THAR: Potential natural resource in need of exploitation

Historians have established that Thar Desert was all under the Arabian Sea which receded and the dry land with sand dunes soon became inhabitat of various forms of flora and fauna. Gradually, various tribes of people from Sindh and Rajasthan settled in the desert. Thar desert came under the administrative control of various Rajput dynasties. In 1882, it gained the status of a district with Umerkot as its headquarters. It was shifted from Umerkot to Mirpurkhas in 1960. In December 1990, District Tharparkar was bifurcated into two Districts Mirpurkhas and Tharparkar with its headquarters at Mithi.

Thar, the cradle of a great and flourishing civilization, has languished in deprivation, vicissitudes of time, a highly exploitative use of resources and persistent neglect in development. The potentials of the desert for development are very great. As it has land, climate and rain-fall. It holds considerable reserves of minerals, forest wealth, range lands, livestock, people, and highly disciplined and hardworking labor force.

Undoubtedly culture and geographic divisions influence human life to a great extent, human behavior is limited by these social handicaps. Physical and environmental conditions influence social and economic life of people every where. Every man whether he belongs to a primitive and simple society or the advanced and the complex, has to adopt to prevailing conditions and surroundings. He has to live for necessities of life on physical surroundings. Thus, differences in personality and culture become an improvised phenomenon, and geographic boundaries control his destiny.

Thar is comparatively less populated because of poor economic conditions and water scarcity. It comprises 5.72 million acres of land and accommodates about 1.0 million people in 3600 permanent villages. The population in desert constitutes 3.72 percent of the total population of Sindh. The desert sustains a ruminant population of 4.0 million to graze. A sound land livestock relationship demands that the land should provide sufficient tree shades and fodder and forage to meet the requirements of livestock. Moreover, due to non systematic grazing pattern adopted by graziers, the livestock disappears in no time. Also wind and water erosion of sandy soils is very common that need soils conservation practices.

Thar desert is comparatively less populated because of poor economic conditions and water scarcity. It comprises 5.72 million acres of land and accommodates about 1.0 million people in its 3600 permanent villages. The population in desert constitutes 3.72 percent of the total population. Social stratification is common and active. Social values of the area are remarkable and majority of people possess ascribed status. They love and live for their environment and neighborhood. In Thar mostly joint family system is practiced; the people are hardy and simple while women faithfully participate in economic activities and work from dawn to dusk. The area and population of Tharparkar District are shown as follows:

Area and Population of Thar Desert

Source:          1998 Population Census, Government of Pakistan

Physiographic Conditions

The Thar desert starts from the south-eastern border of irrigated zone of Sindh Province. It lies between 24⁰-26 and 25⁰-22 north latitude and 69⁰-40 and 71⁰-11 east longitude. The area is bounded by Jesalmir and Marwar Districts of India in the east, Runn of Kutchh in the south and the north-west and the rest adjoins the irrigated tract of Sindh. It has two subdivisions; Mithi and Chhachhro and consists of four talukas; Mithi, Diplo, Nagarparkar, and Chhachhro. It is further divided into smaller units of 169 Dehs, 913 Makans, and more than 3600 villages. The devolution plan carriers 44 Union Councils.

Thar is deeply furrowed in almost parallel sand dunes of 50 to 450 feet  high in east-west direction with tortuously meandering geologic formations at dune heads and warping to cut up the soil leaving many intricate patterns of gullies here and there, thus rarely  form a long flat plain.  Between sand dunes are valleys with depressions and oppressions representing ridge and rough topography. The sediment is mainly sandy transformed into huge dunes, consisting of grayish sand derived from quartz, feldspar and horn blend. The top soil is comparatively blackish brown due to the presence of humus, and in intermitant  valleys.  Favorable climatic conditions encourage natural vegetation which stabilize the sand dunes.  Adjacent to the dunes are sandy and loamy soils with uneven topography.  Areas further away from the sand hills and lower parts of the slopes comprise deep clay soils and are almost flat.  Thar is unique desert in the world that becomes lush-green after rainfall.  A range of  Karunjhar mountains (1169 feet above sea level) and detached rocky hills are found in Nagarparkar taluka at the north-eastern edge of the Runn of Kutchh, which represent an old system of the peninsular sub-continent of  indeterminate age. These hills store in their cavities a large amount of rain water which gives rise to a permanent stream in the shape of big gully (Nain) that flows towards east of Nagarparkar town. 

