Neelbad is the starting point for entering the Madhya Pradesh capital from the west. It was bitterly cold on January 10, 2026. However, some vacant residential plots were bustling with activity since the morning.
Herds of sheep and goats were scattered in different groups, and some people (including a significant number of women) were decorating their camels. Dressed in colourful attire, these wanderers were preparing for a special event.
It was a programme for the Maldharis and Rabaris. Maldharis own large numbers of livestock—sheep, goats, cows, bulls, and camels. They are away from home for 10 months of the year. For these pastoralists, not just this day, but the entire year will be special. “IYRP 2026” is about to begin.
IYRP is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP). The United Nations General Assembly declared on March 15, 2022, that 2026 be observed as IYRP.
The aim is to bring to the global stage the contributions, rights, and challenges of pastoralists and nomadic/semi-nomadic pastoral communities around the world.
In India, it started in Bhopal under the leadership of the Maldhari Youth Association, Sahajeevan and many other organisations.
“So much has changed. Now we have neither space nor forest. Earlier, when we went out, farmers would invite us to stay in their fields. They would let our sheep and goats stay there. And we would even get paid for it. Now we can’t find any free space. If we want to keep the animals alive, we are forced to keep them continuously on the move,” Madroof, a resident of Pali district in Rajasthan, who is over 70, told Down To Earth (DTE), his brow creased with worry.
Ishaq, president of the Maldhari Youth Association, explained that his community has been engaged in conserving nature for generations. Through their sheep and goats, they work to preserve biodiversity and demonstrate the tradition of coexistence. They play a role in the conservation of pastures, forests, and jungles. No one knows how to travel and live with nature better than them. But the pace of development has exacerbated their problems.
These livestock owners have their own issues and problems. The biggest challenge is the need for safe, legal, and suitable grazing in forests and forest areas. Jagram, from Pali district, explained, “Finding space for grazing is difficult. Our cattle are stolen, and when we go to the police station, our report isn’t even registered. We are chased away from the police station itself; this doesn’t happen in one place or just once. Our animals receive no veterinary services, no necessary medicines, or vaccinations. Don’t our animals get sick? Can’t the government provide any special facilities for us?”
The question is indeed valid. Both about medicine and pasture. This is why these herders from Rajasthan have stopped bringing female camels with them. Jagaram noted, “Camels require good quality fodder, which is becoming increasingly difficult to find here. Female camels can travel a maximum of 8 to 10 kilometres a day, while a male camel can cover a distance of 20 to 25 kilometres. It is difficult to find pasture and accommodation within short distances. So the herders gradually stopped bringing camels.”
The Association has also prepared its own charter of demands for this year. Gabru Desai, a young activist from the community who works for Maldharis in Gujarat, told DTE, “Our biggest demand is to ensure social, legal, and administrative recognition for nomadic pastoralists and to effectively integrate them with various public welfare schemes of the central and state governments.”
He said a lot of work is being done in Gujarat to integrate Maldharis into the mainstream, and this is improving the lot of future generations. Such efforts should be made, but Maldharis’ true identity is their Mal—the sheep and goats. When the Mal is gone, the Maldharis will be gone, and when the Maldharis are gone, nature will be gone, too.
“This year, we are demanding that FIRs be filed in a timely manner in the event of missing animals, and that administrative support be ensured in the search for them. Also, that fair and just compensation be provided for animals that die due to road accidents or natural disasters,” said Desai.
Desai explained that in the past, when nomadic herders moved from one place to another, they would earn an additional income by selling their sheep and goat hair, milk, ghee, etc. But now, that practice is fading away. There’s no transportation system for sheep and goat hair, and if there is, it is very expensive.
The owner can’t store so much hair. But if they can grasp this nuance and secure government support and establish a marketing system, it could become an additional source of income.
According to Desai, when diseases strike, 50-100 animals die at once, leaving Maldharis in dire straits. “In such situations, we never receive any relief or compensation.”