Goat Transhumance in Mediterranean Turkey: Characterization and Key Factors Driving Its Transformation

Abstract

Goat transhumance in Mediterranean Turkey is undergoing significant transformation due to intersecting political, economic, institutional, and environmental pressures. This study explores these changes by identifying the primary forces driving transformation and by analyzing the adaptive responses developed by transhumant pastoralists in this evolving context. Specifically, the research aims to both document and describe current goat transhumance practices and to assess how they are being reshaped by policy frameworks, market integration, ecological shifts, and socio-political dynamics. Through field-based ethnographic and ecological research conducted over two full migration seasons (2019-2023), the study offers insights into how traditional knowledge systems interact with sustainability paradigms-particularly green and circular economy principles-to manage uncertainty, maintain mobility, and support pastoral resilience. Data were gathered through participant observation, semi-structured "walk-and-talk" interviews with 15 families, and ecological surveys of migration routes, stopover areas, and herd-environment interactions. Ethnographic findings emphasized labor dynamics, gender roles, and mobility structures, while ecological data addressed pasture conditions and grazing impacts. Triangulating these data revealed the socio-ecological logic of transhumance under shifting conditions. Six core drivers were identified: rural urbanization and demographic trends, economic pressures and market integration, governmental and policy frameworks, impact of climate change, COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of circular and green economic frameworks. Despite mounting pressures, the study highlights that pastoralists continue to engage in strategic adaptations-such as rotational grazing, breed diversification, and labor reorganization-grounded in long-standing ecological knowledge. The findings demonstrate that transhumance persists not as a relic of the past, but as a dynamic and ecologically efficient livelihood system capable of responding to multi-scalar rural challenges.