Pastoralism is the key agricultural production system in the drylands. As drylands constitute nearly half of the land area of sub-Saharan Africa, pastoralism is of particular importance for the continent and in some countries pastoralists even represent the majority of the population. This notwithstanding, most governments of countries with pastoral populations are reluctant to invest in pastoral production systems, pastoralism being regarded as backward with little potential for improvement. The FAO Pro Poor Livestock Policy Initiative aims to contribute to poverty reduction among livestock keepers by supporting the formulation and implementation of policies, which improve their livelihoods, and this paper intends to provide an overview of policy options, which can mitigate the vulnerability of pastoralists and / or facilitate income diversification and adoption of alternative livelihoods.