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.
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.
A large number of herdsmen have reportedly left their dry lands for barrage areas after the provincial government declared Tharparkar district as calamity-stricken.
They believe that tail-end farmers are still struggling with drought-like conditions due to water shortage in watercourses.
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.
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.
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.
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.