Modernherdsmen

Cooperatives improve herdsmen’s livelihoods and help protect the grasslands

ZHAXI Gobo, a 38-year-old herdsman from Qumarleb County in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, has two incomes. He used to be a fulltime proud herdsman like his forefathers, but now works as a truck driver in the county. What’s his secret? By joining a herdsmen’s cooperative, many local Tibetans like Zhaxi Gobo can keep herding traditions alive while finding work outside their village to increase their income.

“In the past, we used to practice nomadic herding, and that means we had to be on the move all year round. We depended on the weather and there was no guarantee of income. The money I made was hardly enough to feed my family of five,” he told Chinafrica.

The situation has greatly improved since early 2013, when Zhaxi Gobo joined the Zangdi Ecological Herdsmen’s Cooperative. There, all his goats and yaks are taken care of by designated persons in a centralized manner. After joining, he could have time to learn to drive and later started working as a truck driver.

“Now I have two income sources: one from the cooperative, and the other from working as a driver. I can earn up to 50,000 yuan ($7,500) every year,” he said proudly.

Three years ago, Zhaxi Gobo, like many of the county’s residents, lived a nomadic life. On average, each household had about five people and kept 10 to 20 yaks and some goats. They could earn no more than 2,000 yuan ($300) a year.

To improve local herdsmen’s livelihoods, the county government established the Zangdi Ecological Herdsmen’s Cooperative in 2013.

“The cooperative not only frees herdsmen, but also makes good use of the grassland. Ecology protection and poverty alleviation work hand in hand,” said Nyima Zhaxi, Head of Qumarleb County. herdsmen’s income.

“Each one of the families has signed a contract with us. During the contract period, their livestock is managed by the cooperative, while herdsmen receive a yearly income. At the end of the contract, the cooperative will return the same number of livestock that herdsmen entrusted at the beginning of the contract,” Cering Doje, Secretary of the cooperative, told Chinafrica.

Currently, 35 families have joined the cooperative, headed by Zhagyai. He and 10 other families are in charge of managing all the livestock, and in exchange receive an annual payment of about 35,000 yuan ($5,224).

The cooperative has achieved impressive growth. Starting with just 500 goats and 500 yaks three years ago, it now has 2,288 goats and 1,760 yaks, according to Zhagyai.

Besides, the cooperative plays a major role in protecting grasslands in the ecologically important Qumarleb County, which is located in west Qinghai Province, at the source of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, the two most important rivers in China. The cooperative practices rotational grazing, so as to ease the burden pastoral farming imposes on the local ecology.