Pastoralists face growing pressure in Switzerland and Uganda

Pastoralists around the world are facing new challenges as climate change, farming, settlements and restricted migration routes put pressure on their way of life, SRF reported. The United Nations has declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists to draw attention to the roughly 500 million people who depend on pastoralism.

The initiative calls for stronger land rights, continued access to water and grazing areas, open migration routes and greater political participation for affected communities. It will not create laws or automatically provide funding, but is intended to bring together research, conferences, campaigns and projects and encourage governments and the public to take action.

Life on an alpine pasture

On the Charetalp alpine pasture in the Swiss canton of Schwyz, above Muotathal, Erich Betschart spends the summer tending more than 1,000 sheep, 70 goats and several cattle at an altitude of about 1,900 metres. The pasture can be reached from Glattalp station by a hiking trail that takes about 90 minutes.

Betschart gets up at 4.30am each day to make his first round. In the rocky terrain, there is usually something that needs attention, such as an injured hoof. His daily contact with the animals means he knows many of them by their character and can recognise them as they spread out and graze.

The 42-year-old grew up with alpine farming. He first went to the pasture as a two-week-old baby and says he cannot imagine doing anything else. His children currently appear interested in continuing the tradition, but he says they cannot be forced to do so.

The workdays are long and physically demanding. Alpine farming is also suffering from a shortage of workers because of the hard work, low wages and the difficulty of combining seasonal employment with other professions.

While drought is causing major problems elsewhere in the Alps, with shortages of water and feed, the Charetalp still has enough of both. Setting up hoses and watering points is nevertheless time-consuming, and helicopters are sometimes used to transport equipment.

Betschart uses GPS tracking and drones, but says modern technology cannot replace personal contact with the animals. “You have to combine innovation and tradition,” he said. A 7.5-kilometre electric fence runs through the pasture to protect the herd from wolves. There has not yet been an attack, but Betschart expects wolves will eventually reach the area.