HYDERABAD: Herdsmen, migrating from drought-stricken Thar desert to barrage areas in Sindh province, are fighting a hard battle to keep their most valuable assets, the livestock, alive and grazing in the water-scarce areas.
These herdsmen usually come to these areas in search of livelihood and besides work they also find potential grazing fields for rearing their animals. Especially, farmland after the harvesting of seasonal crops offers nutritious feed for animals.
However, this year the situation is not the same for the Thari herdsmen because chronic water scarcity has forced the barrage area farmers to cut down on cultivation, which means fewer grazing fields.
It is an old practice for desert herdsmen to move to barrage areas whenever they see grazing fields depleting, wells drying up, and fodder falling short in their native areas. These agriculture fields always attract them for a few months.
The recent water scarcity in Sindh started during December-January period of the current year when rotation began in irrigation system. It has badly impacted cultivation in wide swathes of the province, leading to a shortage of fodder.
A large number of herdsmen have reportedly left their dry lands for barrage areas after the provincial government declared Tharparkar district as calamity-stricken.
Jai Kumar, a veterinary officer in Chhachro tehsil in Tharparkar district, says almost 95 percent big animals (cows) have migrated to barrage areas, mostly Badin, Hyderabad, Matiari, and Sanghar districts, while the remaining small animals like goats and sheep are wandering near sandy villages as usual. “There are reports that drought-hit livestock farmers after witnessing economic stress are forced to sell their assets (goats) to run domestic affairs,” Kumar said. Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has already warned that moderate to severe drought-like conditions have emerged in 13 districts of the province, including Tharparkar, Matiari, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Dadu, Karachi, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Umerkot, Sanghar, Sujawal, Shaheed Benazirabad, Jamshoro, and Khairpur districts.
Apart from this, it has also been warned that the situation may further worsen in many areas due to water shortage coupled with scanty rains, which is likely to affect agriculture production, on which the entire rural economy depends.
Given the circumstances, growers’ organisations have also extended demands for declaring tail-end areas of the province as calamity-affected and relief package for farmers, so they may survive. They believe that tail-end farmers are still struggling with drought-like conditions due to water shortage in watercourses.
Rich in mineral resources, Thar desert is spread over 22000 square-kilometers and accommodates a population of around 1.8 million people and six million animals. Besides coal, Thar also has reserves of salt, granite, and China clay, which could be helpful for the local people.
Dr Pershotam Khatri, associate professor and chairman, Department of Animal Reproduction at Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam, said it seems a common phenomenon for all rain-dependent areas, including Thar, Achhro Thar, Kachho and Kohistan in terms of depleting vegetation and natural grazing fields after experiencing failure in rainfall and overall water scarcity. “A large number of livestock have come from different arid zones like Thar desert and Kohistan for rearing animals in canal areas,” Khatri said.
He said besides other problems these herders face after migration one is that they lose their indigenous breeds due to mingling of animals.
According to Khatri, Thari animals have a natural ability to resist drought conditions and can survive without proper water and fodder for many days in their habitats, but after crossbreeding, these animals being drought-sensitive face hardships in desert.
He pointed out that Achhro Thar (white desert) situation is also more complicated in terms of dryness and drought-like weather.
Khatri, who himself belongs to Thar, believes that during their stay in the barrage areas, these unwitting herders seem unable to manage their animals and should keep them away from mixing with other local breeds to avoid crossbreeding. He said crossbreeding creates problems for Thari farmers, who at present cannot realise its potential risks, but in future it may come to surface.
The SAU is encouraging graduates to conduct studies on indigenous breeds, problems and solution. They have found that Sindh province is losing popular indigenous breeds of animals, including Thari cow breed.
Ibrahim Palari, a herdsman leading his flock of cows wandering in Hyderabad’s suburban areas, claims a large number of other herdsmen have migrated from Kohistan's Thana Bola Khan, Jamshoro district. These animals from Kohistan can be seen wandering in barren fields around Hyderabad and Jamshoro districts. Livestock farmers' response is that they have just come to pass time. Otherwise, there is no charm in barrage areas for animal rearing.
Palari says they have the old tradition of migrating to barrage areas in search of grazing fields.
Following drought, a meeting was held in Hyderabad to discuss the situation and possibility of response by International non-governmental organisations (INGOs) to help Thar desert people and livestock. Reportedly INGOs are interested to launch humanitarian response to help the families, who are vulnerable to drought, hunger and poverty. But due to different approach of the provincial government officials they are waiting to receive any formal appeal for intervention.
Reports, pouring in from different areas, show the provincial government in its response to provide humanitarian assistance to the drought-affected communities, has set up centers at town municipal committees (TMAs) level, which people believe are inaccessible to them. Affected people have to travel long distances, bearing cost of travel to get a meager amount of ration for each family. Due to this, many people are reluctant to take monetary pains to get this aid.
Local activists believe that fodder for livestock is missing from the aid, which creates problems for the communities, who depend on animals for their livelihood during these kinds of difficult days.
Environmentalists, who keep a close eye over the impacts of climate change, believe that presently dry land ecosystem seem vulnerable due to low intensity of rainfall and overall depleting underground water sources in Thar desert.
Increasing desertification, water stress, scorching heat, sand storms, and dust storms have together contributed to the adverse impact on vegetation, agriculture, food security, and public health.