The
issue of information not reaching marginalised communities, lack of roads in
difficult terrains and official apathy during last year’s drive lead to a second wave of the
viral infection&nbsp;&nbsp;Almora,
Uttarakhand: "One of my cows has not stood up
for the last 24 days. When the first one got sick, we could not separate it due
to lack of space. Now both are sick, and we have no milk to consume.&nbsp;We are forced to buy powdered milk for my four-year-old grandson,"
says Kaushaliya Devi, a Dalit farmer from Dhudholi village in
Almora.&nbsp;Kaushaliya’s cows are among the thousands infected with Lumpy Skin
Disease (LSD) in the second wave of the viral infection to hit the state since
last year.<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(14, 16, 26);">&nbsp;In a&nbsp;<a href="https://pqals.nic.in/annex/1711/AU866.pdf">reply</a>&nbsp;<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px; color: rgb(14, 16, 26);">to a question in the Lok Sabha on February 7, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala said 921 cattle died in the state till then and 6,96,811 cattle received vaccine against the disease.Caused by Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV), the <a href="https://www.woah.org/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahm/3.04.12_LSD.pdf">condition</a>
is characterised by fever, skin nodules, enlarged lymph nodes, skin oedema, and
sometimes death. It can cause a temporary reduction in milk production,
temporary or permanent <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">sterility&nbsp;in bulls and damage to hides.&nbsp;The World Organisation for Animal Health&nbsp;<a href="https://www.woah.org/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahm/3.04.12_LSD.pdf">categorises</a> the LSD as a notifiable disease, which means it
must be reported to an appropriate authority if suspected or confirmed."There are many animals that cannot get up and many that cannot sit
down for days because their feet are swollen.... others have&nbsp;swollen udders or briskets. Some will develop
nodules, while others will not," Dr Surbhi*, a government veterinary
doctor in Champawat district, tells 101Reporters.The LSD has&nbsp;<a href="https://diamondhoofcare.com/lumpy-cow-skin-disease-treatment-explained/#:~:text=Unfortunately%2C%20lumpy%20cow%20skin%20disease,used%20to%20control%20disease%20transmission." target="_blank">no antiviral treatment</a>&nbsp;yet,
so supportive care, which includes antibiotics and painkillers, is only possible. However, the cost of treatment has been burning holes in
the pockets of dairy farmers.&nbsp;"When cows are ill, milk production drops. We dairy
farmers have spent twice as much on treatment as we make from milk
sales. We are completely dependent on farming and dairying, so it has been
difficult,” says Bhuvan Purohit from Dhudholi.Purohit claims he did not even make enough money this year to buy feed
for his cows. “We have had a rough time <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">for the last&nbsp;couple of months. I have spent Rs
25,000 on my cows so far. Medicines are very expensive, and minerals
and other supplements should also be given." &nbsp;<o:p></o:p> Accessibility
an issue<span style="font-size: 20px; color: rgb(14, 16, 26); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The Central government’s&nbsp;<a href="http://uldb.org/pdf/default/LSD%20Action%20Plan.pdf">action plan</a>&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 20px; color: rgb(14, 16, 26); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">has mentioned a vaccination target of 9,10,000 out of the total 18,52,123
cattle in Uttarakhand.&nbsp;According to Uttarakhand Livestock Development Board, 2,92,748
cattle have been <a href="http://uldb.org/drep.php">vaccinated</a> so far.&nbsp;While the action plan&nbsp;to control the spread and severity of the disease involves vaccination
push, many villagers in Almora have claimed that lack of accessibility
prevented them from benefitting from such drives."So far, a calf and cow of mine have died. Last time, the vaccination
drives were held near places connected by roads. But my home is quite far away.
