The team

Michele Nori

Biography

Michele Nori is a Tropical Agronomist (University of Florence – IT) with a further specialisation in Rural Sociology (PhD at Wageningen University – NL) and a specific expertise on the livelihood systems of pastoral communities.

Through interfacing field practices, academic research and policy making levels, he has developed an ‘horizontal career’; this is based on more than 20 years’ collaborations in different regions of the globe with a number of organisations at different levels: civil society, UN agencies, research institutes, agricultural enterprises and donors offices, including the European Union Development Cooperation and its Delegations.

His list of publications ranges from scientific papers to technical notes to advocacy documents on matters related to sustainable agro-pastoral livelihoods and rural development.

His current concern is to provide effective scientific evidence and policy advice on aspects of rural development, food security, natural resource management and rural migrations through sound analysis of field realities and practices.

He has been involved by prof. Ian Scoones from the Institute of Development Studies in Brighton, Sussex in elaborating and developing a project that links pastoralism to our society in a provocative way – can we learn from pastoralists in managing risks, living with uncertainties and building resilience ?

PASTRES Research Project

We are surrounded by an increasing number of ‘crises’ – possibly as we are not able to understand the dynamics we are living in. Our existing institutions, analytical tools, legal frameworks and governance systems seem poorly equipped to respond to these growing degrees of uncertainty, as they have been developed for contexts of stability.

Radical new thinking is needed. Can we learn lessons on how to respond from settings where ‘living with uncertainty’ is a daily business, and where innovations in livelihood practices have long been required? Mobile pastoral systems are typically reliant on adaptive strategies responding to a highly variable and unpredictable resource endowments, and so offer important lessons for management and governance of unstable and uncertain systems.

Drawing insights from across three continents PASTRES looks into pastoral systems facing global change with a view to understand how to live with uncertainty and build resilience in our society. The research will offer a path-breaking, cross-disciplinary reconceptualisation of uncertainty, and look into the potentials for learning from pastoralists how to build resilience in relation to a number of domains – including environmental change, volatile financial and market systems, ruptures resulting from mass migrations and refugee crises, or networked conflict and violence threatening stable societies.

Cases will be investigated and explored accordingly in three contrasting areas: in Africa (Borana, southern Ethiopia/northern Kenya), Asia (Qinghai-Tibet plateau, China) and Europe (Sardinia, Italy) – where traditional pastoral settings face intense societal reshaping driven by global incorporation.

The PASTRES project is supported by the European Research Council.

Publications

Books

  • Nori M., 2010. Milking Drylands: gender networks, pastoral markets and food security in stateless Somalia. PHD dissertation thesis, CERES Wageningen University, Lambert Academic Publishing ISBN: 978-90-8585-546-0 http://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/wurpubs/389568

Book Chapters

  • Luisi D., Nori M., 2017. Gli immigranti nella Strategia Nazionale per le Aree Interne, dalle Alpi agli Appennini. In In: Membretti A., Kofler I., Viazzo P.P. (eds) Per forza o per scelta. L’immigrazione straniera nelle Alpi e negli Appennini. Aracne, Roma – ISBN 978-88-255-0494-1 http://www.aracneeditrice.it/ aracneweb/index.php/pubblicazione.html?item=9788825504941
  • Fossati L., Nori M., 2017. Pastori in movimento. L’evoluzione di una pratica fra cambio generazionale e manodopera straniera. In: Membretti A., Kofler I., Viazzo P.P. (eds) Per forza o per scelta. L’immigrazione straniera nelle Alpi e negli Appennini. Aracne, Roma – ISBN 978-88-255-0494-1 http://www.aracneeditrice.it/ aracneweb/index.php/pubblicazione.html?item=9788825504941
  • Nori, M. and Baldaro E., 2017. Games without Frontiers: Development, crisis and conflict in the African agro-pastoral belt. In: Woertz, E. and Zurayk R. (eds.), Crisis and Conflict in the Agrarian World: An Evolving Dialectic, CABI Publishing, Wallingford: UK