The sturdier population of Thar continued to live in the desert and maintained its supremacy by hard work.  There the archaeological remains go back to ancient history.  A number of  Jain temples, about 2000 years old are found particularly in the rockey hills of Nagarparkar and other parts of the desert which reveal that the area was well populated during the old civilization.

The climate of the tract is well suited to the production of  crops, varieties of grasses and forests. Low amount of precipitation is a limiting factor.  The region experiences great extremes of both daily and seasonal cold winters and hot summers.   Like other sub-tropical deserts, extreme climate provides healthy population to Thar people. The harshness of summer becomes conspicuous with western winds eroding soils at the wind speed of 20-25 miles per hour, shifting rolling sand and convective phenomenon charring the atmosphere with dust. The highest temperature at time may rise to 115^oF. The winters are comparatively of shorter duration. Cold waves from the north last for about three months with of about 40 days from 20^th December to the end of January.  Winter temperature never touches freezing point and seldom rises 70^oF, and it is absolutely rainless.  The rains in the area are characterized by monotonic showers, which are mostly exiguous, uncertain and unevenly distributed in the season.  Exceptionally good rainy years exalt economic activities of the area. The dunes and valleys retain moisture after sufficient precipitation to keep perennials alive, agricultural crops, not with standing. 

Ecological Zones:

The geophysics of Sindh is characterized by different ecological zones, apart from the administrative set-up.  The arid area has   a vast domain with distinctive eco-system  endowed with varying water table depths, plantation, dune characteristics,  rainfall, temperature, vegetation and the type of soil etc. The ecological zones are; Kha’ur, Kantho, Samroti, Vango, Vat, Muhrano, and Dhat. The zone khaur is roughly spread over 400-500 sq. km north-east of Chhachhro. Deep-water aquifers are available below 120 feet. As a result of small sand dunes, the flow of runoff water does not make gullies to reach the plain minimizing the opportunity for natural methods of collecting the surface water in ponds at large scale.

‘Kantho’ covers about 250-300 sq. km area ranging from Hirar union council in the south of Chachro to Pillo, Tigusar, Chotal, and Mamchero union councils in the north of Nagarparkar taluka. This zone is blessed with comparatively favorable physical conditions of fair precipitation, fertile soil, and seasonal vegetation.  The aquifer is found at 20-50 feet depth. 

‘Parkar’ is distinguished from rest of the Thar by the presence of Karunjher mountain and rocky plains. The monsoon precipitation runoff concentrates in channels and some recharge of aquifer occurs from stream flows. The low depth (30-50 ft) dug wells recharge through such streams, provide water for drinking purposes, and in some instances also irrigate the seasonal vegetation and back-yard gardening.

‘Dhat,’ the central part of Thar that coves a portion of Chhachhro and northern areas of Mithi taluka (water depth 125-150ft.) The surface runoff depends on intensity and duration of rainfall, but Tarais (ponds)in low lying strips provide drinking water after rainfalls.

‘Vat’ is a short belt extending from southern parts of Diplo and Mithi to the marshes of Kutchh. Better runoff and greater permeability provide a natural substitute of drinking water by recharging the thin fresh water layers at an average depth of 30-50 ft. The surface water percolation associated with clay soil permits the cultivation of summer crops during a good monsoon of 3-4 rainfalls from June-August.

‘Samroti’ is a small zone with fertile soil and shallow wells, extending from south-west of Mithi to northern Diplo. The availability of water and fodder provides better opportunity to inhabitants having large flocks of goats and sheep. In the north of Samroti less precipitation and recharge, results in seasonal dearth of fodder. This small portion is termed as ‘Vango’.

‘Muhrano’, in ancient times touched the shores of Mehran the mighty Indus when it passed across the eastern part of Sindh.  It is north of Mithi, which extend to irrigated plains of Indus valley.