I was aware that a vaccination drive would take place, but had no information
on the dates," says Mohan Singh Adhikari, a dairy farmer in Dhudholi.&nbsp;The pradhan (village chief) coordinated
the drive through a WhatsApp group. However, since all farmers, especially
those from marginalised communities, may not have access to smartphones, the
project did not succeed fully. Due to the presence of so many unvaccinated
cattle, the risk of a fresh bout of infection was always there.<div class="embed-container" align="center" style="line-height: 1;"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/7/101RPT1681700/untitled_design_(2).jpg" id="1706218" title="" style="width: 100%;">Kaushaliya Devi's cow affected by LSD could not stand up for 24 days (Photo - Swati Thapa, 101Reporters)</div>With new cases <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">surfacing since March this year,
the state animal husbandry department launched a doorstep vaccination drive using animal ambulances. On getting a
request from helpline number 1962, a medical team would visit the village to
vaccinate the animals. However, Purohit claims many families, including his
one, could not make use of the facility due to a lack of road connectivity.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;"No one came to our village. We contacted the authorities, but they
said they were understaffed. This is a large&nbsp;area. As many as 116 villages constitute the development block of Dwarahat,&nbsp;but there were not enough people to serve
everyone," he adds.&nbsp;In several
villages, the Dalit hamlets are located far away from the village epicentre, due to which information also escapes them. To this effect, Dalit dairy farmer Prema
Devi mentions how she never got to know about the vaccination drive as her house is
in the village outskirts."The ambulance service came once when I called them. But the
second time, the staff concerned told me that they would come tomorrow as it
was raining then. But they have not reached out so far," says Adhikari.In many families, male members migrate for work. Hence, the burden of duties weighs heavily on women. As such, in Uttarakhand, women are mostly the caretakers of cattle. During last year’s drive, many could not get their animals vaccinated due to daily domestic chores. They mostly do not have access to smartphones either.&nbsp;&nbsp; Under-reporting of deaths<o:p></o:p>"A majority of bovines have not been vaccinated. The number is huge
and we did ask them [the animal husbandry department] to provide preventive
vaccination to the healthy ones right now. However, the doctor said it will be
done after the cases and spread came down. I do not know when that will be. I
feel vaccination will not happen," says Adhikari.&nbsp;The LSD deaths have also been under-reported due to lack of a proper
documentation system. "We are not told to follow any <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">procedure to report cattle death.
So, all we do is bury them in the soil.&nbsp;There is
no reporting of any kind. At least 15 cattle deaths would have taken place in this village alone, so definitely the death toll would be much higher in Almora
district," he avers. <o:p></o:p>An email sent to the animal husbandry department on whether they have raised awareness on how to deal with animal deaths did not elicit a reply.&nbsp;Many farmers are hesitant to mention the actual cause of death, fearing they
would not receive the insurance money. The state government is not providing any separate compensation for LSD deaths, but it is covered under its<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">&nbsp;Livestock Insurance Scheme. Yet, farmers are not keen on applying as red tape deters them. Moreover, a postmortem report from a doctor is required for
applying.&nbsp; 



































































































*Name changed to protect identityEdited by Rekha PulinnoliCover photo -&nbsp;Lumpy Skin Disease is characterised by fever, skin nodules, enlarged lymph nodes, skin oedema, and sometimes death (Photo - Swati Thapa, 101Reporters)

Lumpy Skin Disease returns as social, infrastructural factors dampen Uttarakhand’s vaccination drive

Lumpy_Skin_Disease_returns_as_social_infrastructural_factors_dampen_Uttarakhands_vaccination_drive

A group of 450 farmers, mostly
women, nourishes the bank with traditional varieties of millets and grains in
Almora district Almora, Uttarakhand:&nbsp;“There is a lot of work at home, and we have a daughter. So we
cannot leave together. My husband goes for the training and shares the details
when he returns,” says Bhavana Purohit, a farmer from Dunagiri in Almora
district of Uttarakhand.&nbsp;Organised by Geeta Bisht&nbsp;in her position as&nbsp;a team member of
Chaukhutia-based Institute of Himalayan Environmental Research and Education
(INHERE), the training that Bhavana mentions revolves around conserving the
best indigenous seeds through organic farming. A Naugaon resident hailing from
a family of farmers, Geeta also conducts workshops and field trips for farmers
every 15 days.However,&nbsp;one thing that she noticed was that women missed all the
sessions.&nbsp;"Bringing them to the forefront was a challenging task.
