On the fringes of a seminar on the social value of livestock, hosted by the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, last week, experts warned that the country’s livestock population in general, and over 66 million sheep and goats in particular, might be facing a bleak future if the government does not come up with a rangeland policy and mechanism to implement it effectively.

Over 40pc of these small animals depend on the rangelands for fodder, which are now being destroyed by a combination of factors; gross overgrazing, cyclical droughts, expanding population, no system or policy for their safety or renewal and decreasing water supplies. Pakistan may soon start feeling more pressure on both, supplies and prices, of its choicest meat.

In a country, where 65-70pc of the total area consists of mountains, gullied foot hills, arid waste and deserts, how could these vast tracks be left to the mercy of the Mother Nature, without human and policy interventions. Millions of people and animals depend on these lands for their livelihood.

Since most of these lands are rain-fed, most farmers living around these lands have uncertain income from crops; their dependence on livestock for sustained income is thus overwhelming. With no one there take care of these lands, they are also ripped off grass, brushes and shrubs for cooking by those living around them. The situation is especially bad for lands falling on the routes of nomadic tribes in the country.

The problem arises when all people — living on and around them and migrating through them — have equal right on these lands, but no one is responsible for their health and safety.

The government needs to restrict grazing during the spring months, when plants are growing and then when seeds are ripening. Saving production cycles can, to a large extent, save these rangelands. However, it can only happen if the local farming community takes the responsibility

Agriculture, where livestock is taken as a sub-sector, is the main beneficiary of these lands, but most of them fall under the provincial forest departments. Experts now want all the stakeholders to sit together and hammer out a policy for these lands with an effective mechanism to implement it.

Since these lands fall in different ecological zones, one recipe for all may not work. Pothar Plateau includes Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum and Attock districts. Thal desert ranges between Salt Range in the north, Indus flood plains in the west and Jhelum and Chenab flood plains in the east. DG Khan rangelands fall on the foothills of Sulaiman Range and stretch right up to the River Indus. Cholistan lands fall in three districts of south Punjab – Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Rahim Yar Khan. Similarly, Tharparkar, Sanghar and Mirpur Khas form Tharparkar range and Kohistan ranges include Karachi, Thatta, Dadu and Lasbella. The simple ecological stretch explains the range of policies needed to manage these lands.

Some experts also explain some possible contours of the policy, which might include restricting the grazing to certain periods of the year and allowing re-growth of grasses, brushes and shrubs on these lands. During the monsoon, plants rejuvenate. The grazing is, however, an activity that goes on around the year. Restricting grazing is thus necessary. The second plank of the policy could be shifting the responsibilities to the communities for the safety and health of these ragelands where they live. Since they are the major beneficiaries and the losers, they need to play a lead role for maintaining these pastures.

But before initiating any policy with the help of experts, the government needs to collect data on these lands: their ecological and seasonal variations, their current usage and potential, and the number of people and livestock depending on them.

The government needs to restrict grazing during the spring months, when plants are growing and then when their seeds are ripening. Saving production cycles can, to a large extent, save these lands. It can only happen if local farming community takes the responsibility. The government cannot do it administratively.

The massive and precious rangelands also to merit some dedicated courses in major educational institutions of the country.

Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, December 22th , 2014