Family Size and Occupations

With dry land and sand dunes Thar is one of the most backward areas of Pakistan. On account of abject poverty and harsh conditions coupled with disparities in living standards between the rich and the poor, most unfortunate inhabitants take out a living through subsistence farming or by raising livestock.  The hapless Tharies experience frequent droughts and face food deficits, income reduction, water scarcity, and migration problems.  To address the common cry of the deprived people inhabiting the less favored region should be that they and their children given humanitarian rights and opportunities to have access to amenities of civilized life.

Agriculture

Thar faces deficiency in food supplies. Due to limitations of land resources in irrigated plains, the people are stressed on yield production and intensive cultivation, but it also requires land exploitation and water resources of desert (rainfed Barani areas) of Pakistan, of which Thar offers a great expansion potential of supplementing 0.5 million acres of land for cultivation. Of the total land area of 4.791, 0.376 million acres is cultivated the remaining 2.717 million acres is grazing land, the rest 1.698 million acres is beyond the reach of cultivation or pastures. Agriculture entirely depends on rainfall. However, in southern parts of Thar surrounding Karunjhar hills of Nagarparkar, small scale cultivation is carried out on dug wells where cash crops castor, chillies, onion, garlic, and brinjal are grown. It is a general practice that the farmers grow 3 to 4 crops as mixed crops. Main crops of Thar are Bajra and Guwar. In good rainy years, lentils, cucurbits and sesame are also grown as mixed crops with Bajra and Guwar.

Vegetation of the area consists mostly of stunted bushes and desert trees. The main natural ground cover is provided by grasses which are nutritious and palatable fodder for livestock. We, therefore, can not afford to ignore our rainfed areas. Thus we should have a comprehensive plan to develop of its livestock resources, agro-forestry based problems of soil productivity, deteriorated rangelands and the whole ecosystem.

It is strange to note that no Thari knows about government activities and policies on agriculture.  Poor quality seed is used and plant protection measures have not been introduced.  Agriculture demands increase in yields by introduction of high yielding varieties, fertilizers, pesticides, erosion control, and moisture conservation practices. The traditional farming should no longer be encouraged. A fundamental re-orientation of land use practice and cropping pattern should to be achieved to harmonize with natural environment of the desert.  Such adjustments must base on scientific arid zone studies and the appropriate technologies of the present nature.

Animal agriculture is the mainstay of Thar economy. The livestock is the symbol of food security as well as source of subsistence. The investment in this sector will ultimately help improve the nutrition of the poor people of Thar, and generate employment opportunities, increasing household income. The development programme will ensure  prosperity of the people in the fragile ecosystems of the desert. With dedicated efforts of scientists and experts in related disciplines, Thar would be scientifically best understood and extremely well documented for its treasures. In order to achieve sustainability in the arid agriculture, advisory and research services are to be strengthened with a high profile and updated knowledge and other skills. The farmers of Thar need to be motivated in replacing traditional cropping system and conservation of natural resources.

Agro-Forestry and Rangelands

Thar desert remains covered with natural vegetation from July to October in rainy years.  The common trees and shrubs of the area include Acacia nilotica, Euphorbia caducifolia, Acacia Senegal, panicum antidotale, Cammiphora mukul, Leptodenia spartium, Crotalaria burphia, Grewia populifolia, Calligonum polygonoides, Accacia jaequemonti, Gymnosporia royaliana, Citrullus colocynthis, Cyprus araucarias and Indigoera. These are classified into trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses.  Tecoma undulatd is a good quality timber plant exhibiting a beautiful show of pink flowers in dense crowns, but it is at the verge of extinction. Capparis decidua, a deciduous, much branched thorny shrub is another red brown flower plant with long-beaked edible fruit of  medicinal properties and serves as fire wood.  Other popular trees locally known as Kandi, Chilkatrio and Khabar are of economic means which provide animal feed and human subsistence, and wood for household use and timber.  Among the shrubs, there are  Khip , Akk, Thuhar  Bavari,  Guglan, Morari , Phog , Ber , and  Tankaro.  The shrub Khip  provides glabrous long twigs used as fiber for ropes and shanty roofs.  Akk and Thuhar are goat browses  as well as medicinal plants, Bavari, Morari, Phog and Tankaro serve as goat and camel feeds in addition to wood plant where Guglan provides gum-like substance. Whereas, Murt , Gambol, Gandheer, and other annuals and perennials are common cattle feeds provide cattle grazing.

