Our Correspondent
HYDERABAD
The role of community livestock extension workers (CLEWs) in the desert areas was lauded as they have taken responsibility to provide services to the herders, who need to save their animals.
The local organization has arranged a 22-day training for 65 CLEWs, including 12 female and 53 males hailing from four union councils of Umerkot district, mainly desert areas in collaboration with Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam.
Besides diagnosing diseases hey have learned the need of nutrition, farm and healthcare management, breeding management and extension services for farm animals.
Dr. Khadim Lakhair, former district health officer sharing his experiences said vaccination programme for human population is going on.
During 1980 there were a few vases of polio in towns and villages, in which they did not have option other than begging in streets to live for survival. But then he gave credit to polio vaccination, which have saved hundreds of human lives. Like this, he said the vaccination drive to livestock may have 100 percent positive results to save animals, which contribute in rural economy.
Livestock is main source of livelihood for the desert communities, who depend on rains. In case of delay or failure of rains, these people face problems to feed their animals because of dryness.
Dr. Lakhair suggested that the training and getting experience need continuity of practice to upgrade themselves. Thus CLEW need continuity for their learning, so they may earn through providing services to local herders.
Sarwan Baloch, provincial coordinator Germen NGO World Without Hunger (WHH) in his remarks said it is volunteer work, in which these workers may not raise more income through this service. Sharing his experiences of working delegates in different countries on cattle management, he said Pakistan does not have more population, compared to other agriculture-dependent countries.
Baloch said Thar people have folk wisdom to diagnose any ailment in animals and suggest treatment on their own. But, he said the provincial government has limited services in livestock extension to extend help to rural communities.
He said the livestock is main source of providing milk and meat to maintain nutrition level among people. Mainly milk feeding mothers need nutrition to feed their babies at their growth level.
“We like government, NGOs, INGOs, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam as well as community livestock extension workers (Clews) together can reach all the areas to help people at their doorstep,” he said.
Almost all trainees belong to herder families and they must understand techniques through these trainings. He expressed the hope that these workers can help area farmers.
Prof Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, director university advancement and financial enhancement, while briefing about the purposes and importance of the training said presently the main source of livelihood is skill development in different fields, like CLEWs have got training to see how vaccinate and save animals.
He said this learning of livestock workers may lead to end poverty, because these CLEWs will be able to earn through this skill to adopt treatment methods, scientifically. They are capable to vaccination, surgery and other methods, he said.
He also introduced role of SAU in agriculture, irrigation and extension services, said they are providing services to community people, so they adopt alternative source of livelihoods.
He said nutrients are important for growth of babies and over all families to live safe at the time of emerging weather-related health problems. He said these workers may adopt business plans in the field of livestock, which can be profitable to earn for sustainably. They may understand the situation, weight, size and age of animals for successful business models.
Sumera Manjhand, project manager “Strengthening Food Security resilience’s of small holders farmers by adapting climate change through multi-level approach of district umerkot”, said they have selected participants as per set criteria for training. Mostly they are matriculation and secondary passed, so they may diagnose diseases and suggest reasonable treatment to save animals.
These trained clews can help the herders not only in their own villages but also help in the neighbouring villages. This knowledge these workers can transfer to others near there.
She said they have also formed village organisations (VOs) to help each other at their doorsteps. These workers will further provide services.
After exposure visits of three cattle farms in Umerkot district and Hyderabad, they workers have learned about farm management, feed mechanism, milking process and pastures management.
Sarwan Bheel, Clew member shared about the learning, saying how he is able to apply methods on his own to diagnose disease and treat animals.
He said “we have got opportunity to learn these methods, like farm management, hygiene, feeding and vaccination to save our own animals”.
He said many diseases the community people know instantly, but now there is strange situation and they cannot understand the ailments and suggest its treatment. At this moment the learning may help the people.
Anjeela Bheel, another worker said they could not know previously to diagnose any problem, but now they are able to learn to save animals. They can provide feed and water as per the animals’ requirement.
