Webinar on pastoralism and link with Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’

What is pastoralism? Is this traditional way of life incompatible with modernity? A webinar on 23 May 2024 showed how pastoralism contributes to national economies, food security, environment and cultural heritage and how it is linked to Pope Francis’s social encyclical Laudato Si’.

The webinar was organised during the Laudato Si’ Week (19–26 May) by the Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), the Union of Superior Generals (USG) and the International Union of Superior Generals (UISG), the Maasai International Solidarity Alliance (MISA) and various pastoralist and pastoralist-support organisations, including CELEP.

The presentation “What is pastoralism” was made by Hussein Tadicho Wario, Director of the Centre for Research and Development in Drylands (CRDD), a member of CELEP. Also the short animated video co-developed by CELEP was shown: “Pastoralism is the future”. Glory Mdindile from the Mbozi, Ileje and Isangati Consortium (MIICO) in Tanzania provided a case example of supporting pastoralists and crop farmers in negotiating land use for food production and nature conservation. Camillus Kassala of JPIC–TEC explained the link between pastoralism and Laudato Si’ to discern how pastoralists’ indigenous knowledge can help achieve a sustainable cultural ecology.

The video recording of the 1.5-hour webinar can be found here.

Posted on 29 May 2024 in News, Pastoralism & Culture, Pastoralism & Natural Resources, Pastoralism, Mobility & Land Tenure, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition, Value of Pastoralism