Pastoralist and Extension perspectives from the 2025 International Rangelands Congress
In early June 2025, 720 delegates from 50 countries met in Adelaide for the 2025 International Rangelands Congress. The theme for the conference was ‘Working Together for our Global Rangelands Future’.
As a rangeland extension officer for Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Alison Kain attended the conference and together with fellow NT delegate and producer Paul Smith from Tieyon Station, located on the Northern Territory and South Australian border, they reflect on the conference to offer both producer and extension officer perspectives.
Producer perspective – Paul Smith, Tieyon station
I really enjoyed the producer forums as they gave a practical insight into what’s important both here and across the world. The following issues stood out as being common to producers around the world:
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The increasing value of the rangelands for future food security
As urbanization and changing land use takes up more arable land, the pressure grows on the rangelands to “take up the slack”. It was predicted that by 2050 the rangelands will be providing 50-60% of the world’s food and fibre needs.
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Our climate is becoming more variable
A changing climate will affect more than pasture growth. It’s possible that, much like the Top End wet season, in central Australia there will be a large part of the year (3-4 months) when it won’t be possible to handle livestock due to heat stress. This would increase the workload to get everything done in the remaining months.
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Competing land uses
Globally, pastoralism in the rangelands is increasingly under pressure from other land uses such as conservation, mining, tourism and now renewable energy industries. Unfortunately, many people somehow deem each one more important than pastoralism.
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Frustrating government policy designed by urban ignorance!
With South Australia and Victoria being virtual “city states”, whatever policy works in the capital is pushed out into the regions as a “one size fits all”.
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No political voice!
Low population equals low voting power, so the rangelands are deemed less important.
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The value of women in important roles
Women have an important role in animal husbandry and land management, caring for homes and families, and maintaining social connections. Women play a key role in managing resources, particularly in times of crisis. There is a growing trend for pastoralist women to form organised groups that are helping raise their social, economic and political status at the national and international level.
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Rangelands operations (especially traditional herders) struggle to attract funding/capital to invest
Historically, the rangelands were often described as waste lands and even now they aren’t recognised for their global value.
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We need better connectivity
This is not only to harness today’s technology but also for staff/family retention in the future. It can help overcome living in remote areas.
Paul has always been generous in sharing his knowledge and thoughts with the pastoral industry – thanks for providing your insights Paul!
Researcher/extension officer perspective – Alison Kain, Livestock Industries, NT DAF
Building on the theme of ‘working together’, the Livestock Industries extension team identified several ways we could help achieve better outcomes for the rangelands.
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Better articulate the requirements and benefits of ‘slow research’
It is difficult to get time and funding for relationship-building in projects, yet it is critical to project success. People from around the world spoke about the importance of building relationships, even friendships. László Sáfián, a traditional herder from Hungary said, ‘If you don’t spend enough time with us then you won’t know how we solve problems.’ Land managers in South Australia also spoke of the need for at least a year of stakeholder engagement prior to research beginning.
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Respectful relationships are generous, rather than ‘quid pro quo’
Relationships work better when the work benefits both parties; how can I help you, what do you need? A forum of Australian women pastoralists discussed the value of working with researchers to address global concerns of environmental stewardship, social licence, and animal welfare. An American pastoralist spoke passionately about their experience in building relationships with certifiers and researchers. ‘I used to think I was different to you but I’m not, we are the same,’ she said, ‘I need you and you need me.’
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More frequent project updates!
While it’s understandable that researchers are cautious with recommendations when there are many examples of long-term research that show significant turnaround in outcomes when the project goes on for long enough, that’s not very useful for those on the ground. More frequent communication of project progress can help reduce this problem along with transparency around likely trade-offs – it’s unlikely to be all ‘win, win, win!’
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Promoting the Rangelands
Globally, the rangelands are typically undervalued by the broader community leading to poor investment opportunities and dis-engaged policy makers. Urban Australia probably doesn’t think of the rangelands as much more than ‘The Outback’, a sparsely populated region perfect for an escape during the cold, southern winter.
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Promote how research fits into the BIG picture
Globally, the forestry industry has been very successful in promoting the ecological and economic value of forest ecosystems and everyone understands the importance of trees. However, the rangelands are more important than forests as a carbon sink and increasingly as a food provider. We can do a better job of showing how sustainable rangeland activities and research influences the global environment.
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Get creative!
2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) and it could be a useful mechanism to make the rangelands more visible and relevant to the broader community which in turn increases value, investment, and political will. It’s time to get creative! Public art exhibitions, school activities, rangeland films, media, all explaining what the rangelands offer to the broader community – food, ecosystem services, spiritual, cultural and economic values.
A moment of reflection
Perhaps we are all a little guilty of keeping the value of the rangelands to ourselves! It’s time to work together and let everyone in on our secret. The rangelands are incredibly valuable, worthy of attention and investment, for the benefit of the whole world.