Women never seem to have time. If you visit them during the day, it is either
time to go to the jungle, pick children from school or tend to their cattle,”
says Geeta, whose persistent efforts have helped form a group of 450 farmers
that nurtures a seed bank, of which only around 50 are men.Women are the true farmers of Uttarakhand, but agricultural data belie
their status as farmers as they work in the fields owned by their husbands or
fathers. According to Agriculture Census
2015-16, women hold 11.72% of the total operated area in the country and engage
in agricultural activities in these lands. Women farmers&nbsp;<a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1780263">formed</a>&nbsp;only 7.3% of the beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima
Yojana in 2020-21.&nbsp;As for PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi for the same period, they
were positioned at 17.7%.&nbsp;Despite the drawbacks, Geeta knew from the very beginning the role to be
played by women in making the INHERE seed bank initiative a success. As farm
work was viewed as an extension of a woman's domestic responsibilities, she was
the primary decision maker on the type of crop to be grown.However, as their lives revolved around their families, Geeta had to
visit them on Sundays or national holidays, when their children did not have to
go to school, to enlist their support for the initiative.<o:p></o:p> <div class="embed-container" align="center" style="line-height: 1;"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/3/101RPT1584402/9.jpg" id="1617858" title="" style="width: 100%;">While women were often the primary decision-makers on the type of crop to be grown, they were often too busy with domestic and field work and couldn't be easily convinced to join training and knowledge-transfer programmes (Photos - Swati Thapa, 101Reporters)&nbsp;</div><div class="embed-container" align="center"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/3/101RPT1584402/8.jpg" id="1617859" title="" style="width: 100%;"></div>Back in the fieldsA vast majority of the people in rural Uttarakhand cultivate one or more
crops. However, a shift from indigenous varieties to high-yielding&nbsp;genetically modified crops has triggered the use of urea and chemical
pesticides in recent years.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>A&nbsp;<a href="http://ijasbt.org/vol_7/Shetty_et_al._7.4.pdf">study</a>&nbsp;published in the International Journal of Applied Sciences and
Biotechnology suggests that inordinate application of urea can effect changes
in soil macrofauna. Its continuous and excessive use may also alter soil pH,
microbial population and biochemical parameters. All these factors have
resulted in less production of local varieties in Uttarakhand, with some on the
verge of extinction.
In 2018, Geeta developed a system wherein farmers cultivated the near-extinct
local varieties and deposited the seeds coming out of their fields in the seed
bank operating in the INHERE’s Chaukhutia office, so that all of them had equal
access to indigenous seeds.&nbsp;"Open-pollinated seeds (they will produce plants genetically
similar to the parent plant) are not easily available to farmers. Our
initiative aims at ensuring access to such seeds," explains INHERE
secretary Chinmaya Sah.Seeds are procured as per the market rate. For example, the market
pricing of one kg radish seeds from Dunagiri region is Rs 2,000. After
procuring for this amount, the seeds are cleaned, packaged and sold locally at
the seed bank for Rs 2,500. This discounted price (the same seeds in the market would be priced at Rs 3,000)&nbsp;has attracted more farmers to
the bank to either buy or barter, in case they possess seeds that the bank does
not have.Moreover, the programme has brought farmers closer through a WhatsApp
group and telephonic conversations. Geeta has also helped Bhuvan and Bhavana
Purohit to open a branch of the seed bank at their home in Dunagiri.“Earlier, if we wanted indigenous seeds, we had to go to places like
Ramnagar, located 107 km away. Even Himachali garlic had replaced our native
variety. I realised the importance of traditional crops after I got in touch
with Geeta&nbsp;ji. I learnt a lot from her and the farmers’ meets&nbsp;that
I attended. We are no longer reliant on market seeds; we have&nbsp;our own
seeds of garlic, spinach and millet,”&nbsp;beams&nbsp;Bhuvan.According to Geeta, the INHERE bank presently has 23 seed varieties. “We
mainly focus on&nbsp;madua&nbsp;(finger millet),&nbsp;Jhangora&nbsp;(barnyard),&nbsp;kauni&nbsp;(foxtail)
and cheeda and more red-coloured millets. To convince farmers, I always remind
