Barani Aadgar Organisation (BAO), for the first initiative of farmers of non-irrigated areas, urged upon the government to consider their demands and save life and livelihoods of communities. BAO president, Sabir Ali Hamlani said this while addressing a press conference at Hyderabad Press Conference on Thursday. The barani growers placed their demands, inviting the policy makers to recognise problems they are facing and resolve the same.
According to them they usually get water through natural rivers and rainwater ways, flowing from distantly hilly areas for cultivation, but since there is no system of managing spate irrigation, mostly farmers stay deprived and could not receive rain water properly. The reason is the natural rivers, being ignored for years; do not have strong embankments and natural streams, in result they sometimes cause disastrous for communities. They are small growers, possessing pieces of family land, depending on rain water.
The growers belong to Jamshoro district, who claim that they contribute more to national exchequer by producing grains for generations through spate irrigation, but presently they are being neglected. For example, they said during the recent monsoon rains hardly a few farmers received water through these streams to their lands and have crops in Rabi season. They also complaints that the seed they buy from market is not authentic and sometimes they even loss the season, bearing cost of tractor and other expenses.
About indigenous seed, the barani growers say since monsoon season is not normal, they cannot maintain indigenous seed for three-four years. That is why they depend on market seed, which is not reliable. They claim that their areas being fertile attract hundreds of livestock holders travel from there for rearing animals for a few months, because of greenery. But, the local people do not have benefit, because of management of spate irrigation to save water for irrigation purposes.
They also pointed out that the area also receive river water during the flood and now some growers are preparing to sow seed of wintering crops, starting from late October to mid-December. But there is a large area, which is still inundated and growers may not be able to cultivate their pieces of family lands. The main demand of these barani growers is a policy cover for their specific area to ensure equal distribution of water and maintain natural rivers. They said old streams have lost their routes after years and need a new system for management. They also demand for providing seed and tools, including tractors or bullock pair on subsidised rates so they may live sustain ably. Otherwise, they said presently they are at risk of floods and droughts.