Water Scarcity, Food Security and Desertification are issues that will not ask people’s religions. Let us for once, keep aside the organised religions and just plainly give it a chance to hear out the Desi Cow and what its role is, in today’s context of survival. Desi cow is linked to every issue pertaining to climate change, once we understand that it is easy to see why cow must be de-coupled with religion in the first place.
1. Water Scarcity & Cow – It takes 15,000 litres of water to produce 1 kg of beef. There is no other food, that uses more water for production than beef. With India leading the world exports in bovine meat – let us rethink whether a water starved India can afford this influx of dollars.
Would our generations forgive this government to have finished our water systems in greed of a few million dollars? No body irrespective of religion is asking the Government this vital question.
2. Food Security & Cow – Beef is touted as poor man’s meat. Think again, keeping in mind the fact that a cow with its meat can feed 80 people but with its milk and food grown through its manure it can feed thousands. Indian soil fertility has reduced by 50% in the last 30 years. Desi cow based natural farming (green manure) is the only way to revive our soils and bring back our food security. When the soil fertility is at the lowest and crores of hungry mouths to feed, should “right of choice to eat” take precedence over “right to eat”?
It is time that focus is shifted from cow as food or religion, to cow as a source of reviving our land. Killing in the name of cow or killing cow are both sinful and deserve condemnation. But the only thing that can change this madness is once people are made aware on the usefulness of the desi cow. Very few people are really talking about things that matter. Padmashree Subhash Palekar Ji is leading a silent agricultural revolution with 1 desi cow for reviving 30 acres of land. Positive debate and awareness on these subjects are needed. Lynching and violence will end naturally when all the stake holders, will work towards the same goal – survival.
3. Deforestation & Cow – As per ISRO report (satellite study), area under desertification in India increased by 18,72,523 hectares from 2003-2013. In this day and age of desertification, IMHO Allan Savory is showing us the same way by way of intelligent grazing and Holistic Management. In his book – Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making – Allan Savory writes – “Here I saw domesticated livestock could do to the soil what I had seen with large herds of buffalo. The surface was broken, litter lay everywhere; water was soaking rather than running off, aeration had improved; and new seedlings grew in abundance”
The Indus Valley Hub of Savory Global, in Pakistan is working on converting Drylands covering 78% of Pakistan’s territory into Forests & Grazing Pastures. This will transform the economy of Pakistan, eliminate its poverty, and make a meaningful contribution to removing greenhouse gasses from the world’s atmosphere.
If Pakistan can take up this step, why can we not have such hubs in all the Gauchar lands in India?
It is time that focus is shifted from cow as food or religion, to cow as a source of reviving our land.Killing in the name of cow or killing cow are both sinful and deserve condemnation. But the only thing that can change this madness is once people are made aware on the usefulness of the desi cow. Very few people are really talking about things that matter. Sadhguru is taking up the issue of our rivers and how to revive them. Padmashree Subhash Palekar Ji is leading a silent agricultural revolution with 1 desi cow for reviving 30 acres of land. Positive debate and awareness on these subjects are needed. Let all the stakeholders work towards the same common goal – survival.