Climate change or global warming is no more a fantasy but a reality affecting all living beings on planet earth. Recent reports have suggested that the effects of climate change, especially on livestock and animal husbandry activities, were more visible in the Indian Himalayas, with a warming rate higher than the global average. Direct and indirect effects of climate change on the productive aspects of livestock have been studied and reported previously, but how the global warming has affected the life and livelihood of pastoralists and their animals and how they perceive the effects of changing climate have received little attention. This chapter provides an overview of feedback and perceptions of migratory pastoralists on the effects of climate change on grazing ruminants in different Himalayan countries, namely India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In most cases, the feedback was obtained by direct interviews, through questionnaires or participatory appraisal from large number of randomly selected respondents. Besides the scientific and peer reviewed papers, the feedback or perceptions of herders were also obtained from the stories appearing in the local print and electronic media. A brief account of country-wise perceptions of the pastoralists to global warming is presented. In India, active migratory pastoralism is practiced in union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and north-western states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Most studies from these states involving the Bakarwals, Gaddis, and Bhutias revealed that majority of pastoralists perceived rising of ambient temperature, drying up of water resources due to warming, incidence of unpredictable weather conditions, cloud bursting, significant decline in snowfall, and thinning of glaciers. Global warming is responsible for shifting of alpine rangelands to higher altitudes and disturbing the time schedule of upward and downward journeys. For instance, early onset of summer has forced the shepherds to early movement of flocks. In all areas, unpredictable weather conditions, especially erratic rains, were pointed by the respondents as major setback. The commencement of their upward journey from the foot hills and downward journey from alpine grasslands always depended on weather conditions which is a big rider on their travel plan. In Nepal, several studies on local pastoralists’ perception of climate change have been reported from different districts of Nepal namely Mustang, Dolpe, Lamjung, Gorkha and also from national parks and conservation areas. Eighty percent of herders perceived an increase in air temperature, erratic and decreasing trend in precipitation, and appearance of new pasture species. In central Nepal, although precipitation did not show a clear pattern, herders observed an increased frequency of drought. On questioning, many herders felt that the warming effects of climate change were threatening the practice of transhumance. In Bhutan, yak farming is practiced in alpine region, and result of a study on how local yak herders perceive the effects of changing and warming climate is available. The study was undertaken in five villages. It was found that most participants were aware of global warming. They believed that climate change was responsible for increased rainfall, decreased water availability, more frequent droughts and flash floods, and ascent of snow lines. Many herders revealed that new vegetation was becoming established and rhododendrons were encroaching the grasslands leading to decline in forage availability. There are not many reports from China on herders’ perception to the problem of climate change. Some studies have been undertaken in Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). From Daiqian village of Zhuaxixiulong township belonging to Tianzhu county, majority of pastoralists were found aware of climate change issues and observed grassland degradation and poor health and productivity of local livestock. In a recent report, agro-pastoralists perception to climate change was studied in Qilan mountains in north-west of China. A total of 565 pastoralists in four counties were selected to asses the effect of climate change. Majority of the respondents were found aware of climate change effects. Most of them perceived a decrease in rainfall and some felt that rainfall was getting unpredictable. From Pakistan, results of two major studies on herders’ response to climate change are available, one in Haramosh valley of Gigit Baltistan located at 3027 m amsl in karakoram and the other from three agro-ecological zones of Punjab province. In Gilgit study, 150 households were selected and given questionnaires to collect information. Results showed that majority of respondents perceived increase in temperature and 25 percent felt a decrease in rainfall. A total of 97% of herders indicated outbreak of new diseases, growth of invasive weeds, decreased water level in springs, landslides, floods, and avalanches. In a Punjab study, individual perception and vulnerabilities to climate change were studied on 405 small livestock herders from 30 villages. Majority felt that rainfall pattern had changed and became unpredictable. Livestock herders also felt emergence of new diseases. Although Afghanistan has been described as a pastoral country, it has been difficult to obtain scientific and relevant data from it because of its isolation and volatile political history of wars and conflicts. There are not many studies available on pastoralists perception of changing climate. A few studies showed that the pastoralists were aware of rising ambient temperature. A recent report from Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre has stated that the climate warming effect, rising temperature, and decreased precipitation would cause loss of rangelands through degradation, and heat stroke would affect livestock reproduction and reduce the availability of animal feed leading to livestock starvation.

