community-based conservation of animal genetic resources.
vice on livestock and pastoralist development at the request of NGOs. Most
of these advisory activities focused on India and Pakistan, where LPP has
long-standing and close relationships with NGOs working at the grassroots
level.
are progressively alienated and used for unsustainable irrigated agriculture.
They will only be able to survive if policy makers take note of their needs
and more favourable policies are implemented. This will only happen if pas-
toralists get organized and collectively raise their voice.
the Rajasthan Pastoralist Network, organize and structure a state-level
meeting of pastoralists and establish a state-level association (sangatan).
war, in June was probably the first ever to cross the traditional social
boundaries of caste and gender. Men and women from different pastoral-
ists groups in Rajasthan attended. Participants called for unity among Ra-
jasthan's diverse pastoralists communities, and emphasized the need to
create a state-level sangatan. The sangatan should fulfil multiple functions:
raise the voice of pastoralists, pressurize the government to consult pas-
toralists in policy development, market products, protect local livestock
breeds, save the pastoralists' culture, fight corruption, develop leadership,
save the environment, and help pastoralists gain self-confidence. A de-
tailed road-map was laid out for building the association.
infrastructure and services, its inhabitants are entirely dependent on live-
stock. Several NGOs in the area, including the Trust for Voluntary Organi-
sations (TVO) office in Umerkot, Thar Sangi Sujjag and AWARE, had re-
quested advice with how to support the local livestock economy.
ganized a meeting with local NGOs about livestock issues; this was fol-
lowed by a trip to Acchrothar arranged by Thar Sangi Sujjag. Ilse advised
the organizations to conduct a participatory animal disease survey, using
local disease terms rather than English disease names, to identify the main
animal health problems based on the livestock keepers' own perceptions.
She also suggested training some younger people in appropriate treat-
ments. TVO has since decided to work on livestock issues, and the local
NGOs are now collecting data on animal diseases. Ilse's stay was con-
cluded by a press conference organized by AWARE.
ists and support organizations (LPPS and KRAPAVIS) that form the Indian