Presentation held during session on Pastoralism in India at the InTernational Grasslands Conference held in Delhi from 20-24th November, 2014.

1. Ecologically and socially sustainable
livestock development in marginal
areas
Ilse Köhler-Rollefson
23 rd International Grasslands Conference, Delhi
Ecologically and socially sustainable
livestock development in marginal
areas
Ilse Köhler-Rollefson
23 rd International Grasslands Conference, Delhi

2. people are poor,
the land is overgrazed and degraded….
the livestock inefficient….
the system unproductive….
"We need to show them how to improve"
Marginal areas = problem areas
people are poor,
the land is overgrazed and degraded….
the livestock inefficient….
the system unproductive….
"We need to show them how to improve"

3. people are poor,
the land is overgrazed
the livestock inefficient
the system unproductive
"We need to show them how to improve"
Marginal areas = problem areas
people are poor,
the land is overgrazed
the livestock inefficient
the system unproductive
"We need to show them how to improve"

4. Purpose of this paper:
to reevaluate these assumptions and show that
India's pastoralists are
• amazingly efficient food producers
• do not degrade and instead enhance the land
• are usually not poor
to reevaluate these assumptions and show that
India's pastoralists are
• amazingly efficient food producers
• do not degrade and instead enhance the land
• are usually not poor

5. India‘s Pastoralists

6. Inefficient?
India is the world's largest exporter of sheep
and goat meat – 23 MT valued at almost 7000
million Indian Rupees in 2013.
Feeding UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and
Oman…..
India is the world's largest exporter of sheep
and goat meat – 23 MT valued at almost 7000
million Indian Rupees in 2013.
Feeding UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and
Oman…..

7. India's livestock lagging behind?
• World‘s largest milk producer
• World‘s largest exporter of buffalo meat
feeding Southeast Asia and Arab countries
Most of it produced in "traditional" systems
with hardly any resource inputs, just by
harvesting naturally available biomass.
• World‘s largest milk producer
• World‘s largest exporter of buffalo meat
feeding Southeast Asia and Arab countries
Most of it produced in "traditional" systems
with hardly any resource inputs, just by
harvesting naturally available biomass.

8. HUMAN-EDIBLE
PROTEIN BALANCE IN
THE LIVESTOCK
PRODUCTION OF
SELECTED COUNTRIES
(FAO data)
EDIBLE PROTEIN
OUTPUT/INPUT
EDIBLE
PROTEIN
OUTPUT-INPUT
TONNES
Balance
AV.2005-2007 AV.2005-2007
Saudi
Arabia 0.19 -659 588
Protein
destroying
USA 0.53 -7 650 830
Protein
destroying
Germany 0.62 -1 183 290
Protein
destroying
Protein
destroying
HUMAN-EDIBLE
PROTEIN BALANCE IN
THE LIVESTOCK
PRODUCTION OF
SELECTED COUNTRIES
(FAO data)
China 0.95 -665 276
Protein
destroying
Netherland
s 1.02 18 070 ~even
Brazil 1.17 550 402 ~even
Nepal 1.88 40 803 ~even
India 4.30 3 379 440 Protein creating
Sudan 8.75 340 895
Protein creating
New
Zealand 10.06 638 015 Protein creating
Mongolia 14.60 35 858 Protein creating
Ethiopia 16.95 141 395
Protein creating
Kenya 21.16 202 803 Protein creating

9. "Traditional" Livestock Systems
People
Depend on
• Local/indigenous
breeds
grazing on
• "natural" biodiverse
vegetation and crop
aftermath
BreedsVegetation
Depend on
• Local/indigenous
breeds
grazing on
• "natural" biodiverse
vegetation and crop
aftermath

10. Locally adapted breeds are a crucial component
 Independent of external inputs (feed, vet. medicine)
 Drought resistant and easy to manage
 Can walk and walk, search out own forage

11. Pastoralists are astute
breeders,
continuously
experimenting for the
most suitable
genotype. This Raika
paid 20,000 Rs for this
ram (“Baradi”) as a
lamb
Pastoralists are astute
breeders,
continuously
experimenting for the
most suitable
genotype. This Raika
paid 20,000 Rs for this
ram (“Baradi”) as a
lamb

