Pastoralism
Also called: Animal rearing · Topic: Primary Activities: Gathering, Pastoralism, Agriculture and Mining · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Primary Activities"
Meaning
Pastoralism means rearing tame animals that are chosen to suit the local climate. It probably began once hunting proved unsustainable, meaning wild animals could no longer support people. It runs at two levels:
- Subsistence: nomadic herders live off their animals and move with them for pasture and water.
- Commercial: ranchers rear animals on fixed ranches to sell meat, wool and hides.
Example
The Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh rear sheep and goats. They take their flocks to high Himalayan pastures in summer and come down to the lower valleys in winter.
Don't confuse with
- Nomadic herding and commercial ranching: nomadic herding is mobile and keeps mixed animals, using little capital. Commercial ranching is fixed and fenced, keeps one species and needs heavy capital.
Related concepts
- Nomadic herding
- Regions of pastoral nomadism
- Transhumance
- Gujjars
- Bakarwals
- Bhotiyas
- Commercial livestock rearing
- Carrying capacity of pasture