A Hope in Drought : Mann Deshi Cattle Camp

Summary

Mann Deshi Cattle Camp has saved +10,000 animals from going to butcher. Cattle camp has started in an effort to support local livestock owners in the Mann Taluka of Satara district. Cattle Camp provides free fodder, water, green shed net and a place to stay for small subsistence farmers in order to keep their cattle alive and healthy during the drought.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

This year the Mann Taluka is experiencing one of the worst droughts ever. More than 180 villages struggle with acute drought. In 42 villages, the people have no access to drinking water and are only supplied through water tanks once a week. The Kharif and Rabi crop failed, leaving the farmers without fodder and water to feed their cattle, often their only source of income and their most valuable asset.

How will this project solve this problem?

Mann Deshi Cattle Camp is the last hope for many farmers from the surrounding villages. There they receive the fodder, water and shelter needed to keep their cattle alive. Without this crucial support, they would be forced to sell their cattle for dumping prices to the butcher, not only losing out on that deal but also often loosing the only source of income for whole families. For this reasons farmers from +52 villages brought already 10,000 cows, bullocks and around 35,000 goats to the camp

Potential Long Term Impact

Helping the local farmers to come through this drought means to prevent a serious economic crisis to the whole region. Many Farmers would not have the means to buy new cattle in case of losing their existing ones. Whole families are in danger to lose their precarious means of existence and fall back into utter poverty. Also the regional economy depending on agriculture would take a hard backslash. Cattle Camp can help to soften the impact of the drought and prevent the worst from happening.

Project Message

"Half these animals would have gone under the butcher's knife. We would have to sell them and in these times there are no other buyers."
- Nanasaheb Dongre, Local Farmer