The Farming System that Ensures Biodiversity Conservation
Small scaled family farming plays a multidimensional role, ensuring not only livelihood but play a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation. Such farmers judiciously use the weeds and herbs grown along with the crops and use the crop residues as animal feed. Here are some pictures, I shot in my hometown Borai, Loralai which show us the beauty of this unique farming system. The farmer told me that he never used any pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
These grasses are rich in nutrients and the best feed for the sheep, goats, and cows.
Location of beautiful orchard or JAR
Borai or Bori commonly known as Loralai is the cradle of orchard farming (locally known as JAR) and breeding area of native livestock, i.e sheep, goat, cattle, donkey, and chicken. The Jar is an ancient tradition of family gardening, fenced with the stalks of native thorny bushes or mud walls to protect from livestock and wildlife. The fence is known as Daragi and we have many villages and towns with the name of Daragi or Dargi. It is believed that the region is one of the ancient hubs of livestock husbandry and arable farming. I have tried to make some screenshots from google earth and show you where it is. The region is situated on the tracks of the strong winds between the sea and mountain. The red arrow indicates the wind tracks.
Family gardening is known as jar locally, a small heaven for the family
Borai is situaited in northeastern Balochistan, known as Janobi Pashtunkhawa
Borai is on the route of strong dry winds between Pamir and Arabian sea
The location of Jar or family garden/orchardThis weed is locally called Shinshobey in Pashtu. It is a wild mint. This weed is dried/powdered and used as food with yogurt and shlombey etc.This weed is called Perwathke in Pashtu, a very rich feed for the small ruminants.The chicken thrives on the insects in the orchard and provides a rich source of protein.
Vegetables are grown at the orchard, providing rich and safe food for the family.
The beautiful but rich herbal plant – ChicoryApricot tree, the small piece of land is richer with different types of treesThe small canal provides a niche for frog breeding. One can see the eggs of the frogs.
More plant and animals diversity is placed on a smaller piece of land with the highest productivity and the whole family depends on this farm in one or another way.
Almod tree full of fruits
Almond fruits
Organic Almond, I was impressed of the taste and flavor
The trees and fodder for livestock Alfalfa
Chilles vegetable
Orchard – an organic paradise ensuring healthy food for the family members
Local fig variety
Fig tree
Healthy fruit – healthy familyThe cow dung is dried and used as fuel. The remaining material (powdered) is used as farmyard manureBorai is home to delicious Anar (Pomegranate)Damson fruit, locally called Aloo. The dried fruit is a source of spices with sheep meat.We can find many different types of trees, plants, vegetables, and weeds on a smaller piece of land
Read in detail about my philosophy regarding small-scaled farming and its role in food security and biodiversity conservation. https://arkbiodiv.com/2011/10/12/113/
I’m Ph.D. in Animal Agriculture, currently working as a Technical Manager at Al Ain Farms for Livestock Production, Camel dairying, Alain, UAE. I have performed as a Professor and Dean, at the Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences Pakistan (LUAWMS). I work on and write for the subjects of ‘turning camel from a beast of burden to a sustainable farm animal’, agricultural research policies, extensive livestock production systems, desert ecosystems, food security under climate change context, and sustainable use of traditional genetic resources for food and agriculture.
Iim advocating camel under the theme of CAMEL4LIFE and believe in camel potential. Camel4life is a camel think tank with a website and WhatsApp group, advocating camel at the policy level. I’m the founder and head of the Society of Animal, Veterinary, and Animal Scientists (SAVES), and the Founder of the Camel Association of Pakistan. I also work as a freelance scientist working on the above-mentioned thematic areas. I'm currently a member of the steering committee for Desert Net International (DNI). I'm also doing camel dairying consultancies.
I’m an ethnoecologist, ethnobotanist, Ethnovet and ethomedicie researcher and reviewer. I explore deserts and grazing lands for knowledge and understanding.
View all posts by Dr Raziq Kakar
7 thoughts on “The Farming System that Ensures Biodiversity Conservation”
Indeed small family maintained orchards a popular subsistance farming in some area of pakistan provided the land blessed with some irrigation water. This type of farming provide good physical activity to owner family members ,organic , nutritious and safe food.
![IMG_8366[1].JPG](https://arkbiodiv.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/img_83661.jpg?w=4032)
SUSTAINABLE FARMING FOR FOOD AND HEALTH 
Reblogged this on Small Scaled Farmers and the pastoralists are the backbones of animal agriculture. They play a pivotal role not only in producing quality food item but also conserving the genetic resources as well as nature for the next generations. Contrast to the factory farming small scaled farming and pastoralism do not use (up to their level best) pesticides and chemical fertilizers etc. They do not harm the nature by the blind use of inputs like energy and water. They are the custodians of the genes and nature. and commented:
small scaled orchard farming is a paradise of plants and animal genetic biodiversity.
LikeLike
Indeed small family maintained orchards a popular subsistance farming in some area of pakistan provided the land blessed with some irrigation water. This type of farming provide good physical activity to owner family members ,organic , nutritious and safe food.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for your appreciation. You are welcome always.
LikeLike
An interesting post. I would like to see more of this type of farming in the world. Thank you for posting it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
you are welcome. I’m sure, you will seek further knowledge from our very rich website arbiodiv.com
LikeLike