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Himalayan Pastoralists’ Perceptions to Changing Climate and How It Is Affecting the System and Their Livelihoods

  • S. P. Singh,
  • J. K. Malik

摘要

Climate change or global warming is no more a fantasy but a reality affecting all living beings on planet earth. Recent reports have suggested that the effects of climate change, especially on livestock and animal husbandry activities, were more visible in the Indian Himalayas, with a warming rate higher than the global average. Direct and indirect effects of climate change on the productive aspects of livestock have been studied and reported previously, but how the global warming has affected the life and livelihood of pastoralists and their animals and how they perceive the effects of changing climate have received little attention. This chapter provides an overview of feedback and perceptions of migratory pastoralists on the effects of climate change on grazing ruminants in different Himalayan countries, namely India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In most cases, the feedback was obtained by direct interviews, through questionnaires or participatory appraisal from large number of randomly selected respondents. Besides the scientific and peer reviewed papers, the feedback or perceptions of herders were also obtained from the stories appearing in the local print and electronic media. A brief account of country-wise perceptions of the pastoralists to global warming is presented. In India, active migratory pastoralism is practiced in union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and north-western states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Most studies from these states involving the Bakarwals, Gaddis, and Bhutias revealed that majority of pastoralists perceived rising of ambient temperature, drying up of water resources due to warming, incidence of unpredictable weather conditions, cloud bursting, significant decline in snowfall, and thinning of glaciers. Global warming is responsible for shifting of alpine rangelands to higher altitudes and disturbing the time schedule of upward and downward journeys. For instance, early onset of summer has forced the shepherds to early movement of flocks. In all areas, unpredictable weather conditions, especially erratic rains, were pointed by the respondents as major setback. The commencement of their upward journey from the foot hills and downward journey from alpine grasslands always depended on weather conditions which is a big rider on their travel plan. In Nepal, several studies on local pastoralists’ perception of climate change have been reported from different districts of Nepal namely Mustang, Dolpe, Lamjung, Gorkha and also from national parks and conservation areas. Eighty percent of herders perceived an increase in air temperature, erratic and decreasing trend in precipitation, and appearance of new pasture species. In central Nepal, although precipitation did not show a clear pattern, herders observed an increased frequency of drought. On questioning, many herders felt that the warming effects of climate change were threatening the practice of transhumance. In Bhutan, yak farming is practiced in alpine region, and result of a study on how local yak herders perceive the effects of changing and warming climate is available. The study was undertaken in five villages. It was found that most participants were aware of global warming. They believed that climate change was responsible for increased rainfall, decreased water availability, more frequent droughts and flash floods, and ascent of snow lines. Many herders revealed that new vegetation was becoming established and rhododendrons were encroaching the grasslands leading to decline in forage availability. There are not many reports from China on herders’ perception to the problem of climate change. Some studies have been undertaken in Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR). From Daiqian village of Zhuaxixiulong township belonging to Tianzhu county, majority of pastoralists were found aware of climate change issues and observed grassland degradation and poor health and productivity of local livestock. In a recent report, agro-pastoralists perception to climate change was studied in Qilan mountains in north-west of China. A total of 565 pastoralists in four counties were selected to asses the effect of climate change. Majority of the respondents were found aware of climate change effects. Most of them perceived a decrease in rainfall and some felt that rainfall was getting unpredictable. From Pakistan, results of two major studies on herders’ response to climate change are available, one in Haramosh valley of Gigit Baltistan located at 3027 m amsl in karakoram and the other from three agro-ecological zones of Punjab province. In Gilgit study, 150 households were selected and given questionnaires to collect information. Results showed that majority of respondents perceived increase in temperature and 25 percent felt a decrease in rainfall. A total of 97% of herders indicated outbreak of new diseases, growth of invasive weeds, decreased water level in springs, landslides, floods, and avalanches. In a Punjab study, individual perception and vulnerabilities to climate change were studied on 405 small livestock herders from 30 villages. Majority felt that rainfall pattern had changed and became unpredictable. Livestock herders also felt emergence of new diseases. Although Afghanistan has been described as a pastoral country, it has been difficult to obtain scientific and relevant data from it because of its isolation and volatile political history of wars and conflicts. There are not many studies available on pastoralists perception of changing climate. A few studies showed that the pastoralists were aware of rising ambient temperature. A recent report from Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre has stated that the climate warming effect, rising temperature, and decreased precipitation would cause loss of rangelands through degradation, and heat stroke would affect livestock reproduction and reduce the availability of animal feed leading to livestock starvation.