Speakers Lauds Community Livestock Extension Workers May Adopt Better Source Of Livelihood

HYDERABAD, Dec 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Dec, 2020 ) :The role of community livestock extension workers (CLEWs) in the desert areas was lauded by the speakers of the training workshop adding that these workers have taken responsibility to provide services to the herders, who need to save their animals.

The speakers lauded the efforts of community livestock extension workers at the concluding ceremony of the 22 day training workshop on Monday which was organized by Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP) in collaboration with Sindh Agriculture University TandoJam.

A total of 65 community livestock extension workers including 12 female and 53 males hailing from four union councils of Umerkot district, mainly desert areas participated in this workshop, where besides diagnosing diseases, they learnt the need of nutrition, farm and healthcare management, breeding management and extension services for farm animals.

Dr. Khadim Lakhair, former district health officer and member TRDP board of Director (BoD) while sharing his experiences said vaccination programme for the human population is being carried out accordingly. During 1980, he informed that there were few cases of polio in towns and villages, in which they did not have options other than begging in streets to live for survival.

However, he gave credit to polio vaccination, which 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 to the rural economy.

He said livestock is the 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, he said and suggested that the training and getting experience need continuity of practice to upgrade themselves. Thus community livestock extension workers need continuity for their learning, so they may earn through providing services to local herders, he said.

Sarwan Baloch, provincial coordinator of NGO World Without Hunger (WHH) said in his remarks that it was volunteer work, in which they 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.

He said people of Thar Desert 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 livestock is the 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 the 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.

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 of vaccination, surgery and other methods, he said.

He also introduced the role of Sindh Agriculture University, agriculture, irrigation and extension services and said they are providing services to community people therefore they should adopt alternative sources of livelihoods.

He said nutrients are important for growth of babies and over all families to live safely 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, he added.

Sumera Manjhand, Project Manager Strengthening food Security resilience of small holders farmers by adapting climate change through multi-level approach of district umerkot, said the participants have been selected for training as per set criteria. Mostly they are matriculation and secondary passed, so they may diagnose diseases and suggest reasonable treatment to save animals, she said and added, These trained CLEWs can help the herders not only in their own villages but also help in the neighboring villages.

She said they have also formed village organizations (VOs) to help each other at their doorsteps. These workers will further provide services, she said added that after exposure visits of three cattle farms in Umerkot district and Hyderabad, these workers have learned about farm management, feed mechanism, milking process and pastures management.

Sarwan Bheel, Clew representative also 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 the 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 a strange situation and they cannot understand the ailments and suggest its treatment. At this moment the learning may help the people.

Another worker Ajeela Bheel said that in the past, the community livestock extension workers had no knowledge 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, she concluded.