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A new hope for Indian pastoral community

Earlier this month, India announced that its 2024 livestock census will, for the first time, include a count of pastoral livestock. This marks a significant step toward recognizing the importance of pastoral communities and their livestock in the country’s agricultural landscape.

This development has sparked new hope for pastoral communities, which have largely been overlooked until now. Including their livestock in the census brings long-awaited recognition and attention to their contributions to the agricultural sector.

Pastorialism

Pastoralism, a time-honoured yet evolving livelihood practice, involves the migratory herding of livestock. Despite its enduring significance, it is often misunderstood and neglected. Far from being obsolete, pastoralism offers a diverse production system that makes substantial contributions to the economy, culture, and environmental sustainability. It provides essential resources such as milk, meat, fiber, and hides, while also creating employment opportunities and delivering environmental benefits like carbon sequestration and biodiversity preservation. Pastoralism plays a critical role across various sectors, including agriculture, tourism, and nature conservation.

India’s pastoral landscape is highly diverse, with over 13 million people involved in migratory livestock rearing. Despite this, the importance of pastoralism remains underrepresented in official records and policy frameworks, making it difficult to effectively support this critical livelihood. India ranks among the top global producers in livestock, being the largest producer of milk and buffalo meat, the second-largest for goat meat, and the third-largest in egg production. Wool exports also play a significant role in the economy. However, the absence of disaggregated data distinguishing between extensive and intensive livestock practices hinders the accurate assessment of pastoral contributions.

Problem associated with pastoral community

• Non-Recognition of Pastoral Land Rights
  Many pastoral communities have relied on common grazing lands for generations, but these lands often lack clear ownership or official recognition. This lack of legal status makes it challenging for pastoralists to secure access and defend their traditional grazing routes, resulting in conflicts with other land users.

A report by the Rainfed Livestock Network and the League for Pastoral Peoples and Endogenous Livestock Development estimates that India is home to approximately 13 million pastoralists. The same study found that pastoral animals contribute significantly to the country’s food supply, accounting for 53% of India’s milk and 74% of its meat production.

“Many of the most productive animals, such as buffaloes and cows, come from pastoral systems,” said Bhatti. “Yet, despite their substantial contribution, they have never been properly recognized in economic assessments or reflected in the GDP.”

This highlights the need for better acknowledgment of the pastoral sector’s role in the nation’s economy.

• Population Growth and Land Fragmentation
  India’s growing population exerts increasing pressure on land resources. Grazing lands are being converted for agriculture or development projects, fragmenting these spaces and disrupting traditional migration routes, which in turn reduces the availability of food for livestock.
• Livelihood Threats
  The loss of grazing lands, along with competition from commercial farms and fluctuating market prices for livestock products, creates significant challenges for pastoralists. These factors hinder their ability to raise livestock effectively and threaten their economic stability.
• Sedentarization
  Government policies sometimes encourage pastoralists to settle in one place, providing access to social services. However, this shift away from their traditional migratory lifestyle often disrupts their livestock management practices and reduces the efficiency of their operations.
• Limited Access to Veterinary Care and Medicines
  Nomadic pastoral communities often struggle to access veterinary services and essential medicines for their animals. This lack of care can lead to disease outbreaks and livestock deaths, further undermining their livelihoods.
• Dependence on Middlemen for Marketing
  Without direct access to markets, pastoralists often rely on middlemen to sell their livestock products. This reliance can lead to exploitation, with middlemen offering low prices, leaving pastoralists with minimal profit.

Case study

Case Study: Challenges Faced by Pastoralists in Securing Compensation

Mir Hamza, a pastoralist, follows a traditional migratory lifestyle, moving across the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir each year with his herd of buffaloes, goats, and sheep. Like many pastoralists in the region, Hamza relies on seasonal grazing to sustain his livestock and livelihood.
During one of his annual migrations in 2023, Hamza, along with other pastoralists, experienced a devastating loss. A speeding car collided with his herd of 15 buffaloes. The animals, walking closely together, were unable to escape the impact. Five buffaloes died instantly, and the remaining buffaloes suffered severe injuries.

After the accident, Hamza and his group attempted to seek compensation from the driver responsible for the incident. However, they faced a significant hurdle—since the buffaloes were not officially registered with the government, they were ineligible to file a compensation claim. Despite their efforts, they were told that no legal action could be taken to secure compensation for their losses.
This case underlines the challenges faced by pastoralists in India, particularly in terms of recognition and protection of their livestock. The lack of formal registration systems for migratory animals often leaves pastoralists vulnerable, without access to legal recourse or compensation in cases of accidents or other losses.
The incident exemplifies the need for policy reforms that recognize the unique circumstances of pastoral communities, including the registration of migratory livestock. Implementing such measures could protect pastoralists from similar situations in the future and ensure their livelihoods are safeguarded.

Key Recommendations for Supporting Pastoralism

1. Recognition and Integration: Acknowledge pastoralism as a sustainable, green economy and integrate it into national development strategies. Governments should recognize its vital role in food security, environmental sustainability, and cultural preservation.
2. Supportive Policies: Formulate policies tailored to the unique needs of pastoralists, including healthcare, mobility, and resource access. The establishment of a pastoral cell by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying marks progress in this direction.
3. Technological Innovations: Introduce smart cards to streamline migration and improve access to government services. These cards can simplify documentation, permissions, and entitlements, reducing administrative burdens.
4. Economic Diversification: Encourage value addition, product diversification, and training to boost economic opportunities. Providing pastoralists with skills training in livestock product processing and market access can enhance their livelihoods.
5. Eco-Tourism and Cultural Preservation: Support initiatives like eco-tourism and eco-museums to protect pastoral traditions while generating alternative income streams. Projects like the Shaam-e-Sarhad Village Resort in Kutch show how pastoral communities can engage in sustainable tourism ventures.

The diverse landscape of Indian pastoralism—from sheep herding in the north to camel rearing in the west, duck farming in the south, and yak grazing in the east—requires renewed focus. In contrast to sedentary, specialized, and feed-intensive cattle farming, which contributes to environmental degradation and unsustainable consumption, pastoralism offers a sustainable alternative. By embracing mobility, adaptability, and a close relationship with the land, pastoralists have the potential to drive agro-ecological transformation and strengthen climate resilience. A comprehensive understanding and promotion of pastoralism are crucial for unlocking its full potential, offering significant promise for sustainable and resilient food systems in the future.

The End of the Blog: A new hope for Indian pastoral community