Home on the Range

The world’s 34 million km² of rangeland ¹ make up 24% of its land area and support 50% of its livestock (UNCCD 2010). In the developing world livestock is the main output from rangelands and socially and economically critical to rural livelihoods. Livestock also composes a fast-growing agricultural sub-sector, accounting for as much as 50% of GDP in countries with significant areas of rangeland (World Bank 2007). The economic importance of rangeland might increase when demand for meat in the developing world increases as forecasted (FAO 2009).