NATURE AND EXTENT OF PROBLEMS OF AGRO-GRAZIERS IN
BHAWALPUR DISTRICT,
PAKISTAN
M. B. AZAM, Z. H. KHAN, S. YAQOOB AND R. A. KHAN
Department of Forestry, Range Management and Wildlife,
University
of Agriculture,
Faisalabad,
Pakistan
Abstract
Studies on nature and extent of problems faced by agro-graziers were carried out
in Bhawalpur district of Southern Punjab,
Pakistan
during 1991. Non cooperative attitude of government departments and farmers for
not allowing agro-graziers to graze their animals along canals, forests,
rangelands, irrigated plantations and agricultural fields was a very common
problem. Due to poverty, agro-graziers were unable to purchase costly
concentrates and cultivated fodders to feed their animals. They could not buy
veterinary medicines to cure their animals against different diseases. Moreover,
no loan subsidy, financial assistance or credit was granted by the Government
for the alleviation of poverty of agro-graziers. In addition, 30 and 35% agro-graziers
in the district faced problems of shortage or non availability of forage and
water, respectively.
Key words:
Agro-grazing, agro-graziers, underfeeding, malnutrition, forage and water
scarcity.