Thar Drought Presentation
1997
- 1998
Reasonably good
year characterized with
- Fair and timely rainfall during
July - September
- Reasonable crop yield
- Sufficient fodder for livestock
and cattle
- Normal migration to barrage
area (upto 15%)
- People purchased gold and silver
- New clothes purchased
- Weddings and rituals performed
- Public appeal NGOs for drought
relief
1998-99
- Cyclone in May 99 causing loss
of animals and houses
- No monsoon rain occurred (Mid
June-Mid August)
- No cultivation of crop
- No grasses to feed animals
- Migration towards Indus Plain
(Barrage Area) started
- People turn to moneylenders
for loans to buy food items
- Tharparkar Drought highlited
in the local papers
- Politicians appleal for relief
in Thar
- Public appeal NGOs for drought
relief
- Commissioner Mirpurkhas visits
Thar to assess situation
- Media Advisor to PM distributes
some rice as relief
- Marooara Coordination Council
meet to take stock of situation
- An NGO from Thar conducts a
situation analysis on drought
1999-2000
Drought Situation
gets worse
- Outmigration reaches 40%
- 80% of cattle and 40% livestock
migrate by Oct-Nov
- Non-availability of grain
- Decline in the rates of animals
- People forced to sell animals
at throwaway prices to purchase food itmes
- Cattle markets full of weak
Thari animals.
- Problem of malnutrition among
women and child get worse by February-March
- Quality of drinking water in
wells change
- Diarrohoear gastroentritis,
ARI reported
- Nutritional deficiency related
illnesses and deaths
- Women, Children and Older people
become worse sufferers
- Women with high risks pregnancies
increase
- Babies born with low weight
- 30% drop in primary school enrollment
- All leading Newspapers high
light Thar Drought
- International media give news
of Thar Drought
- New Military Regime declared
drought in November
- Governor of Sindh visit Thar
to assess situation
- Government announce relief measures
- In January 2000, 3520 tons of
wheat distributed by government at 50% market rate.
- In April another 3520 tons distributed
by government.
- OXFORD Mission sponsored by
OXFAM asses the drought situation
- Interim rerief for 500 poor
families by OXFAM
- PVDP make? appeal to donors
for seed and fodder
- CRS approves seeds for 2500
farmers
- CWS gives seeds relief for 750
families and fodder relief for 1500 families
- Other NGOs start relief programme
- Goernment give cash hand outs
to 34,418 families throughout Tharparkar
2000-2001
- First rain of the monsoon in
the first week of July
- Whole if Thar receive rainfall
- People start agricultural activieis
- NGOs and Donor Organization
conti,nue Relief Operation
- Second Rainfall come after 15
days interval
- Rainfall not even throughout
Thar
- Crop show good sign where second
rain was good
- By Mid September NGOs and Donor
Organizations reached more than 28,700 families with food packages
covering about 60% of Thari villages.
- Malnutrition status of women
and children improved as a result of food relief to poor families.
- Milk from animals increased
- Cattle and fivestock weight
increased due to availability of fodder .
- A third rainfall is needed in
3/4 of area to bring the crop to maturity.
- By September, the chances of
rainfall becomes dim as climatic conditions change.
- No third rain would mean 20-30
crop yield in 40 % area and 10-20 % in 35 % of the area.
- The landless people have slowly
started migrating towards barrage area.
- The Thari people can survive
on the available resources upto December 2000.
- As mass migration is predicted
in the first quarter of 2001 if rainfall did not occur by end
September.
- The Drought may make a come
back.
What
steps will help solve Thar's Problems and make the lives of people
better
- Development of Infrastructure
(roads, electricity)
- Improvement in Communication
Network (transport, telephone )
- Small scale industries (non-rain
dependent program)
- Increase in Employment of Tharis
in government and private jobs
- Alternate agricultural crops
(berr grafting)
- Fodder development (fodder trees,
grasses, stock of fodder , grazing lands)
- Promotion of good quality animals
(should be economically viable )
- Development of Water Resources
and Management system
- Development of skills and capacities
of Thari people
- Improvement in Health and Education
provision
- Awareness creation on Environment,
Health, Education and positive Socia1 Change.
- Increase in real assets of the
people (land, livestock, skills).
- To have political commitment
and will for Thar's development
- Strengthening of NGOs, CBOs
and Village Organizations
- Revival of lost values
- Drought Management Plan ensuring
Food Security
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