Tharis on the move as drought drives livestock exodus

With rain-fed crops failing, natural grazing drying up and fodder running short, drought-hit families in Tharparkar district are once again packing up and migrating with their livestock in search of water and food, as rising food costs and child malnutrition compound the crisis on World Food Day.

Farmers who sowed millet, guar and other rain-dependent crops after initial rainfall this year have watched their hopes fade as subsequent rains failed to arrive on time. Parched fields and withered vegetation have left both families and their animals struggling to survive, forcing livestock owners to abandon their villages for the irrigated barrage areas.

For many, the journey means carrying provisions for more than a week and surviving on dry bread, jaggery and water along the way.

Khemoon Bhel, a livestock owner from Vee Hangorja village in Mithi taluka, is among those heading towards the barrage region. He said he had cultivated 20 acres of land after the initial rains, but the subsequent dry spell destroyed his crops and left his animals without fodder.

Having returned to his village from the barrage areas only two months ago, Bhel is now being forced to migrate again with his livestock. The money he spent on tractor work and purchasing seeds has gone to waste, with little prospect of recovering his investment through the failed harvest.

For rural households across Tharparkar, the consequences extend far beyond lost crops. Their livelihoods depend heavily on seasonal rainfall, limited agricultural production and livestock. When crops fail and grazing grounds dry up, families lose not only their grain harvest but also access to fodder, milk and a crucial source of income.

The crisis is further aggravated by the cost of food. With local wheat production limited, most households depend on market purchases to meet their staple food needs. Failed crops, shrinking livelihood opportunities and rising prices are making it increasingly difficult for poor families to afford adequate meals.

Children face nutritional crisis

The strain on household food supplies is also raising concerns about malnutrition among children and pregnant women.

A medical study examining 129 children treated for severe acute malnutrition at Mithi Civil Hospital between March and June 2024 found that 117, or 90.7 per cent, were suffering from anaemia. The findings were published in a scientific paper in January 2026.

Rainwater harvesting, drought-resilient crops, reliable fodder and water supplies for livestock, affordable staple foods and targeted assistance for vulnerable families are among the measures needed to strengthen food security. Better nutritional screening and treatment for children and pregnant women must also be prioritised.

Drought declaration

becomes a legal battle

The district administration has yet to declare Tharparkar calamity-hit or initiate the process of seeking relief measures from the Sindh government, prompting local social activist and lawyer Qurban Samejo to file a constitutional petition before the Sindh High Court's Mirpurkhas circuit.

Samejo alleged that the district administration had neither conducted the required survey and forwarded it to the provincial government nor shown any apparent intention to do so, despite deteriorating conditions on the ground. He said the court had summoned the National Disaster Management Authority, relevant Sindh govt departments and the deputy commissioner to submit reports in connection with the petition.

Lawyer Ashiq Ali said drought-like conditions recurred in Thar every three to four years, with climate change further intensifying the district's vulnerability.