Mapping of the Seasonal Migration Routes of Cattle Pastoralists of the Deccan Plateau Region of India Using Ethnographic Geographic Information System Technique

Abstract

Annual seasonal migration is one of the main characteristics of pastoralism. However, large-scale studies focusing on mapping seasonal migration patterns using advanced spatial analysis tools like the geographic information system (GIS), hitherto remain meager in India. The lack of such studies has many implications for holistically understanding pastoralism in India. The few spatial analysis studies conducted in the Himalayan region of India found a lack of amenities and conflict with large-scale state-promoted plantations under climate change-related projects. Similar studies have been absent in the country's Deccan Plateau region, which is home to a significant number of pastoralist communities and livestock populations. In this background, an exploratory study was conducted to map the seasonal migration routes of pastoralist communities in the Deccan Plateau region adopting the Ethnographic Geographic Information System Technique (EGIST). The objective of the present study is to digitally map the seasonal migration routes of the pastoralists and document the issues and challenges (if any), along the seasonal migration routes in the study area. Seasonal migration routes of seven villages from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states were mapped using EGIST and found that pastoralists of the study area practice both short and long-seasonal migration in sync with the monsoon and local cropping season. Pastoralists of Telangana were found to migrate to the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) during long-distance migration. However, pastoralists of AP predominantly move within the state. A few major challenges faced by pastoralists during their seasonal migration in the study area includes – labour shortages, disease outbreaks and conflict with the forest department personnel for accessing the traditional grazing lands located inside the Amarabad and Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserves of Nallamala forest of AP and Telangana states of India.