Digital tools for sustainable rangeland management in South-Eastern (SE) Europe
In South-Eastern Europe, rangelands and pastoral systems are linked to mountainous, karst and marginal areas, where livestock production, biodiversity and rural livelihoods depend on continued grassland use. In Serbia, North Macedonia and Croatia, these areas face similar pressures: fragmented land ownership, abandonment of remote pastures, shrub encroachment, local overgrazing, erosion risk, climate stress and limited data for planning. In North Macedonia, sheep breeding is still connected to extensive and semi-nomadic systems, using mountain meadows in summer and winter pastures during the rest of the year. The sector is based on individual farms, autochthonous breeds and traditional production, but faces declining flock numbers, uneven regional distribution and the need to improve feeding, breeding and farm management. Similar challenges appear across the region, where High Nature Value grasslands depend on low-intensity grazing, but are threatened by intensification in accessible areas and abandonment in less profitable ones. Digitalisation can address these problems if it responds to field conditions. GIS pasture mapping, digital orthophotos, satellite and vegetation monitoring, animal tracking, mobile advisory tools and shared databases can support the identification of vulnerable pastures, grazing pressure, shrub encroachment, water availability and land-use changes. They can also help advisors and institutions move from fragmented information towards targeted management plans. However, uptake is still limited by weak rural broadband, low digital skills, high costs, small farm structures and lack of practical demonstrations adapted to pastoral systems. Therefore, the priority is not simply to introduce advanced technologies, but to combine traditional pastoral knowledge with affordable digital tools, advisory support and farmer training. This can help protect biodiversity, maintain viable livestock systems and improve sustainable rangeland management.
Additional information
The DIGI-Rangeland project brings together partners from 10 countries, coordinating national networks (France, Romania, Greece, Spain, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Iceland, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland), and also disseminating its knowledge within the Balkan network with its Croatian partner. Consult our publications and documents on the project website: https://digirangeland.eu
DIGItal innovation and data technology network for RANGELAND livestock farming systems
Ongoing | 2025-2029
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- France, Romania, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Iceland, Norway, United kingdom, Switzerland