Poverty, hunger and starvation are invarialy associated with Balochistan, the largest but least develped province of Pakistan. particularly when there is drought in the province the hunger, poverty and hopelessness among masses speak volumes.
To witness such a situation you not need to travel very long as mere a tour of 50-kilometers from the provincial capital Quetta towards any direction will lead you the people struggling for their survival.
Mehrullah, 55, local cattle farmer, resident of tehsil Daak of Nushki district, bordering Afghanistan is striving hard as drought has not only inflicted him a huge loss in the shape of perishing his cattle but has also indebted him.
“Dry spells since last year has worsened situation for cattle farmers. Once I had more than 250 sheep and goats but now only 50-60 are left which are in a serious condition due to lack of fodder,” said Mehrullah to this scribe, adding that there were a number of cattle farmers in Nushki and everyone was confronting with the same situation. “I have taken loan of Rs 150,000 to buy feed, fodder and medication for cattle but now I am no more able to save the rest of my cattle,” he regretted on his miserable plight.
Balochistan is passing through another series of drought and it has vehemently affected livestock and agriculture sectors which are the mainstay of economy of the province. Official statistics suggest approximately 73 percent people are directly or indirectly associated with livestock and agriculture sectors. Livestock and agriculture sectors have big role in ruler economy.
“Recent drought has showed its appalling impacts on livestock and agriculture in many districts particularly in Nushki, Kharan, Khuzdar and Washuk districts,” said Zahid Mengal Executive Director of Azad Foundation (AF).
He claimed district Nushki’s three Union Councils (UC) Daak, Inambostan and Keshingi were most affected areas as over 20 – 25 percent livestock had been perished merely in Nushki district. “The drought is affecting now social- fabric of the society, ground water is depleting, cases of mal-nutrition among children and women are increasing while people are migrating which is also affecting children education,” said Zahid Mengal.
When this scribe visited districts Mastung and Nushki to get first hand information from farmers, the pastures and grazing lands in both districts which used to be best sits for grazing were completely barren.
However, last week most of districts of Balochistan received some showers but according to farmers now it is too late for cultivation, however, if there is back to back rain it may help a little to livestock sector.
“You can witness the piles of perished goat and sheep lying in a large scale as long as you travel towards terrains of Nushki district,” said Muhammad Gul, a young man, who brings fire-woods from Afghanistan to make a livelihood.
Nazar Muhammad, another Nushki based farmer though seemed a bit excited and buoyant owing to recent showers, however, said there was an urgent need of fodder and medication for livestock that have survived drought. “District livestock department is in dormant, mere playing a role of silent spectator. It lacks medications as because of famine various diseases have became active in cattle,” he complained. “We are left in the lurch, no steps are being taken to steer out cattle farmers so far on the part of Balochistan Government,” complained Nazar Muhammad.
Drought has adversely affected grazing lands and increased deforestation that has destroyed the flora and fauna besides shrinking the vegetation cover of the rangelands.
“Drought has severely affected livestock and farmers depending on rainwater. If urgent arrangement of fodder and medication is not ensured it would inflict irreparable loss as over 90 percent people in Nushki district are with livestock and horticulture,” said Janzaib Mengal, Regional Program Manager of Azad Foundation.
He said landlords were cashing the situation by buying cattle with low prices as cattle farmers had left with no other option but to sale their cattle at throwaway prices.
“Next two months are very critical if govt did not take steps it would double the miseries for the people,” Mengal warned.
Balochistan experienced a serious drought in 1997 to 2005 that created famine in several districts of Balochistan adversely affecting livestock and agriculture.
A report of Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued in 2001, says the drought perished 2 million heads of livestock in Balochistan. The direct losses during the drought were estimated at Rs 476 million, while indirect losses accounted for Rs3,046 million.
A senior official of Livestock Department in Nushki district, Dr Muhammad Ismail contradicted the reports of dying of livestock in a large scale. “We have completed a survey of affected livestock in Nushki district. The strength of livestock in Nushki district is over 0.6 million, the situation is serious but it is in control, department is providing medication and vaccination to the cattle farmers,” he said.
However, he confessed that the department lacked supplement fodder as two moths were crucial for the cattle though the area had received rain. “We have devised a contingency plan and according to it we are providing fodder, treatment to cattle farmers. Our mobile teams and dispensaries though with little resources in hand are active,” he claimed.
The situation was very critical in Nal of Tehsil Khuzdar particularly in UCs Gowani, Sar Rech where about 50 percent livestock had been perished, said, Ms Parveez Naz Regional Program Officer of Action Aid who had visited Khuzdar and Nushki, told this scrip. “A serious disease has erupted among cattle because of famine and shortage of fodder and medicines is further deteriorating the situation,” she said, adding that people in Khuzdar were migrating from the district because of poverty as their source of income is either d livestock or farming.
Government of Balochistan last year had formally announced that Balochistan is passing through a drought and besides announcing Rs 1 billion for relief had also tasked Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to conduct a survey of damages. However, after passage of about four months the report of damages could not be furnished.
“We have received survey reports from various districts but we are not satisfied with them since some survey reports seemed more exaggerated, “ Tahir Munir Minhas told this scribe, adding “We have requested UNDP to carry out a fresh and impartial survey so that real affectees could be helped out the fresh survey would be completed within a month.”
He said, Nushki, Chagai, Kharan, Kech, Awaran, Khuzdar, Panjgour, Zhob, Loralai, Qila Abdullah and Lasbela were among most affected districts and after getting fresh survey report soon PDMA would start its relief activities.
“There is an urgent need of establishing medical camps for livestock in Khuzdar, Nushki and other drought hit districts in order to medication and fodder , besides government and international donors should come forward to resuscitate the province from a big loss,” MS Parveen Naz stressed.
Experts say poverty alleviation in Balochistan is linked with promotion of livestock and agriculture as both sectors contribute a lot in the rural economy and GDP of the province, and degradation of these sectors enhance poverty. –end
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