Common trees, and shrubs of Thar

Deforestation has aggravated the problems of range lands and forests besides overgrazing and cultivation of sloppy and marginal lands, leaving soil bare and exposed to wind and water erosion, as such eco-systems.  About 56 percent of the area was under forests and pastures in Thar, but nothing seems to have been done to preserve the national wealth on scientific lines.  Further that about 2.052 million acres of land were transferred to forest department under the soil conservation scheme and was claimed to have put 3000 acres under forestation. But one wonders as to what is tangible. Without taking care of forest wealth, regeneration of forest through scanty resource base is incapable of keeping pace with destruction through uncontrolled grazing and wood cutting. Pasture and forest resources could well be enriched by aerial seeding of the region adding local and adoptive plants which would not only serve forestry but also check wind erosion.

Livestock

The Desert offers excellent opportunities for raising livestock.  Major uncultivable and village adjoining areas (Gauchar) come under natural pastures that grow on rains.  Under thick growth of grass, the green and dry fodders last for on entire year.  After agriculture, the livestock is a criterion of ascribing social status.  Thar maintains about 15 per cent of livestock. It includes big herds of cows, camels, donkeys and buffalos, and flocks of goat and sheep.  The livestock fluctuates within the desert depending on   rains.  They migrate to irrigated areas of Sindh in less precipitated years. There would hardly be a family without livestock in the area and the statistics are:

LIVESTOCK POPULATION (in Million)

The huge range lands are the natural locale for raising livestock and are a major source of the supply of draught animals and foods of animal origin.  Best bullocks are produced in the Desert which still need genetic quality.  Livestock wealth of Thar needs to be safeguarded and developed on scientific lines to make it really a productive heritage.  Measures to improve pastures, establishing veterinary and animal husbandry marketing and breeding centers are of immediate interest and which could be quite sustainable if planned and organized in appropriate manner.

Thar in need of development strategies:

Tharparkar district is officially reported to be 22,000 sq. km (4.79 million acres) of land, of which 4.73 million acres form the Thar desert. Annual population growth rate of the area is 3.13% while the literacy rate is 18.32%. In Mithi Taluka, however, the literacy rate is reported about 30 percent.

The district has a highly heterogeneous population, the density of which is about 45.6 per sq km where average household size is 5.6.  The main occupation of the people is farming and  livestock rearing, from which about 60% of livelihood is derived. There are about 4 million cattle and livestock comprising buffaloes, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, and horses. Due to lack of rainfall (in winters) farmers are able to harnest one crop during good years of precipitation.

It is, pertinent to know and assess the chief characteristics of Thar desert elaborating its physical, social and economic handicaps which have a direct bearing on the society as a whole, and on individual inhabitants to suggest a more equitable, self-reliant and self-sustaining style of development focusing on the efficient management of resources like agricultural, industrial, human, and social. The participation and uplift of farmers, artisans, laborers and other organizations a collective action for the benefit a self-reliant strategy is highly imperative.

Looking into the resource potentials of Thar the most neglected spheres in the past may be brought under active national development program. Before dealing with pressing points, it is suggested that Thar Arid Agriculture and Livestock Development Center be established on long term basis with objectives to identify special problems and natural and human resources, particularly agriculture, soil conservation, water, small scale agro-industries, and basic infra-structure to ascertain development potentials and possibilities of technological and institutional improvements in livestock, forestry, range management and cooperatives. It will suggest technology, cropping pattern, cultural practices and better seed. For industrial development, it is again suggested that industrial projects are launched to obtain maximum use of local raw materials and minerals. For the development of physical infra-structure, surveys of appropriate sites should be carried out for the construction of small dams, roads and rail. The development of social intra-structure needs plans for introducing technical and health facilities along with development plans as proposed in the program.