Special issue

  • Nori M., 2017. Immigrant Shepherds in Southern Europe. Heinrich Böll Foundation, International Politics. Berlin https://www.boell.de/en/agriculture-food-production-and-labour-migration-southern-europe
  • Nori M., 2017. Transhumances, mobility and migrations in Mediterranean pastoralism. In: « Crises and resilience in the Mediterranean. Agriculture, natural resources and food».  Bibliothèque de l’iReMMO (Institut de Recherche et d’Etudes Méditerranée Moyen-Orient). Paris
  • Nori M., Pietrangeli G., (eds) 2016. Scelte di campo. Le Migrazioni rurali nello spazio Mediterraneo. Zapruder, Storie in Movimento n. 40
  • Nori M., 2016. Shifting Transhumances: Migrations patterns in Mediterranean Pastoralism. Watch Letter 36. CIHEAM “Crise et résilience en la Méditerranée”. Montpellier http://www.iamb.it/share/integra_files_lib/files/WL36.pdf
  • Nori M., 2009. The golden udder: marketing milk from camels in Puntland, Somalia. In: League for Pastoral Peoples and Endogenous Livestock Development and World Initiative for Sustainable Pastoralism. Adding value to livestock diversity: The promise of indigenous breeds for niche marketing. FAO, Rome. http://www.iucn.org/wisp/resources/?4712/Adding-Value-To-Livestock-Diversity-Marketing-To-Promote-Local-Breeds-And-Improve-Livelihoods
  • Nori M., Scappini A. (editors), 2008. Special issue on Pastoralism. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development.102 (1-2)
  • Nori M., 2005. Nomadic Knowledge: an Asset for the future. In: Proceedings of the Young Scientists Programme, Forum Engelberg 2005. Winner of the 2005 award
  • VV., 2001. De peones a propietarios: Participatory survey of economic and socio-cultural issues in an Andean community struggling for land rights. Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare, Firenze (It)
  • Reale L., Nori M., Ferrari G. (editors), 1996. Holistic Approach to Sustainable Development: interaction of soil science with different disciplines, in: Proceedings of the brainstorming workshop ‘Holistic Approach to Sustainable Development’, Bologna Sept. 1995. EU INCO-RTD and Regione Emilia-Romagna, Bologna (It)

Reports

  • Jenet A., Buono N., Di Lello S., Gomarasca M., Heine C., Mason S., Nori , Saavedra R., 2016. The path to greener pastures. Pastoralism, the backbone of the world’s drylands. Vétérinaires sans Frontiéres Intl. Bruxelles http://vsf-international.org/project/pastoralism-report/
  • EU Delegation to Mauritania. 2014. Revue Institutionelle du Secteur Agricole et Pastorale – contributions
  • EU Delegation to Mauritania. 2013. Profil Environnemental Pays. contributions
  • EuropeAID, 2012. European Commission and sustainable livelihoods in pastoral regions. DEVCO Technical Note. Bruxelles. Under finalisation
  • EuropeAID, 2011. Strengthening producers’ organizations through Development Assistance. DEVCO Technical Note. Bruxelles
  • EuropeAID, 2010. Analysis and development of inclusive Value Chains. DEVCO Technical Note. Bruxelles
  • IFAD (co-authorship), 2010. IFAD’s Livestock Position Paper, Livestock planning, challenges and strategies for livestock development in IFAD. IFAD, Rome https://www.ifad.org/documents/10180/bcb2e5dd-ad6b-4a5d-a23b-6031d5f99303
  • EuropeAID, 2009. The European Commission and Fair Trade. DEVCO Technical Note. Bruxelles
  • Nori M., 2007. Browsing an Uncertain Future: extensive livestock production in a changing world. Paper presented at the ICARDA workshop on Drought and Risk Management. Damascu
  • Nori M., Daoud Abkula, 2008. Herding and farming in the Nuba: agro-pastoral livelihoods in the Kordofan region. SoS Sahel, Oxford UK
  • Nori M., Gabrielle T., 2007. Cash-Based Safety Nets for Livelihood Support In Northeastern Somalia. A Feasibility Study for Save the Children UK & Horn Relief, Nairobi
  • Nori M. & Dr. Sadaqat H. Hanjra, 2006. Buffalo Hills: Rehabilitating livestock-based livelihoods in earthquake-affected areas of Pakistan. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome
  • IFAD, 2006. Valorisation du potentiel agro-pastoral : Rapport de Formulation du Programme d’investissement et de Développement Rural de la Région de Kidal, Mali. IFAD & Ministère de l’ Elevage de la République du Mali, Bamako
  • Nori M., Dorma Passang, 2004. Providing support to the para-veterinarian service in Tibetan areas: the case of ASIA project in Chengduo county. Paper presented at the 4th International Congress on Yak. Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
  • Nori M., 2004. Hoofs on the roof: pastoral livelihoods on the Xinghai-Tibetan Plateau. ASIA, Yushu (PRC) http://www.cwru.edu/affil/tibet/booksAndPapers/Hoofs_on_the_Roof.pdf
  • Nori M., Yahya J., Sinjilawi N., 2003. Breeders Without Borders: Palestinian rural livelihoods during the second Intifada. Palestinian Livestock Service Centre, Nablus
  • Nori M., 2003. Insecure Livelihoods: Karamoja communities facing harsh integration. Acacia Consultants for Oxfam GB, Nairobi (Kn)
  • Nori M., 2002. Bulls and Bullets: pastoral livelihoods and Community Based Animal Health system in Southern Sudan. OLS-Operation Lifeline Sudan, UNICEF, Nairobi (Kn)
  • Kenyanjui M., Nori M., Wangoh J., Farah Z., 2002. Camel milk: the white gold of the desert, In the proceedings of the 8th Kenya Camel Forum conference, Kajiado, Kenya
  • Nori M., Kenyanjui M., 2001. Milk marketing in Bari region, NESomalia. UNAmilk, EC Delegation to SomaliaNori M., Sall A., 2005. Lait Sain pour Bamako : étude sur la consommation et la commercialisation des produits laitiers à Bamako. Programme Lait Sain pour le Sahel, Institut du Sahel Nori M., 2005.
  • Nori M., Switzer J., Crawford A., 2005. Herding on the Brink: Towards a Global Survey of Pastoral Communities and Conflict – An Occasional Paper from the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy; Gland (Ch) http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?id=705
  • Nori M., 2001. The missing link to development in the Northern Mountainous Region of Vietnam. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, Vol 94, No. 2/3, Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare, Firenze (It)

