The pastoralists of Rajasthan are caught up in a rapidly changing world.
Their unique culture is declining rapidly as the underpinnings of their economy
- camels, grazing, sale of breeding animals, migration - are undermined.
This heritage cannot be preserved in a museum. It must adapt if it is to
survive. LPPS helps the Raika to conserve their culture and maintain their way
of life through its advocacy work, and by seeking ways they can diversify
economically, for example, by selling camel milk.
The Raika have drunk camel milk for centuries, of course, but the government
did not allow it to be sold on the market. LPPS has helped the Raika organize to
obtain official certification for the milk. This allows this traditional product
to be sold alongside cow and buffalo milk, and to be made into products such as
yoghurt, ice cream and sweets.
Pastoralism is one of the few ways to use arid areas on a sustainable basis.
Raika have an interest in maintaining the vegetation in these areas - they are
protectors rather than exploiters of the environment. LPPS is