There are no realistic estimates available for forage yields from grazing lands vis-a-vis the grazing capacity of different areas in related to the duration and intensity of rainfall. According to an estimate, in a zone of 125 mm rainfall, about 125-150 acres are needed to maintain one sheep a year; whereas, in 150-200mm zone, the average is about 60-80 acres. Based on conservative estimates, the pressure of livestock in Thar is five to ten times the optimum. Thus besides inefficient livestock production, overgrazing is badly affecting the quality of rangelands. Livestock almost entirely subsists on natural grazing, which mostly consists of permanent bushes, shrubs and native grasses. During the monsoon, if there is an adequate rainfall, natural grasses spring up profusely and provide abundant grazing. The rainfall is usually scanty and limited to about 150-200mm a year; most of which occurs from July to September. Thus pasture season is extremely short.

Drought and Migration

Frequent droughts are characterized by scarcity of food and fodder, lack of access to income generating opportunities, migration, sale of livestock at large scale, market exploitation, indebtedness and famine in extreme cases.  Usually from December to May, small farmers and tenants start migrating to irrigated areas of Sindh. Males members migrate along with the livestock herds. Sometimes, all family members.  The intensity and amount of rainfall has been low during the last two decades resulting in intermittent but frequent droughts which compelled them sell livestock at about 50% of usual market value.

Mass exodus of people from desert to irrigated areas is an economic phenomenon. The national economic problems could only be solved by alleviation of poverty, regional planning, and development of potential areas.  It is in increasing opportunities through farming, small scale decentralized agro-industries, labour intensive work, better physical infra-structure, land development and development of villages.  The productivity per person is a measure of the prosperity of people.  Complete or partial drought conditions, nonavailability of work, low income and depletion of means of earning, compel desert population to migrate to the adjacent irrigated areas.    In the desert severe conditions prevail from March to July, un-employment and difficult survival of livestock become a problem leaving no alternative but to migrate. 

Wild Life

Wildlife has a significant bearing on greenery and foraging.  Tharparkar district is blessed with beautiful species of birds and animals. A sizeable wildlife is found in Chinkara Gazella benetti, desert fox Vulpels vuples griffithi, Jackal Canis aureus, Hyaena Hyafrla Striata and mangoose. Among birds the most famous is Peacock Pavo Cristatus, partridge Favncolinus pondocerianus menaesis, Barn owl Tyto alba, Indian scoop Owl Otus bakkamoena, Sindh night jar Caprimulgus maharattensis, Indian night jar Caprimulgus asiaticus, and dove Streptopelia senegalensis, venomous snakes; Khapar, Sindh rattler, cobra etc. found in the rainy seasons.

The wild life is fast disappearing in Thar desert. Fox, wild cat, and other small animals could still be found in the area.   While among economic birds of economic value only partridges and sand grouse are self-managed.  Abundant rodents and snakes are the enemies of humans and cattles. The snakes.  The rats enemies of agriculture and pastures  are rampant in the area mostly in hot rainy season.

Water Resources

Water resource development is a gigantic problem of Thar. Soil erosion could be reduced to a minimum not only to improve the local conditions but also for the continued prosperity.  Great difficulties arise from the variability and irregularity of the rainy seasons causing uncertain water supplies for crops.  Besides, much of the rainfall is lost through run-offs in Nagarparkar area.  During rainy season, water in streams, gullies and hill cause flash floods, devastation of crops and washing of top soils.  Water so lost could irrigate all land of the desert if properly harnessed.  Water can be collected in earthen dams and ponds, used optimally, could provide a valuable alternative.  For this purpose site specific technologies should be developed.

Hydrological surveys are required to identify possibilities of tapping water resources, both surface and underground, through tubewells and wells that need to be vigorously pursued.  Systematic studies, surveys and planning should be undertaken for the construction of medium and small dams and ponds.  The shallow water reserves at the depth of 25 to 50 feet available in almost all talukas of the desert particularly Diplo and Nagarparkar  could be developed for general use and for irrigating small fields.  The local population lacks technical know-how and has no financial resources to install even Egyptian wheels or small engines to pump water. Efforts should be made to finance these farmers or to exploit water resources.

Tube wells data of Water Quality in Thar

Source: TRDP

Rainfalls in cycles and three-years of famine in ten years and a year of rain scarcity occurs once in every three years.  Sometimes, at places, water is not even available for drinking purpose. Wells dry down and their recharge become insufficient to feed wells particularly during summers. The existing inadequate number of wells are most of poor people of the area.  The number of wells could be increased.  Some experts claim that deep seated sweet water aquifers occur at about 600 to 1000 and perched water at 100 to 300 feet.

Ancient history reveals that rivers, Sutlej and Saraswati passed through Thar desert and ended in the Gulf of Kutchh at Parinager, an ancient sea port.  Later the Saraswati dried up and now Ghaghar flows to the east of Bhawalpur.  The Sutlej has shifted its course, the bed turned into natural channel, known as  Nara. The old river beds should be surveyed which would provide stream of underground sweet water for tubewell installation. Also the old river bed could again be opened and fed from some barrage or flood flows which otherwise go waste.

Mineral Deposits

According to a recent report large deposits of good quantity lignite coal, are abundant in Tharpakar district and an in-exhaustible good quality granite deposits at Nagarparkar. Almost entire Karunjhar range granite formation, and Sulphur deposits in karunjhar hills, besides china clay and other minerals in smaller quantities.  There also exist a huge salt mine (NaC1) adjacent to Runn of Kutchh in Diplo taluka.

There is a precious reserve of building stones of good quality in Nagarparkar hills.  Many other minerals and crockery clay as well as cement stone could be derived from these rocks.  Also a well known natural common salt reserve in Diplo (Saran) be developed on commercial lines.  However, extensive survey is required to explore the hidden treasures of the sand and hills.  Most probably, the desert could yield petroleum.

Socio-economic conditions

The development could mean uplift of all geographic parts, productive as well as less expensive.  The development programs should entail uniform approach providing equal opportunities to local people without disparities and unsatisfaction, which demand coordinated efforts for the development of the area on sound lines.

The people of Thar receive a little share in the national developments.  Unfortunately very little efforts have been made for the desert area and to elevate the standard of living of the people.  They deserve attention to receive share in economic advantages being the inherent basic rights of the people, while the nation must seek the participation of these people in the national development.  The well being of these people is a natural challenge. The people are tax payers, producers, consumers, voters, fair labour force and above all integrate part of economic mechanism of the country.

The desert community is under pressure from numerous spheres of modernization and changes.  It has been stratified but stands as a cohesive unit  that preserves oligarchy of the privileged classes and function on the basis of custom and usage in isolation.  The welfare of the community inevitably means that a few influential well connected and affluent people apportionate the lion’s share of the benefits from development.   It is possible to alter these trends, and to establish economic stability sustainable for the future provided that a clear understanding is achieved at various levels of decision- making.  The Barani tract of Thar is too big a resource to be ignored, but rather deserves creation of a new socio-economic order.

The implementation of desert welfare policies is not an easy task as there has existed for centuries a stratified. unjust and exploitative socio-economic order.  The Thar desert tract has been entirely left out of developments feeling frustrated, causing widening of income disparities in the region. As mentioned earlier, social justice needs be provided to promote education and economic interests, enable education, training, agricultural and industrial development and allow participation in national activities by encouraging the people of desert area.

Miserable living conditions, traveling to distant places in search of employment, and indebtedness are socio-economic problems.  The landless and the jobless are living without dignity and security due to social injustice and exploitative order. Migration takes away the more enterprising and talented persons out of communities and the hiatus leads to slow progress and absence of innovation and creative purposeful change rather abject poverty of the people.  The labour migrated from Thar to irrigated areas mostly seek employment in agriculture particularly to harvesting of winter crops at lower rates.  The area is being managed at extremely primitive levels of technology, but there are bright possibilities of securing manifold increases in agricultural and livestock production by the use of appropriate technologies. Resources development is a function of technology.  The disturbed man-land ratio results in a stagnant, un-progressive and exploitative system of the land use. However, whatever strategy may be embarked upon must have following ingrained objectives: 

• To lay foundation for Arid Agriculture Research Centre in the impoverished area and develop scientific leadership in collaboration with national and international organizations for generating location specific technologies vis-à-vis economic development program.

• To develop bio-saline agriculture and technologies suited to the area and mobilize farmers for land and water resources management.

• To explore possibilities of harnessing groundwater and harvesting rainwater for drinking and agriculture and develop strategies for awareness of people.

• To develop advance research facilities to embark upon the focused areas of research and generate sustainable technologies.

• To document indigenous germplasm of plants and animals and explore drought resistant as well as productive varieties best suited to the edaphic conditions and help assist farmers associations and councils.

• To act as a center for training in research methodologies  and generate awareness in the people, grow shed   trees in houses, raise ornamental plants and creepers/flowers for bringing about floral look of the area along with major pursuits of  agriculture and livestock.

• To assess the impact of vegetation on biodiversity and boost Eco-system preservation strategies.

• To undertake vigorous programs on desertification control, rainwater harvest/storage and saline agriculture, and manage livestock production and reproduction.

• To invigorate a comprehensive Livestock and Poultry programs including fancy birds and animals and provide veterinary services.

• To explore the possibilities of wind and solar energy generation as an alternative source.

• To document and improve rehabilitative conditions and inputs for species of local grasses and fodder trees for animals and to manage pastures and grazing patterns.

• To prepare package of technology and research for combating the effects of cyclic droughts on agriculture and livestock, and to act as repository of information for natural resources and desertification processes and their control.

• To train farmers in modern Arid Agriculture and Livestock farming.

• Increase livestock productivity under desert conditions by overcoming feed shortages during the drought years, and disease control.

• Conduct research and prepare package of technology for combating the effects of Cyclic and regular  drought on livestock

However, the short term approaches must be aimed at to provide relief in least period of time, which may be as follows:

Short Term Goals: 

• Reverse the drought effects by providing maintenance rations to the animals in the interior of Thar to cope with emergencies.

• Crop residues from irrigated areas be enriched by treating with urea and  supply urea molasses mineral blocks to the farmers for feeding of livestock.

• Sugar industry waste is abundantly available in the form of molasses, press mud, and bagasse. These wastes be used for compounding a low cost livestock feed to overcome feed shortages.

• Introduce preventive health care program and appropriate husbandry practices.

• Implement program for genetic improvement through distribution improved breeding bulls, bucks and rams selected from farmer’s herds based on performance recording.

• Small ruminants flock raising with improved feeding and vaccination.

• The overall strategy should be to motivate and organize people at village level and to facilitate them in undertaking collective actions.

• Training should be imparted in managerial and technical skills to ensure structural community organizations and creating partnerships in the development initiatives.

Droughts reduce the vigor of plants, ultimately leading to plant mortality causing deforestation. Deforestation and desertification problems need immediate attention and require long-term program. The mainstay of the life of the people inhabiting arid zones is livestock and agriculture. It is imperative to raise income of the people substantially by maximizing productivity through improved livestock production, range management, and the eco-system.

We cannot afford to ignore our rainfed areas. We should have a comprehensive plan to develop for mitigation of its livestock resources, agro-forestry-based problems of soil productivity, deteriorated rangelands and whole ecosystem.

Proposed Broad Based Activities and Future Plans

-     Preparing village profiles of the Arid Zone for Agriculture and Livestock population,

       natural resources, skilled manpower, and socio-economic status of people.

-     Assessing capabilities/ skills of people in Thar 

       absorbed and utilized toward bio-saline agriculture and livestock production

-     Assessing the infrastructure and possibility of water harvesting in Thar

       and the way it would affect the ecosystem and the people

-       To provide consultancy in the areas of interest.

-      Integrated natural resource surveys

-      Desertification assessment, monitoring, and principles of control measures

-      Soil erosion and sand dune stabilization

-      Integrated water management

-      Watershed management

-      Sustainable dry land agriculture

-      Arid land irrigation management

-      Soil-water-plant relationships

-      Integrated nutrient management

-      Management of degraded lands

-      Alternate land use systems

-      Livestock production and management

-      Plant products and their processing

-      Solar energy and its application in rural development

-      Integrated pest and rodent management.

However the focused areas of research and activities shall be:

1.  Natural Resource Surveys

Integrated survey of natural resources including land forms, soils, flora, fauna, surface and ground water, present land use and land degradation status will be undertaken using the concept of Major Land Resource units. Buried courses of river in the desert will be mapped using satellite imagery, confirmed through geophysical depth soundings and successfully used for ground water exploration.  Based on satellite imagery, maps of processes leading to desertification and common property resources will be  developed.

2.   Desertification Control

The extent of soil movement under different land use systems will be quantified. Soil movement due to barren surface and high wind velocity is a major problem. Technologies to minimize sand movement through establishment of shelter belt and technologies for dune stabilization will also be developed.

3.  Water Management

For efficient rainwater harvest, catchments and storage technologies will be refined and developed.  Since soils are sandy and water retention is poor, water is rapidly lost either as evaporation or deep drainage. For holistic management of water the concepts of watershed management for areas having single integrated drainage system and index catchment for areas lacking single drainage system will be developed.

4.  Soil Rehabilitation and Management

The arid region is endowed with minerals that are being increasingly exploited and a trail of waste land is left. Technologies integrating species, soil amendments and water harvesting for rehabilitation of gypsum and limestone mine lands will be developed.

5.  Crop Production

Technologies for sustainable crop production under rainfed conditions will be developed.  Improved varieties of pearl millet, clusterbean, mothbean and horsegram will be developed at the center and released for large scale plantation. Paired and triplet planting as well as intercroppings will be tried for higher yields during low rainfall years. Interplot and in-plot rain water harvesting and adoption of soil moisture conservation measures will be taken for increased crop yields.

Benefits of high soil fertility in ameliorating the adverse effects of moisture and salinity stress will be established and contributions of legumes in improving the soil fertility and contribution of BNF in improvement of yields of legumes will be quantified.  In the deserts, most of the urea applied is lost due to volatilization. A simple cost effective technology involving sulphur mixed urea may increase the efficiency of urea fertilizer.

6.  Alternate Land Use Systems

Technologies for various land use systems like agroforestry, agrihorticulture, hortipastrol and silvipastrol systems will be developed. Adoption of ley farming involving cultivation of crops in rotation with grasses may improve the soil physico-chemical properties and crop yields. Management practices and productivity of range lands in different agroecology zones will be developed and their carrying capacity quantified.

7.  Arid Horticulture

In the arid region there is plenty of scope for cultivation of fruits trees. Technique for propagation of Ber through budding of improved varieties like Gola, Seb, and Soofi on local root stock can make major impact. A large number of varieties that can be successfully raised will be identified, even on marginal lands with certain conservation measures.  Due to proposed technologies developed to raise improved varieties and better management practices the orchard areas will continuously rise. Technologies for extraction and processing of juice/pulp of fruits will be standardized.

8.  Live Stock Management

Livestock are an important source of sustenance of farmers during low rainfall when crop yields are too low to be of any economic significance. The time of first calving and the inter-calving period can be reduced through proper management of cattle. Different breeds of suitable sheep will be identified for the desert tracts. These breeds can sustain watered properly without any adverse effects on body weight.  New breeds of goat having higher growth rate will be identified vis-a-vis milk yield and duration of lactation.  A technique of ensiling surplus fodder, using over-fermented milk, urea and molasses will be developed. Digestibility of high tannin feed will be improved by soaking it in 1% aqueous solution of NaCo₃ sodium carbonate. A balanced concentrate of mineral mixture will be developed to hasten the body weight gain, milk and wool yield in sheep and milk yield in cattle.  Non-descriptive (indigenous) cattle will be crossed with exotic germplasma.  Thari and Kankrej cows, Kachhi and Kuka sheep, Kachhan, Kuri, Tharki, Tapri or Lappi goats, and Dhatti, Desi, Bekaneri and Sindhi camels will be documented and developed.  The man-animal ratio of 1:4.6 will be increased to commercial level.

9.  Renewable Energy Resources

In the arid regions there is a plenty of wind and solar energies to meet the human needs both in urban and rural areas. Various types of windmills for pumping up water and generating mechanical power and solar cookers to cook food and feed, water heaters and distillation plants will be designed and developed. To dehydrate agricultural produce dryers are getting popular as the produce retains its color, flavor and texture. Similarly wax melter and candle making machine is also getting popular. To make these versatile and multipurpose, devices will be developed. Solar PV panels will be successfully used to supply power to run television, light, fan, pesticide sprayers and operate drip irrigation systems.

10.  Socio-economic aspects

The socio-economic viability of the proposed technologies development evaluation of and evaluated surveys of the desert dwellers will be undertaken. The cost benefit analysis of various land use systems will be carried out for pasture live- stock system.