Articles

  • Nori M., Ragkos A., Farinella D., 2017. Agropastoralism as an asset for Sustainable Mediterranean Islands. In: Jurcevic K., Lipovcan L.K., Ramljak O., (eds.) «Imaging the Mediterranean: challenges and perspectives». Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar. Vis
  • Martín I., Nori M., Bacchi A., 2017. Effects of Youth Migration on Agricultural Production and Employment in the Rural Areas of Origin in Tunisia. Paper presented at the the 6th Conference of the Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA) on Economics and Politics of Migration: Implications for Agriculture and Food June 15-16, 2017. Piacenza
  • Rossi M., Rembold F., Bolognesi M., Nori M., Mureithi S., Nyberg G., 2017. Mapping land enclosures and vegetation cover changes in the surroundings of the Dadaab refugee camps with very high resolution satellite imagery. Journal of Land Degradation & Development. Forthcoming
  • Nori M., López-i-Gelats F., 2017. Relevo generacional e inmigrantes en el mundo pastoril : el caso del Pirineo catalán. AGER Revista de Estudios sobre Despoblación y Desarrollo Rural n.23
  • Farinella D., Nori M., Ragkos A., 2017. Changes in Euro-Mediterranean pastoralism: which opportunities for rural development and generational renewal?. Keynote speech at the 19th European Grassland Federation symposium “Grassland resources for extensive farming systems in marginal lands: major drivers and future scenarios”. CIHEAM and Institute for Animal Production System in Mediterranean Environment (ISPAAM). Alghero
  • Nori M., 2017. Bergers étrangers – une opportunité pour le pastoralisme Euro-méditerranéen ? Revue de géographie alpine. 105/4 https://rga.revues.org/3554
  • Nori M., 2017. Migrant Shepherds: Opportunities and Challenges for Mediterranean Pastoralism Journal of Alpine Research 105/4 https://rga.revues.org/3544
  • Ragkos A., Nori M., 2016. The multifunctional pastoral systems in the Mediterranean EU and impact on the workforce. Options Méditerranéennes, Série A. Séminaires Méditerranéens; no. 114. 15. Proceedings of the FAO-CIHEAM workshop ‘Ecosystem services and socio-economic benefits of Mediterranean grasslands’. Orestiada
  • Luisi D., Nori M., 2016. Gli immigrati nella Strategia aree interne. In “Montanari per forza. L’immigrazione straniera nelle terre alte, tra emergenza e neo-popolamento”. Pr. 13-17. Dislivelli.eu and Universitá Bicocca, Milano 19-23. ISSN 2039-5442 http://www.dislivelli.eu/blog/gli-immigrati-nella-strategia-aree-interne.html
  • Nori M., Fossati L., 2016. Pastori in movimento. In “Montanari per forza. L’immigrazione straniera nelle terre alte, tra emergenza e neo-popolamento”. pg. 19-23. Dislivelli.eu and Universitá Bicocca, Milano 19-23.ISSN 2039-5442 http://www.dislivelli.eu/blog/pastori-in-movimento.html
  • Nori M., 2015. Pastori a colori. Agri Regioni Europa 11/43. agriregionieuropa.univpm.it/content/article/31/43/pastori-colori
  • Nori M., de Marchi V., 2015. Pastorizia, biodiversità e la sfida dell’immigrazione: il caso del Triveneto. Culture della sostenibilità – VIII 15/2015
  • Nori M., Gemini S., 2011. The Common Agricultural Policy vis-à-vis European pastoralists: principles and practices. Pastoralism 1(2) http://pastoralismjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/2041-7136-1-28
