shepherds and pastoral communities. These challenges are deeply interconnected, reflecting structural inequalities, environmental pressures, and policy neglect.
1. Land Tenure Insecurity and Restricted Access to Pastures
One of the most pressing issues is the lack of secure land tenure. Pastoral systems depend on commons — shared grazing lands, seasonal pastures, and migration corridors — yet legal frameworks often fail to recognize customary rights. This has resulted in land fragmentation, privatization, and increasing conflicts over access to resources. In Albania, unclear land titles and overlapping claims further exacerbate the situation, leaving shepherds vulnerable to exclusion.
2. Decline of Transhumance and Mobility Restrictions
Transhumance, the seasonal movement of livestock, is central to sustainable pastoralism. However, it is increasingly under threat due to border controls, infrastructure expansion, and land-use changes. Traditional migration routes are disrupted, limiting pastoralists’ ability to adapt to climatic variability. As mobility declines, so does the resilience of pastoral systems that have evolved over centuries to manage ecological uncertainty.
3. Climate Change and Environmental Stress
Pastoralists are on the frontline of climate change impacts. Increasing droughts, irregular snowfall, shrinking alpine pastures, and rising wildfire risks are reducing pasture productivity and threatening livestock survival. Despite their deep ecological knowledge and adaptive practices, pastoralists are rarely included in climate policy frameworks, leading to missed opportunities for nature-based solutions.
4. Misguided Conservation Policies and Biodiversity Paradox
While pastoralism has historically contributed to maintaining biodiversity-rich landscapes, conservation policies often exclude grazing from protected areas. This creates a paradox where pastoralists — traditional stewards of ecosystems — are treated as threats rather than partners. Such policies not only undermine livelihoods but may also lead to unintended ecological consequences, such as shrub encroachment and increased wildfire risks.
5. Economic Marginalization and Weak Value Chains
Shepherds face significant economic challenges, including poor market access, low profitability of livestock products, and lack of infrastructure. Traditional products such as cheese, wool, and meat are often undervalued despite their high quality. Weak integration into value chains, absence of certification systems, and price volatility further discourage investment in pastoral livelihoods. These conditions contribute to a cycle of poverty and marginalization.
6. Cultural Erosion and Loss of Traditional Knowledge
Pastoralism embodies centuries-old knowledge systems, including grazing cycles, animal breeding, and weather prediction. However, globalization, urban migration, and modernization are eroding these traditions. The loss of transhumance practices and indigenous knowledge threatens not only cultural identity but also sustainable land management practices that have long supported biodiversity.
7. Demographic Decline and Labour Shortages
Rural depopulation and youth migration are leading to aging pastoral populations. Younger generations perceive pastoralism as economically unviable and socially undervalued. As a result, labour shortages are becoming acute, and knowledge transfer between generations is weakening, jeopardizing the continuity of pastoral systems.
8. Policy Invisibility and Institutional Fragmentation
Pastoralists remain largely invisible in policy frameworks. Responsibilities for pastoralism are fragmented across multiple institutions, leading to incoherent policies that fail to address the specific needs of mobile livestock systems. This lack of recognition results in inadequate support services, inappropriate regulations, and exclusion from decision-making processes.
9. Lack of Infrastructure and Essential Services
Basic infrastructure such as water systems, shelters, roads, and digital connectivity is often lacking in pastoral areas. In addition, veterinary and extension services are insufficient and poorly adapted to mobile systems. These gaps significantly constrain productivity, animal health, and overall livelihood security.
The Elbasan Zonal Gathering at Librazhd is expected to generate a strong, community-driven agenda that reflects the priorities and aspirations of pastoralists. Key outcomes will likely include recommendations for securing land and grazing rights, restoring mobility through transboundary cooperation, integrating pastoralism into climate and biodiversity policies, and strengthening pastoral economies through improved value chains. Equally important is the emphasis on cultural revitalization and youth engagement. Recognizing transhumance as intangible cultural heritage and promoting pastoralism as a viable and dignified profession are critical steps toward sustaining these systems. The Gathering will also reinforce the need for inclusive governance, ensuring that pastoralists are actively involved in shaping policies that affect their lives.
The Western Balkans Regional Gathering – Elbasan Zonal Gathering at Librazhd represents a vital step in re-centring pastoralists within regional development narratives. At a time when pastoral systems face unprecedented challenges, this Gathering offers a platform to articulate collective concerns, share knowledge, and advocate for transformative change. The pastoralism stands at a crossroads — threatened by marginalization yet holding immense potential to address global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable food production. The Librazhd Gathering, thus, serves not only as a regional dialogue but as a Call to Action to recognize, respect, and revitalize pastoral systems as essential pillars of resilient and sustainable futures in the Western Balkans.
Partner & Field Team Leader: Dr. Kristaq Skenderi, +355 2061739
Zonal Coordinator: Jetmir Kola, +355 698587501
Municipality Coordinators: Kujtim Kujtila, +355676466466 | Aqif Faqolli, +355 692435607
NGOs: Pertej te Sotmes (Shpetim Cura), +355682295403 | AlbNatyra (Mr. Gëzim Shuli), +355686724681
TV & Radio: RTSH (Arben Kruta), +355 682023731
Academic: Armando Gjyshka (Agricultural University of Tirana), +355 688812981
Government: Municipality of Librzhd (Mariglen Disha) | Xhek Nezha (Forest Officer), +355696666264
Shepherd Leaders: Adnand Blloshmi, +355682558373 | Hajdar Balla, +355693246677 | Skender Hasa, +355692548285
Overall Facilitators:
