Man in the Desert Drought, Desertification and Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Development

The Title "Man in the Desert Drought, Desertification and Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Development" is written by L.P. Bharara. This book was published in the year 1999. The ISBN number 8172331932|9788172331931 is assigned to the Hardback version of this title. This book has total of pp. xix + 394 (Pages). The publisher of this title is Scientific Publishers. We have about 813 other great books from this publisher. Man in the Desert Drought, Desertification and Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Development is currently Available with us.

Recently world concern has been expressed over the social aspects of the problem of drought and desertification in the desert eco-system. Though the desert Environment is harsh and rainfall is very unrliable, the rural people based on traditional knowledge, have been living in balance with the natural environment since ages. The people depend on the agro-pastoral economy which operates in the contest of great uncertainty about rainfall and subsistence. The people have, evolved traditional knowledge, stall and practices for dryland agriculture; soil, water and vegetation conservation; livestock rearing and management. Techniques of natural resource's conservation, role of physio-cultural institutions and bio- technological capacities to sustain a variety of life forms, form the basis of their sustenance living.

But enormous increase in human and Animals have disturbed the fragile eco-system. Overgrazed lands, shrinking forests, eroded agricultural fields and over cultivation, deforestation and cutting of vegetation show the imprints of man's activities on his environment. The way of life of the people and their sources of livelihood have chiefly been conditoned by disturbances in ecological balance due to the severity of the arid climate. This has lead to degradation of vegetation and diminution of crop potential decreasing productivity per unit area. This poses a potential threat to the rsources and ultimately the lives and livelihood of the inhabitants. Thus, to protect these resources from conversion into desert like situation to desertification, there is a need .to study indigenous technical knowledge for sustained production arid conservation of resources, Appropriate mix of new /technologies and traditional WISDOM is extremely important.

This Book synthesises, the problem of drought and desertification from social angle and encompasses Indigenous Technical knowledge for sustained production and survival. Applying a socio-ecological approach, The Author shows how different socio-economic and caste groups adopt different adaptive strategies for survival. The book focusses on new dimensions of the problem of drought and desertification and indigenous technical knowledge to overcome these.

Dr. L.P. Bharara (b. 1938) is basically a rural sociologist of repute, who spent his life time in arid lands research, with emphasis on human ecology, socio-economic surveys, agriculture extension and rural development. He served at the Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Jodhpur for more than three and a half decades, during which he held many posts of responsibilities including that of the Head, Division of Human Factor Studies and Krishi Vigyan Kendra. He has recently retired from active service as Principal Scientist - cum- Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, CAZRI. in 1998. He obtained his Ph.D. degree in Sociology 'from J.N.V. University, Jodhpur.

He has to his credit more than 200 publications in Journals, books, reports etc. His various fields of specialization include human resources assessment - settled and nomadic population in relation to natural resources management; drought and desertification-social aspects; drought adjustment mechanisms; Indigenous Technical Knowledge of natural resources' management; livestock migration and pastoralism; technology transfer and human resource development; impact of irrigation; man-land-livestock- vegetation relationship, sociology of rangelands, etc.

Dr. Bharara has also received recognition of his work and got ICAR Award for Team Research in agriculture for the Biennium 1983-84. He also undertook advanced" courses in Human Resource Management and Command Area Development. He has widely travelled in India and abroad - France and U.S.S.R., and participated in National and International Seminars, Symposiums, Conferences, etc. He is a life member of various professional Societies.

Preamble
Foreword
Preface

Part A : INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEM; THE SETTING : AREA CHARACTERISTICS :
I. INTRODUCTION :
1. Statement of the Problem
2. Conceptual Framework
3. Review of Literature
4. Objectives
5. Methodology
6. Organisation of the Study

II. THE SETTING : AREA CHARACTERISTICS :
1. Physical Characteristics
2. Socio-Economic Profile
3. Economy of the Area
4. Social Background of Respondents

PART B : SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS AND IMPLICATIONS :
III. PERCEPTION AND RECOLLECTION OF DROUGHT AND DESERTIFICATION :
1. The Nature of Drought Perception
2. People's Perception of Drought
3. Perception of Drought Problems
4. People's Perception of Desertification
5. Drought Recollection

IV. DROUGHT AND DESERTIFICATION - EXTENT, CAUSES, PROCESSES AND INDICATORS OF MEASUREMENT :
1. Extent of the Phenomenon of Desertification
2. Causes and Processes of Desertification
3. Natural Factors Causing Desertification
4. Human Fetors Causing Desertification
5. Indicators and Measurement of Desertification