12. Traditional production systems
• Optimally convert local feed
resources into food and energy –
are independent of external feed
and fodder inputs.
• There is a balance between
livestock numbers and available
resources.
• Positive effect on biodiversity and
not interfering withwildlife
• Minimal external energy required
(if any)
• Optimally convert local feed
resources into food and energy –
are independent of external feed
and fodder inputs.
• There is a balance between
livestock numbers and available
resources.
• Positive effect on biodiversity and
not interfering withwildlife
• Minimal external energy required
(if any)

13. Degrading the land?

15. Nutrient recycling

16. Access to remote areas food security

17. Migratory shepherds from Godwar
area (Desuri and Bali Tehsils of Pali
District

18. Dera=herding group
composed of 6-20 dolri
DolriPatell

19. Poor?
Income and meat output of sample
area• Min. 40 deras with an average of 3500 ewes= ca.
140,000 ewes.
• These produce ca. 30,000 saleable male lambs@ Rs.
2500= Rs. 75,000,000,
• 11kg liveweight for a 2-3 months old lamb= 330,000
kg live weight
• With a dressing percentage of around 50%, this
would mean 165,000 kg of meat from lambs
• All this meat would have been produced without
any use of non-renewable resources (fertilizer,
tractor fuel, transportation of feed, etc.).
• Min. 40 deras with an average of 3500 ewes= ca.
140,000 ewes.
• These produce ca. 30,000 saleable male lambs@ Rs.
2500= Rs. 75,000,000,
• 11kg liveweight for a 2-3 months old lamb= 330,000
kg live weight
• With a dressing percentage of around 50%, this
would mean 165,000 kg of meat from lambs
• All this meat would have been produced without
any use of non-renewable resources (fertilizer,
tractor fuel, transportation of feed, etc.).

20. Besides meat and dung, milk is also an important
product for household consumption and sale (during
part of the year)

21. Wild Animal Diversity
• Grazing livestock keeps
open nesting habitats of
birds
• Predator species (wolves,
hyenas, leopards, lions)
depend on livestock as
prey and essential part of
their diet
(Example Gir Forest in India)
• Chilikula buffalo swimming
in lake essential for fish
population
• Grazing livestock keeps
open nesting habitats of
birds
• Predator species (wolves,
hyenas, leopards, lions)
depend on livestock as
prey and essential part of
their diet
(Example Gir Forest in India)
• Chilikula buffalo swimming
in lake essential for fish
population

22. Biological diversity: In Rajasthan camels and goats convert 36
different fodder species into milk, meat, manure and fibre

23. Utilise a wide variety of scattered and
seasonally variable tree and grass vegetation

24. Food products with health benefits

25. •

26. The prevailing livestock developent
approach
• Encourages livestock keepers/farmers to
switch to more “productive breeds” and to
adopt “modern technologies”.
• Promotes the concept that higher yielding
animals are automatically more profitable.
• Encourages livestock keepers/farmers to
switch to more “productive breeds” and to
adopt “modern technologies”.
• Promotes the concept that higher yielding
animals are automatically more profitable.

27. “Modern livestock
production”

28. From all perspectives – local livelihoods, livestock production,
as well as continued soil fertility – it is adamant and urgent
that the migratory pastoralists are not squeezed out and that
sufficient space for them is retained in the crop cycle!
This system is not backward, but ecological and, in that sense,
modern.

29. Ecologically and sustainable livestock
development in marginal areas
Would
• Recognize and acknowledge the value of
the "traditional" systems
• Facilitate and support mobility
• Protect and provide services to pastoralists
• Ensure space and protect the customary
rights of pastoralists
Would
• Recognize and acknowledge the value of
the "traditional" systems
• Facilitate and support mobility
• Protect and provide services to pastoralists
• Ensure space and protect the customary
rights of pastoralists

30. • How do we change perceptions among policy
makers, bureaucrats and even livestock keepers
that local breeds and associated traditional
knowledge are valuable assets?
• How do we counter threats such as shrinking
grazing lands, disintegration of traditional
institutions and knowledge, lack of respect by
outsiders?
• How do we change perceptions among policy
makers, bureaucrats and even livestock keepers
that local breeds and associated traditional
knowledge are valuable assets?
• How do we counter threats such as shrinking
grazing lands, disintegration of traditional
institutions and knowledge, lack of respect by
outsiders?