  • Nori M., Pardini A., 2011. Agroforestry agro-silvo-pastoral systems in Central Italy: traditional and modern practices. Pastoralism 1(2) http://pastoralismjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/2041-7136-1-26
  • Nori M., 2010. Pastori e società pastorali: rimettere i margini al centro Agri Regioni Europa 6/22 www.agriregionieuropa.univpm.it/content/article/31/22/pastori-e-societa-pastorali-rimettere-i-margini-al-centro
  • Nori M., 2010. Review of the book Pastoral Morocco for the journal Pastoralism.
  • Nori M., 2010. Along the Milky Way: Marketing Camel Milk in Puntland, Somalia. European Journal of Development Research, special issue 5, ‘New avenues for pastoral development in SSAfrica’. European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes, 22,696–714. Palgrave
  • Nori M., El Mourid M., Nefzaoui A., 2009. Herding in a shifting Mediterranean: changing agro-pastoral livelihoods in the Mashreq and Maghreb region. Robert Schuman Centre, European University Institute, Florence http://econpapers.repec.org/paper/erpeuirsc/p0223.htmNori M., Kenyanjui M. B., Mohammed Ahmed Yusuf, Fadhumo Hussein Mohammed, 2006. Milking Drylands: the emergence of camel milk markets in stateless Somali areas. Nomadic People Magazine 10.1
  • Nori M., Ferrari. G., Hirpa A., Catizzone M., Millo T., 1999. Convivere con l’incertezza nella Rift Valley etiopica: elementi metodologici per un approccio olistico. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, Vol 92, No. 4, Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare, Firenze (It)
  • Nori M., Hirpa Tufa A., Ferrari G., 1999. Complementary methods to understand land-use changes: an example from the Ethiopian Rift Valley. PLA Notes n. 35, IIED London (UK)
  • Belluomini G., Nori M. et al., Tectonics, climate and man: environmental changes in the lake region (Ethiopia), In: Sustainable Development of Dryland areas of East Africa, proceedings of the international workshop, Addis Ababa University
  • Nori M., de Bondt R., 1998. DARE: Developing an Agenda for Research on Ecosystems, program final report. Vrije Universiteit Brussels
  • Nori M., 1998. From sharing to market exchanges. Livelihood connections between the Arsi herders and the Silte farmers in the Ethiopian Rift Valley, Ziway area. Report drafted for IIED on a EC-funded research project. Unpublished
  • Nori M., Hirpa A., 1998. Living with Uncertainty in the Ethiopian Rift Valley – Report on socio-cultural, agronomic and economic survey in the Ziway Lake area (Ethiopia) – EC-STD 3 Project Land resources Inventory, Environmental Change analysis and their Applications to agriculture in the Abyata Lake Region (Ethiopia) – EC-DG Research, Brussels (B)
  • Carnicelli S., Nori M. et al., 1998. Land Use/Cover changes in the lake region (Ethiopia): Facts and Effects, in: Sustainable Development of Dryland areas of East Africa, proceedings of the international workshop, Addis Ababa University
  • Reale L., Nori M., Ferrari G., 1996. El enfoque holistico de las ciencias del suelo en America Latina – RIMISP (Red Internacional de Metodología de Investigación de Sistemas de Producción), Santiago (Chile)

