TARGET
Ensure food security and economic self-sufficiency of the poorest and most marginalized nomadic communities in the Domda district and promote an improvement in the management of pastoral resources and an increase in the productivity of farms.
WHERE THE PROJECT TAKES PLACE
The activities are developed in the district of Domda (Qingshui He in Chinese), Tringdu county, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai, China.
WHY WE ACT IN THIS AREA
This area is inhabited only by Tibetan nomads who live below the poverty line with a per capita income that does not reach 300 dollars a year. The educational level is very low, the illiteracy rate among nomads reaches 70% of the population. Most nomads do not speak Chinese and this is one of the reasons why the unemployment rate among young people in this area is one of the highest in the entire prefecture.
Poverty, climate change and a lack of respect for the traditions of Tibetan nomads affect the entire productive system of the Tibetan Plateau, giving rise to a vicious circle that constitutes the main limit to the development of the local economy and the sustainability of pastoral existing models.
As a result of poverty, the ability of farmers to cope with risk factors, such as climate change and changes in land management policies, is significantly reduced and families linked to extensive farming are becoming increasingly poor.
WHAT THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF
The main purpose is the achievement of economic self-sufficiency – food for nomadic families, increasing the resilience of local farming and the productivity of farms. The results will be achieved through various activities:
- training of 300 Tibetan nomads and 40 local paraveterinaries;
- distribution of 2 mobile pens for 150 sheep for the vaccination of the flocks and of two trucks for the transport of the pens which will be assembled in the villages during the vaccination periods and periodic visits by veterinarians;
- supply of veterinary equipment necessary to improve the health of the flocks (syringes, needles, instruments for minor operations, stethoscope, plastic gloves, masks and disinfectants);
- reconstitution of the flocks with the distribution of 500 sheep and 25 rams to 300 families;
- distribution of 75 tons of dry hay to 300 families;
- rental and cultivation of 25 hectares of abandoned pastures.
- In Italy an event is planned to inform the citizens of Bolzano on the results of the project and the presentation of a photographic exhibition on Tibetan nomads.
Furthermore, the project develops actions that welcome the results and inputs of various government programs to which it intends to offer new developments and perspectives.
Direct beneficiaries are 300 nomadic families selected in the 7 villages of the xiang of Domda for a total of 1500 people. Indirect beneficiaries are the 8,588 Tibetans of the Domda xiang.
Local partner: the main partner of the project is the government of the district of Domda (Qingshui He)