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Banni grasslands, a lifeline for Maldharis from Kachchh district of Gujarat

Pastoralism is not just an economic activity for the Maldharis residing in the Banni grasslands, but a way of life in which pastoralists, livestock, land and culture are inseparable parts of a dynamic ecosystem.

Manjunatha B L

Naorem A

Tewari

Posted on 16 Jul, 2024 03:03 AM

Banni grasslands in the Bhuj taluka of Kachchh district in Gujarat are spread over an area of 2600 km²and are the largest natural tropical grasslands in the Indian subcontinent that thrive in arid conditions with an average annual rainfall of a mere 317 millimetres. Droughts are a common occurance in Banni.

Maldharis, migratory pastoralists of Banni

Maldharis grazing buffaloes on grasslands (Image Source: A. J. T. Johnsingh, WWF-India and NCF via Wikimedia Commons)

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