them how consuming regional varieties would keep them healthy,” she says.However, it took at least one year to convince women to join her
training programmes, where she educated them on the farming practices that
promised more yield using less seeds.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nandan Singh Bisht, a farmer from Dunagiri, remembers how local
varieties of alsi, bhangira&nbsp;(hemp
seeds),&nbsp;Jhangora&nbsp;and kauni&nbsp;were almost wiped out from their
farms before they made a comeback through the seed bank initiative. “We have
these crops again with us." <div class="embed-container" align="center" style="line-height: 1;"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/3/101RPT1584402/5.jpg" id="1617860" title="" style="width: 100%;">The seed bank in Chaukhutia presently has 23 seed varieties including various types of indigenous millets and vegetables (Photos - Swati Thapa, 101Reporters)</div><div class="embed-container" align="center"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/3/101RPT1584402/1.jpg" id="1617861" title="" style="width: 100%;"></div>Many of the indigenous varieties that were brought back were millets, as
they are the staple foods of the hills. At the same time, indigenous varieties
of spinach, onion, garlic, gourd and pumpkin were among the vegetables that
were saved from gradual extinction.To tap the market potential of organic millets, considered as superfoods
in urban markets, INHERE also set up a farmer producer company in Chaukutia.
The certified organic products from Uttarakhand’s villages now reach every
corner of the country through e-commerce platform Amazon.“We want to create a system by which we could evaluate the yield in the
hills during the harvest season every year and provide the farmers’ households
with a decent incentive. This will encourage people to grow more,” Sah
says.&nbsp;&nbsp;Agent of changeWith women's low social mobility, gaining the support of men in their
families has always been a major challenge. Initially, many were unhappy about
their wives attending the INHERE’s training session. They even created problems
at home for participating in the meetings.Geeta agrees that there were several instances when upset and drunk men
questioned her intentions. “However, when they realised the potential of this
initiative, they could no longer question me. Anyone can lecture, but when one
gets down to fieldwork, one realises the problems. Patriarchy is definitely one
of them," she says.&nbsp; <div class="embed-container" align="center" style="line-height: 1;"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/3/101RPT1584402/4.jpg" id="1617856" title="" style="width: 100%;">(Above) Kaushaliya Devi, a farmer from Chinoni notes how when women work in their fields, they tackle labour-intensive work collectively. "Tilling the soil is hard, so village women help each other. If someone has oxen, we take their help" (Photos - Swati Thapa, 101Reporters)</div><div class="embed-container" align="center"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/3/101RPT1584402/6.jpg" id="1617857" title="" style="width: 100%;"></div>“We do not ask men for help because we know they will never do it,”
Kaushaliya Devi, a farmer from Chinoni, sums up the problem in one sentence.
Devi is in the field before 6 am and returns only by 11 am. After that comes
the household responsibilities. “The body becomes so exhausted that at the end
of the day, we have no idea where we are sleeping,” she laments.The condition of women farm labourers is also pathetic.&nbsp;"I get
Rs 250 to 300 per day. However, men manage to get around Rs 500. We do similar
work, the only difference being that women cannot lift much weight as they
do," says Basanti Devi from Hat village.When women work in their fields, they tackle labour-intensive work
collectively. "Tilling the soil is hard, so village women help each other.
If someone has oxen, we take their help. Otherwise, we do it
collectively," Kaushaliya explains.Though women collectively hire tractors and threshers to get the farm
work done, illiteracy and lack of technical know-how pose hurdles before them.
“We have to depend on men to operate these machines and to get the meter
reading, based on which the machine rental per hour is decided,” says Basanti.Through the seed bank initiative, women are banding together to save
what is vital for their livelihoods. However, facilitators like Geeta still
have a long way to go. The fact that Bhavana is yet to attend a single training
session proves it clearly.&nbsp; Cover photo - The seed bank at INHERE (Photo - Swati Thapa, 101Reporters)Edited Rekha Pulinnoli