The lost shepherds' of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh | The Gaddi tribe

This video was produced by Joel Michael with support from GRID Arendal ‪@GridaNo‬ and ICIMOD ‪@icimod‬ As winter is approaching with the fear of an early snowfall in the high altitude regions of Kinnaur, such shepherds can be seen on the highways migrating to warmer places with their flock. They migrate to find better pastures and food for their flock to graze on. In summers, it is the reverse, when they guide their flock back uphill. This routine is followed by many such herders and it is all dependent on the climate. But that is changing! This change is not only disturbing their routine but also affecting the health of their livestock (sheeps and goats). The shepherds’ tribe, the Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh, is one of the first groups of people being affected by climate change and is struggling to preserve its traditional livelihood. Himachal Pradesh has a considerable sheep population that produces over 3 million kg of wool, 8.27% of the country's wool production. As many as 37% of the agrarian population is involved in some or the other form of sheep rearing but their survival is in doubt. The Gaddis is a semi-nomadic community that travel with their herd and plod along difficult terrains in search of appropriate climate and grazing pastures. This map shows the location of many such communities across different states. We traveled to Sangla and met Mr. Ashok Kumar, a professional trekker and guide but also a Gaddi putra. He comes across many Gaddis while on treks and is up to date with their movement patterns. Global warming is already affecting the state in multiple ways. Erratic rainfall, shifts in snowline and extreme weather events are shifting the ecology upwards while affecting the quality and availability of grasslands. Livestock has become more prone to pests and diseases, affecting the quality of wool the shepherds produce. As a result, many have stopped rearing sheep and are focussing on other sources of income. In Chitkul, Jawahar Lal Negi has been hiring Gaddis to take care of his livestock and rear them. Agriculture and livestock keeping are amongst the most climate-sensitive economic sectors. A recent report by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also highlighted that global pasture area has begun to decline in the last 20 years. This is slowly pushing the nomadic hill tribes towards poverty. There is hope and some Gaddis are well-aware of the potential of this livelihood. Governments around the world are cashing in on the sustainable knowledge that shepherds possess and are coming up with long term solutions. The idea is to train people on how to adapt and manage these pastures for sustaining their livelihood and develop their skills to protect the landscape. With one of the oldest indigenous communities of the state beginning to abandon its traditional livelihood, it may not be surprising if wool making disappears from this part of the hills. 0:00 The good shepherds' life 0:58 Shepherds of Kinnaur during fall 1:32 Lost Shepherds 1:58 Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh 3:26 Effects of global warming in HP 3:55 Former Gaddi explaining changing times 4:53 Decline of shepherds & alternate livelihood 5:37 Potential of pastoralism 6:20 Support for pastoralists 6:47 The 'sustainable' shepherds' life Down to Earth is Science and Environment fortnightly published by the Society for Environmental Communication, New Delhi. We publish news and analysis on issues that deal with sustainable development, which we scan through the eyes of science and environment.