Herding for a green economy
Kabilan, the award-winning founder of Thozhuvam in Madurai, is working ceaselessly to restore the ‘Geedhari’ or pastoral community of Tamil Nadu to its respectful place while helping generate new sources of income for them.
Picture this. A herd of about 200 cows are crossing a major highway deep in the hinterlands of Tamil Nadu. Your driver requests you to be patient until all the cows have crossed. You sit there staring at the herd and then see that there’s really no one at the helm of the herd. No one to guide them, no to tell them go left or go right. Save one little fellow somewhere in the middle and an older person at the far end of the herd. “The grazer walks at the tail end of the herd. He makes a little noise, and the cows turn right. He drags his herding stick a certain way and they stop. He clicks his tongue, and the entire herd stops. During the exchange, there’s not one instance of eye contact or touch. It’s all about sound signals.” narrates Dr. Kabilan, founder of Thozhuvam, an organization that works day and night to restore this community to their rightful place in the Indian economy.
Geedhari – The Pastoral community of Tamil Nadu
A chance trip with his students during an NSS camp in the village of Thirmogoor, got this Associate Professor of Computer Science from Madurai Kamaraj University College, passionately involved in the cause of the “geedhari” or pastoral community. Honestly, how many of us even knew of their existence? These communities do exist and contribute more than any other group to our economy, our health, and the climate.
The pastoral communities in India are usually made up of semi-nomadic folks, who own anywhere between 150-1000 cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep, or a combination thereof. In the Madurai region of Tamil Nadu, these families reside in villages, and the menfolk walk hundreds of miles along the Vaigai river following a path their ancestors have walked for more than a thousand years now. They take their cattle to graze the hills, walk through the forests, and come back to from where they started every six months.
“This livestock is not meant for commonly known commercial purposes. In the sense, they are not bred for milk and hence there are no milk products. In fact, for anyone who asks, the milk is given away free. These cows are not meant for meat nor for their hide either,” Kabilan explains. What then, is the source of income for these folks? “They gather, dry, and sell cow dung (droppings). Farmers buy them regularly, people from Kerala are their customers too. Just cow dung? Kabilan smiles. “Well, cow dung provides the best form of nutrition to grow any type of crop. It nourishes the soil, and boosts new growth. In the seas and rivers, it helps in the waste decomposition process, thereby protecting and nourishing water-life; and above all, it continually creates and engenders new food chains. Every time a cow or a goat or sheep walks, even breathes into soil, or pulls up grass to graze, they help release plant carbon into the air.” Seems like pastoral communities across the world are the unsung guardians of planet Earth.
Unsung heroes
Despite their invaluable contribution, “there is no recognition for these communities from the government – they still remain an unorganized sector,” says Kabilan sadly. They face unspeakable hardships along they journey, braving Sun and storms to make sure their herds get to graze. Each year over a thousand plus cows and sheep die from lightning strikes,” relates Kabilan. And for a “geedhari” whose incredible bond with every cow is forged from the day it is born, the loss is more than just monetary. “Unfortunately, they’ve fallen by the wayside as India hurtles towards advancement. They have no real rights, and they are not recognized as a community when it comes to benefits enjoyed by their brethren in agriculture or dairy industries. They are often chased away by rangers when they bring their herds to the forests. The police beat them up for trespassing. What were originally pastoral lands, were labeled “poramboku” or wastelands as another parting shot by the British,” says Kabilan regretfully. That was never corrected, so basically, the pastoral community has nothing, takes nothing but gives all. What was once a highly respected occupation – after all, it is said that Lord Krishna was from this community – is today fighting for its very existence.
As a group of “geedharis” vented to Kabilan and his students, an idea took seed. After more than a decade of writing petitions, walking government corridors, and appealing to politicians, Thozhuvam was born.
Dawn of Thozhuvam
Thozhuvam Farmer Producer Company Ltd. was set up by Kabilan and a group of about twenty like-minded people, in 2021 with the support of NABARD-MABIF. The pastoral communities could now avail of life and health insurance, and the support and guidance they required for any kind of legal, commercial, communal issues that would crop up periodically.
Kabilan describes a crucial issue faced by the pastoral folk: their nomadic journey. Each year, based on the seasons, they set off with their livestock around the districts of Madurai, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Theni, Dindigul, Tenkasi, Tirunaveli, down to coastal Tuticorin. “With the construction of four-way lanes connecting these districts, the pastoralists are often forced to take detours, missing vital grazing areas, even endangering themselves and their cattle”, he says gravely.
Thozhuvam identified this issue and has taken up the challenging project of creating digital maps, that track the traditional grazing routes. These maps also feature roadblocks or road repair alerts and suggest alternate routes. “We have also petitioned the government to construct paved underpasses so the “geedharis” and their herds can continue their journey without disruption.”
Thozhuvam has appealed to the government to grant a legitimate status for the pastoral community. They have registered more than 600 cowherds, shepherds, buffalo herders into a Farmer Producer Company (FPO) so they belong to an entity and gain the rights associated with it. The company also works with the families to give them an alternate source of income. Kabilan explains, “Over decades, as technology and modernization have taken over, the pastoral community has lost its status and has been pushed into oblivion. Today people hesitate to give their daughters in marriage to boys of this community. Everybody talks about organic and natural foods and products, but the people who really contribute to it are not respected. So many of these boys go away to places like Dubai and work there for a couple years. Their families can then declare them as being abroad to find a match. Once married, they come back to resume their duties as pastoralists. They are away for months at a time. Thozhuvam has come up with product ideas that will keep the women employed, self-sufficient, and proud of their work.” Thozhuvam sets up and trains women to make products with the dung of the Pulikulam cattle. Today they make and sell dung firewood, flowerpots, incense sticks, tooth powder, mosquito repellant, dishwashing soap, and handicrafts. There’s no machinery, the raw material is all-natural, and the women make upwards of Rs.500 a day! Sounds like a win-win.
Herding the way forward
“As for the precious cow dung, what used to sell for Rs. 3-4000 in the domestic market, today earns Rs.6-7000 as export to countries, such as Mauritius and the Maldives. Thozhuvam also encourages the community to sell milk to the dairy industry. Considering the cattle feed on the 100% pure grass out in natural surroundings, milk from these cattle is exceptionally nutritious. They have only just begun to sell milk to select customers, one of whom is Sabari restaurant in Madurai. People come from far and wide to purchase the milk products and taste the goodness,” says Kabilan proudly.
In short, Thozhuvam stands true to its motto: “Sustainable Pastoralism Leads to Green Economy”.
The next time you are stuck in your vehicle behind a large herd of cattle, let your thoughts wander to this silent community and remember Thozhuvam, which is working to bring back the pastoralist community to its former status of rightful respect.
Watch the “geedhari” community and their journey here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5vWsV8rrcY
Visit thozhuvam.org to know more and support.
