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BANNI COMMUNITY
Country: India

Province: Gujarat

Site: Kutch

Accuracy of Location: High Local Level

About Banni:
The Banni region has emerged from the seas as a result of tectonic activities, received soils from the rivers flown from Bhuj mainland and ends in greater Rann of Kutch. Soils deposited by the rivers and the wind, made the land of Banni richer enough that could generate diverse grass species, once reported up to 40 grass species. Banni Grasslands supports numerous animal genetic resources like Banni Buffalo, Kankrej Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Camel, and Horse. This grasslands acts as breeding and nesting ground for more than 250 bird species, including resident winter migratory birds. Bhuj taluka of Kutch district is home of Muslim nomadic pastoralists and Meghwal Hindus. Pastoral lifestyle of the communities not only conserved its rich animal genetic resources but also protected the Banni grassland ecosystem. Banni is situated in Arid climate, with high temperature in most of time which reached maximum up to 48 degree to 50 degrees during May June and winter temperature goes down to 5 degree to 8 degrees during December January. Average rainfall, occurring through Southwest monsoon between June to September Is very low of 317mm with coefficient of variation of 65%. Though there is inherent salinity in the soil, pastoral communities dug up Virdas, shallow well of 9-12 feet deep that collects rain water in its soil particle, for livestock and themselves. There have been numerous natural wetlands in Banni and the largest one is known as Chhari-Dhandh, a saucer shaped wetland which is recently declared as Conservation Reserve. Though, in last three decades Banni grassland slowly started losing its original ecosystem due to invasion of prosopis juliflora, a foreign alien species promoted initially by State Agencies. Damming of rivulets on the upstream of Banni grassland. Even though the grassland facing ecological disturbance, recent recognition of Banni Buffalo as 11th buffalo breed of the country , establishment of dairies , good rainfall in last five years generated hope among the pastoral communities for this livelihood security. Formation Banni Breeder’s Association in the region started negotiating with states on the pastoral rights and rights of grazing in Banni grassland under forest rights act 2006. Many scientists, practitioners started working on various ecological , economic aspects will create new knowledge system apart from indigeneous technical knowledge of local people , be it on livestock breeding, animal health care, traditional earth technologies, handicrafts and traditional water harvesting technologies.

Embroidery by Banni.
Kutch specially the Banni Villages is known for its diversity as it has diverse communities such as Jat, Rabari, Meghwals, Mutwa, Muslim, Sodha and others making Kutch its home. The Kutchi people here are known for their hospitality and artistic handicraft and textiles. One can even today get to see the nomadic and semi nomadic groups moving from one place to another along with their cattles.

Embroidery has been a craft for women of Banni, a small village in the Rann of Kutch, known for its intrinsic and artistic embroidery work. Vibrant colours such as red, yellow and saffron are commonly used. Small mirrors are interspersed to lend glitter and charm. The finest type of such embroidery work with small mirrors is called Abhla-Bharat. Mirrors cut in different shapes are embroidered around the shapes. women of banni have intrinsic artistic abilities. Embroidery, lacquer work,wood carving,leather work,etc. Are some of the famous forms of found in banni. Women of every community are engaged in embroidery work. Each community has special types of embroidery stitches,unique to itself. Embroidery work is mainly done by the women for gift giving purposes, on special occasions like marriage, get-together, festivals ,etc. Some forms of embriodery are also done to decorate animals. Leather work, wood carving and lacquer work are mostly done by the members of vadha community. Leather work includes making bags, belts and foot wear. Wood carving is mainly done for the doorsand windows of bhunga. Some of the organizations in kutch, like qasab, shrujan and kalaraksha, are working on traditional crafts.

Introduction
Banni grassland is a grassland of banni community situated on the southern border in the mainland of the Great Rann of Kutch District, Gujarat. It spread over 3847 sq. km., owing its own grassland and rich wildlife and its vast biodiversity it become a pride of the Kutch. During monsoon season, due to it rich wetland it attract fauna from various part of world. It is one of the best pasture land of the world because it contain a vast range land with the flat topography.

History
Some time ago, the area of grassland is known for its best variety of grasses and these grasses are called “Banni” and make a form of dessert of Kutch. The word “banni” comes from Hindi and it means made or built up area. Earlier it was an oceanic area, island type and then it is being replaced and formed grassland. So it is built up. Earlier in 1819 the Indus river flow right from the banni grassland and all the farmers use that water to harvest their crops and come up with a rich harvest of red rice and Sindhi chookah. However the earthquake strikes in 1819 lead to change the flow of the river and now the river flow from the neighboring country Pakistan and lead to turn the Banni grassland whole area barren.