31. Article 8j of UN Convention on
Biological Diversity
• „Contracting parties shall…subject to
national legislation, respect, preserve and
maintain knowledge innovations and
practices of indigenous and local
communities embodying traditional
lifestyles relevant for the conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity…..“
.
• „Contracting parties shall…subject to
national legislation, respect, preserve and
maintain knowledge innovations and
practices of indigenous and local
communities embodying traditional
lifestyles relevant for the conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity…..“
.

32. Article 10: Contracting parties shall..
• c. Protect and encourage customary use of biological
resources in accordance with traditional cultural practices
that are compatible with conservation and sustainable use
requirements
• d. Support local populations to develop and implement
remedial action in degraded areas where biological
diversity has been reduced
• c. Protect and encourage customary use of biological
resources in accordance with traditional cultural practices
that are compatible with conservation and sustainable use
requirements
• d. Support local populations to develop and implement
remedial action in degraded areas where biological
diversity has been reduced

33. A new tool: Biocultural Community Protocols
• Backed by the Nagoya Protocol
of the UN-Convention on
Biological Diversity
• Tool for claiming status as
„indigenous or local
community….“
• Biocultural Protocols document
the role of a community in
conserving animal genetic
resources and eco-systems,
contribute to visibility and
awareness
• Backed by the Nagoya Protocol
of the UN-Convention on
Biological Diversity
• Tool for claiming status as
„indigenous or local
community….“
• Biocultural Protocols document
the role of a community in
conserving animal genetic
resources and eco-systems,
contribute to visibility and
awareness

34. Biocultural Protocols
• are a tool for documenting bio-assets, production
systems, products.
• give a voice to pastoralists and other small-scale
livestock keepers.
• raise awareness about culture and tradition to address
challenges, such as cross breeding and product
innovations
• Invoke rights (grazing, breeding)
• Generate information exchange and communication
with other stakeholders
• are a tool for documenting bio-assets, production
systems, products.
• give a voice to pastoralists and other small-scale
livestock keepers.
• raise awareness about culture and tradition to address
challenges, such as cross breeding and product
innovations
• Invoke rights (grazing, breeding)
• Generate information exchange and communication
with other stakeholders

35. Raika of Rajasthan (India)

36. Banni Maldhari of Gujarat (India)

37. Bargur Hill Cattle Breeders (Lingayat) of
Tamil Nadu (India)

38. Jaisalmer Camel Breeders and many
others....

39. Possible benefits and incentives for
livestock keepers
• Monetary rewards at national level through
payments for environmental services, such as
carbon sequestration and biodiversity
conservation.
• Provision of an enabling environment that
supports them to continue their livelihood and
breed conservation activities (livestock
keepers rights, grazing rights, services).
• Support for developing a special label for
livestock products from bio-diversity based
production systems (“Ark of Bio-diversity”)
• Monetary rewards at national level through
payments for environmental services, such as
carbon sequestration and biodiversity
conservation.
• Provision of an enabling environment that
supports them to continue their livelihood and
breed conservation activities (livestock
keepers rights, grazing rights, services).
• Support for developing a special label for
livestock products from bio-diversity based
production systems (“Ark of Bio-diversity”)

40. Conclusion
Livestock mantra is "more with less"
Sustainable intensification
Pastoralists produce "everything with
nothing"
Extensification !
Livestock mantra is "more with less"
Sustainable intensification
Pastoralists produce "everything with
nothing"
Extensification !

41. Acknowledgments
• LPPS, Hanwant Singh
and Dailibai Raika
• LIFE Network
partners: Gopikrishna,
Dr. Athani, Nilkanth
Kuruba, Dr. Balaram
Sahu
• Rainfed Livestock
Network: Kamal
Kishore
• IIED
• LPPS, Hanwant Singh
and Dailibai Raika
• LIFE Network
partners: Gopikrishna,
Dr. Athani, Nilkanth
Kuruba, Dr. Balaram
Sahu
• Rainfed Livestock
Network: Kamal
Kishore
• IIED

42. Thank you!