Innovation to Support Agropastoralist Livelihoods in Northwest Yunnan, China

Many upland communities in northwest Yunnan,
China, are agropastoralist. Agropastoralist
livelihoods in the region are characterized
by close interactions between crops
and livestock, and by seasonal transhumance.
Agropastoralist communities are relatively
marginalized by technical service
agencies and policy making processes. The
Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous
Knowledge (CBIK), a local NGO, has been
working with communities and extension
agencies to develop approaches to innovative
technical and institutional interventions
that support sustainable livelihoods. The
present article describes the issues faced
by agropastoralists in the region, the
approaches promoted by CBIK (participatory
technology development and co-management
of rangelands), and issues faced in
scaling up these approaches to influence
local government policy and extension practices.