V. OCCURRENCES OF DROUGHTS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES :
1. Historical Trace Up
2. Frequency and Nature of Drought and Famines
3. Drought and Population Affected
4. Drought and Social Changes
5. Effect on Settlements
6. Impact of Drought on Land Use
7. Impact of Drought on Crops Grown
8. Land use changes and Disturbances in Agrarian Sector - A Case Study
9. Changes in Size of Herd

VI. ANIMAL - HUMAN RELATIONSHIP AND DESERTIFICATION :
1. Livestock versus Human Population
2. Livestock Population, Trends and Growth
3. Type of Livestock and Growth
4. Composition of Livestock
5. Livestock Pressure
6. Livestock Ownership
7. Animal Husbandry Practices
8. Role of Livestock in Desertification

Chap. VII : LIVESTOCK MIGRATION AND PASTORALISM :
1. Livestock Migration
2. Nature and Extent of Migration
3. Ecological Tracrwise Livestock Migration
4. Social Parameters of Livestock Migration
5. Routes of Livestock Migration
6. Way of Livestock Migration and Difficulties
7. Pastoralism
8. Pastoral Communities and Grazing Systems
9. Pastoral Nomadism
10. Pastoralism and Balanced Use of Ecosystem
11. Recent Trends in Pastoralism
12. Future of Nomadic Partoralists

Part C : INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE FOR SURVIVAL AND SUSTAINED DEVELOPMENT :
VIII. INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND DROUGHT-WEATHER PREDICTION AS A MEANS TO COPE WITH A HAZARDOUS CLIMATE :
1. The Legacy of Indigenous Knowledge
2. Prediction - A Historical Trace Up
3. Indicators of Drought Prediction
4. Folklore and Prediction Validity of Years Predicted
5. Trends

IX. PEOPLES PERCEPTION AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE OF LAND RESOURCE CONSERVATION :
1. Indigenous knowledge
2. Traditional knowledge of the Environment
3. Knowledge of Physical Characteristics of Soil
4. Knowledge of Quality of Land Crop Relationship
5. Timing of Rainfall Influences the Allocation of Land and Crop Sown
6. Soil and Water Conservation Strategies

X. INDIGENOUS AGROFORESTRY LAND USE SYSTEM :
1. Concepts and Importance
2. Social Factors Influencing Agroforestry
3. Social Groups Influencing Agroforestry
4. Associations and Interdependence
5. Socio-economic Advantages
6. Perception towards Agroforestry Systems
7. Indigenous Agroforestry and its Revivals
8. Agroforestry Policy Formulation

XI. SOCIAL ASPIRATIONS AND SUSTAINED PRODUCTIVITY :
1. Sustainability Concept
2. Literature Review
3. Causes of Decline in Sustained Productivity
4. Aspirations and Sustained Productivity

XII. COMMON PROPERTY RESOURCE'S CONSERVATION, UTILISATION AND MANAGEMENT :
1. Grazing Lands
2. Nature and Extent of Grazing Resources
3. Current Status and Changes in the Grazing Lands
4. Utilisation of Village Grazing Lands
5. Ownership and Extent of Grazing Lands
6. Legel Aspects of Grazing Lands
7. Constraints in Development of Grazing Lands

XIII. RAIN WATER Harvesting SYSTEM :
1. Sources of Water
2. Pattern of Water Resources Use
3. Toba-a Traditional Water Harvesting System of Pastoralists
4. Khadin-a Water Harvesting Technique and a Land Use System
5. Changes and Consequences

XIV. MAN AND DESERT DEVELOPMENT :
(A). Transfer of Technology, People's Perceptions and Constraints :
1. People's Perceptions of DDP-TOT Programmes
2. Raising of Kisan Nurseries-Constraints
3. Plant Species raised and planted in Fields
4. Construction of Tankas - Rainwater Harvesting Structures
5. Demonstrations of Improved Crop Production Technologies at Farmer's Fields
6. Extension Activities - Trainings, Field Days, Kisan Melas, etc

(B). Watershed Development Approach for Sustained Productivity :
1. Suggested Management for Watershed

(C). Human Resource Development at the Grass Root Level
1. Concepts Used
2. Nature and Extent of Human Resources - Rural
3. Achievements
4. Human Resource Development - Practical Aspects

Glossary of Local Terms
Local and Equivalent English Months in a year