Event Title: International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists – 2026; Welcoming and Pastoral Awareness Journey Launch Ceremony
Time: 6 AM IST; Venue: Sunrise Point Kanyakumari Beach, Tamil Nadu State, India
https://maps.google.com/?q=Kanniyakumari+Beach
Organised by: Tamil Nadu Federation of Pastoral Peoples Sangams (TFPPS)
This Pastoral Awareness Journey in Tamil Nadu State, India is aligned with the January IYRP 2026 Working Theme and focuses on building public understanding of two fundamental questions:
Who are pastoralists, and what are rangelands? In the context of Tamil Nadu, India, the journey will explain that pastoralists are communities who depend primarily on livestock rearing and seasonal mobility for their livelihoods, using indigenous knowledge to sustainably manage grazing systems. It will also clarify that rangelands include grasslands, grazing commons, scrublands, forest fringes, coastal grazing areas, and traditional migratory routes that support pastoral livelihoods. Beginning from Kanniyakumari, the southern tip of India, the journey will engage pastoral communities, youth, civil society organisations, and local institutions across Tamil Nadu to highlight the ecological, social, and cultural importance of pastoralism, sustainable grazing, indigenous livestock systems, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience, in line with the vision of IYRP 2026.