Soil
As the banni grassland is made by removing oceanic area, the soil of banni is contain saline and not be used for the purpose of vegetation. Only 1/3rd of the land is used for cultivation and the rest is converted into the dessert. Legally the banni pastured land is a wasteland according to government as no production can be grown on this land. Increase in development leads to construction of dams and road in the Kutch, it adversely affect the drainage system of the land.

Problem faced by the banni community
As the ecosystem of banni is degrading, the local community like Sindhi, Jat, Mutwa tribes is affecting adversely. The milk production is being reduced as the buffaloes were replaced by famous breed of cows, and the grazing were also closed forcefully because this is the only factor which can retain productivity in the grassland. The state social forestry programme attempted to afforest the land but the success of the land is heavily subjected to drought, sterility of soil.

Grasslands
Due to saline fertile land the fodder of Gujarat is too weak. It is one of the fodder deficit state in India. During the drought years Gujarat has to bring food from the northern area of the country like Punjab and the south of Gujarat where the rainfall is assured. However cattle are saved but they are too weak to produce anything as the grassland of banni is unique in many ways as it can produce the charcoal, milk, gum, wood , labour employment. Currently these grassland are protected under protected or reserve forest in India. Banni is an essential grazing land for the livestock of Maldhari community.

Conflicts of Banni community
The Banni community is the community which is found in Kutch district, Gujarat. It is an arid grass land. Their fight is for preserving their rights over the Banni grassland, their traditional livelihoods and their indigenous cattle. The grassland was handed over to Maldharis by the king Maharao, only on the condition that no agriculture practice would be done on that land and that common land would never be converted into a private property. The conflict of Banni community is with the aim to preserve their area. They don't want any other activity to be practiced in that area. It so happened that some of the private chemical got the permit to set up their industries in the nearby areas of Banni which would ultimately be dangerous for the Banni grassland. If these industries set up near this grass land then it would be a great threat to the flora and fauna present there. This would ultimately spoil the environmental conditions in that area. There was also an attempt of gradually taking away the rights of the land by the industries. The settlement of the industries would have a great impact on health of the people. As the chemical industries would emit harmful substances in the air which would increase the pollution in the environment and further harm the overall health of people. There would also be loss of biodiversity, crop damage, lowering the quality of water and loss of landscape.

Protest
There were protests held by the community people against the revenue department and forest department. The protests was of medium intensity. The groups that participated in the protest were pastoralists, women, national NGO's, Maldhari traditional community and local scientists/ professionals.

Banni breeder's association
The Banni Pashu Uchherak Maldhari Sangathan (BPUMS) or the Banni Breeders’ Association was formed in 2008, with the support of sahjeevan. Presently there are 965 animal breeders who have gained membership in the association. The main objectives of the association are conservation and improvement of Banni breed, conservation of grasslands on which animals graze, establish organized milk market for the region, create backward integrations like availability of water, animal feeds, value addition and systematic animal marketing, to work for economic and social development of Banni and preserve the local culture and tradition. In order to recognize Banni buffalo, the Breeders’ Association initiated the process of characterization of Banni breed and developing breed descriptor with the support of NGO and Agricultural University. The efforts resulted with the recognition of Banni Buffalo as the 11thbreed of the country.

The BPUMS also organizes the annual cattle fair – the Banni Pashu Mela, every year to establish a system of local market for animal trade. Apart from animal trade, various competitions are held for animals and humans; issues related to Banni and the people are taken up for discussion and the culture and tradition of Banni and Kachchh is highlighted in the Pashu Mela.

As far as breeders’ rights are concerned, it is important to accept that breeders’ are the true creators and conservers of genetic resources and these keepers of genes need to be rewarded for their efforts on conservation of genetic resources. It is important for the Government to consult breeders’ association and take their views in deciding breeding policy for the region. The Breeders’ Association has started the movement “Banni ko Banni Rehne Do” (Let it be Banni) against the Working Plan of Forest Department regarding the conservation and utilization of Banni grasslands. References:- http://banni.in/people-of-banni/pastoralist-communities http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/45716/11/11_chapter%206.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banni_Grasslands_Reserve#Seasonal_wetlands_and_abundance_of_waterbirds http://www.indiamart.com/