CfP works on two initiatives in an attempt to strengthen pastoral livelihoods. Milk Matters focuses on facilitating the procurement of milk from pastoral populations and strengthening pastoral dairy ecosystems. The Desi Oon Initiative works with researchers, craft-based organisations and government agencies to rebuild markets for indigenous wool. Each of these is expanded below.

Research on Indian pastoralism has tended to be isolated and often heavily theoretical. It has rarely added up to a significant body of work that could have policy implications or the ability to attract the attention of civil society, government, and industry. Our research unit has three overarching goals: 

Towards furthering this agenda, we undertake or commission research or partner with a wide range of researchers, universities and NGOs to facilitate research on pastoral systems across the country.

The lack of awareness about pastoralism has made it difficult to generate support for this way of life. Acknowledging this, we host various events and publish reports geared toward making pastoralism more visible across the country. Through our outreach initiatives, we hope to reach a variety of audiences including, but not limited to, students, academics, policy-makers, designers, and even pastoralists themselves. Our outreach work is structured around three major initiatives – the Living Lightly – Journeys with Pastoralists exhibition, our quarterly broadsheet Pastoral Times, and Pastoral Dialogues. Read about each in detail at the link below.

In most states with pastoral populations, there is growing evidence of dwindling herder access to lands they have grazed in the past, some due to land conversion for cultivation or for industry, but mainly due to frequent forest closures by the Forest Department in the interests of conserving biodiversity. CfP is working with affected communities across five states and with government agencies to facilitate the filing and settling of claims to traditionally grazed lands through the Forest Rights Act (2006). Without access to grazing, pastoralism will become increasingly difficult to sustain.