India's Nomadic pastoral tibes

Major nomadic pastoral tribes of India:

1. Gujjar bakarwals of jammu and kashmir : in summer dry scrub forest of high mountains while in winters moves to low hills of siwaliks along with their sheep and goat.

2.  Gaddi shepherds of Himachal Pradesh had a similar cycle of seasonal movement. They too spent their winter in the low hills of Siwalik range, grazing their flocks in scrub forests. By April they moved north and spent the summer in Lahul and Spiti.

3. The gujjar of kumaon and gharwal of uttarakhand  are  cattle herders came down to the dry forests of the bhabar in the winter, and went up to the high meadows – the bugyals – in summer.

4. This pattern of cyclical movement between summer and winter pastures was typical of many pastoral communities of the Himalayas, including the Bhotiyas, Sherpas and Kinnauris. All of them had to adjust to seasonal changes and make effective use of available pastures in different places. When the pasture was exhausted or unusable in one place they moved their herds and flock to new areas. This continuous movement also allowed the pastures to recover; it prevented their overuse.

5. Raika camels grazing on the Thar desert in western Rajasthan. Only camels can survive on the dry and thorny bushes that can be found here; but to get enough feed they have to graze over a very extensive area. the Raikas combined cultivation with pastoralism. During the monsoons, the Raikas of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner stayed in their home villages, where pasture was available. By October, when these grazing grounds were dry and exhausted, they moved out in search of other pasture and water, and returned again during the next monsoon. One group of Raikas – known as the Maru (desert) Raikas – herded camels and another group reared sheep and goat.

6. Dhangars were an important pastoral community of Maharashtra they move between konkan(winters) and semi-arid areas of central plateau of Maharashtra during the monsoon (grow bajra). They keep sheep and buffalos.

7. The Gollas herded cattle. The Kurumas and Kurubas reared sheep and goats and sold woven blankets lives in karnataka and andhra pradesh between dry areas of interior plateau and wet coastal areas in monsoon and non monsoon season.

8. Banjaras were yet another well-known group of graziers. They were to be found in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. In search of good pastureland for their cattle, they moved over long distances, selling plough cattle and other goods to villagers in exchange for grain and fodder

9. Maldhari herders moving in search of pastures. Their villages are in the Rann of Kutch. 

Problem or challenges faced by African , Asian, Latin American pastoralists:

1. disruption of mobility routes

2. Land acquisition for Argo-industrial projects and other developmental projects 

3. Increase adverse policies affected the vulnerability of pastoralists 

4. Reduced rangeland or pastureland 

5. Climatic fluctuations 

6. Desertification 

7. Privatisation of communal land

8. Wildlife conservation initiatives 

9. Land degradation triggered by inappropriate land use 

10. Insecure ye sure access to resources 

11. Loss of common property resources 

12. Rangeland acquired by non pastoralists 

13. Pastoralists are bound by inter- and intra- state national borders.

14. Intensification of agricultural production 

15. Large livelihood diversification 

Pastoralists of South America:

South American rearing of camelids such as Llamas, alpacas, vicuñas and guanacos, sheep , goat and cattle’s. 

1. semi arid regions of Andes known as altiplano or Puna at the height of 3700-5000m. It is mainly concentrated in 4 countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru.

2. The dry land of northern Mexico and Guajjra peninsula of Columbia and Venezuela. 

3. Brazilian cerrado and caatinga

4. Dry Chaco bush land between Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay 

5. Old pantagonia steppes shared by Argentina and chile

6. Lalanos of Venezuela and Columbia 

7. Bermejo and pilcomayo basins of Paraguay and Argentina 

8. Partanar wetland in Brazil 

9. 86% of Peruvian does and Bolivian highland used as rangeland with pastoralist.

West Asian and  North Africa pastoralists:

Pastoral communities of this region comprises of high mountains , coastal Mediterranean and the Sahara desert. It consists of Bedouins, Beja, Kurds , Berbers , Tuareg and western Saharan. Traditional rangeland of Maghreb region called as Abdali among Berber and Hima among Bedouin.

Eastern and Southern Africa:

Here pastoralists community consist of Bedouins and masai tribes of Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya , Tanzania and Uganda 

West and central Africa: 

It includes Tuareg, Fulani, Pauls, maures. The Sahel region lies between Sahara desert and wetter savannah characterised by longer dry season. They keep camels, cattle, sheep and goats.

Central Asia:

It includes the pastoralists of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan along with Russia, Mongolia and China. The world 90% of yak are reared in the cold desert region along with camels, horses, goats and Tibetan sheep.