Advocacy papers

  • Nori M., 2017. The shades of green: migrants’ contribution to EU agriculture: context, trends, opportunities, challenges. Migration Policy Centre. European University Institute. Firenze http://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/49004
  • Baldaro E., Nori M., 2017. Cooling up the drylands: disentangling the pastoralism-security nexus. Policy Brief 25/2017. Middle East Directions. European University Institute. Firenze http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/48144/PolicyBrief_2017_25_MED.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  • Nori M., 2015. When the green fades to grey: Migrations to rural areas in Mediterranean EU. Migration Working Group, EUI. Firenze
  • Nori M., 2015 Campagne a colori.. Associazione Doppiozero, Milano doppiozero.com/materiali/spazi-altri/campagne-colori
  • Nori M., 2015. I colori del verde. neodemos.info/i-colori-del-verde/. Associazione Neodemos. Firenze
  • Nori M., Neely C., 2009. The Tragedy is on, the Tragedy is over: Pastoral Challenges and Opportunities for Conservation Agriculture. Paper prepared for the IV World Congress on Conservation Agriculture. New Delhi, February 2009 achmonline.org/Resource/Conservation%20Agriculture,%20Nori%20and%20Neely.pdf
  • Davies J., Nori M., 2008. Managing and mitigating climate change through pastoralism. Policy Matters #19, journal of the Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy. IUCN, Gland (Ch) http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/policy_matters_16.pdf
  • Sinjilawi N., Nori M., 2005. Small Ruminants, Great Expectations. Livestock Breeding and Food Security in Today’s Palestinian Territories. Paper presented at the VSF Europa symposium: The role of Livestock in sustainable local development and poverty reduction. Proceedings published in Tropicultura, Brussels
  • Nori M., Switzer J., Crawford A., 2005. Herding on the Brink: Towards a Global Survey of Pastoral Communities and Conflict – An Occasional Paper from the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy; Gland (Ch) http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?id=705
  • Nori M., 2001. The missing link to development in the Northern Mountainous Region of Vietnam. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, Vol 94, No. 2/3, Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare, Firenze (It)
  • Nori M., Taylor M., Sensi A., 2008. Browsing on fences: pastoral land rights, livelihoods and adaptation to climate change. IIED Drylands Series #148 , London http://www.iied.org/pubs/display.php?o=12543IIED
  • Nori M. and Davies J., 2007. Change of wind or wind of change ? Climate change, adaptation and pastoralism. Report form an electronic conference. World Initiative for Sustainable Pastoralism, Nairobi http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/c__documents_and_settings_hps_local_settings_application_data_mozilla_firefox_profile.pdf
  • Nori M., 2006 Mobile livelihoods, patchy resources & shifting rights: approaching pastoral territories. Thematic paper for the International Land Coalition. Rome http://www.landcoalition.org/sites/default/files/legacy/legacypdf/ev06_pastoralists.pdf
  • Nori M., Switzer J., 2004. Signposts: A review of Scenarios for Pastoral Integration or Conflagration. Discussion paper for the UNDP- GEF Global Pastoral Programme, Nairobi
  • Nori M., Switzer J., Crawford A., 2005. Pastoral Livelihoods & Conflict Prevention: A Tipsheet for Development Programming. Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation SDC, Bern (Ch) http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2005/security_pastoral_tipsheet.pdf
  • FAO/FSAU, 2002. Gedo: a complex emergency. FOCUS paper, FSAU, Nairobi (Kn) – http://www.somaliawatch.org/archivedec01/GEDO%202002.pdf
  • Maxwell S., Nori M., 2001. The Household Economy Approach and its limitations in a pastoral context, presented at ACF workshop on ‘How to work with pastoral populations’, Naivasha (Kn)
  • Mahdi G. Kayad, Siddow I. Addou, Nori M., 2001. Drought and Pastoralist Coping Strategies in Somalia, in: Proceedings of FEWS workshop on ‘Harmonising Early Warning and Emergency Response in the Horn of Africa’, Nairobi (Kn)
  • Siddow I. Addou, Mahdi G. Kayad, Nori M., 2001. Trade between Somalia and its neighbours – in: Proceedings of FEWS workshop on ‘Harmonising Early Warning and Emergency response in the Horn of Africa’, Nairobi (Kn)
  • FAO/FSAU, 2001. Pastoralists under pressure: pastoral livelihoods in contemporary Somalia – FOCUS paper, FSAU, Nairobi (Kn) – http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/ resources/5AA74CEABA9C044285256AFE00694543-fsau_som_31oct.pdf
  • Nori M., Ginzburg O., Insua-Cao P. (editors), 2001. Drawing lessons from experience: proceedings of the Workshop on Sustainable Rural Development in the Southeast Asia Mountainous Region – EC Delegation to Viet Nam, Hanoi (Vn) – mekonginfo.org/mrc_en/contact.nsf/0/2B49690F4E42255487256906003074BE/$FILE/index.htm
  • Nori M., Phan Thanh Tam, 2000. The Northern Mountainous Region of Viet Nam: placing the margins at the centre. EC-UNICEF joint Working Paper, Hanoi (Vn)