[IYRPsupportgroup] Message from Vivek/SEVA re: Wild watermelon for livestock in northern Sudan

[Ann Waters-Bayer]

Dear Maryam,
It is a good case of how documentation of traditional practice will help in restoring such activities for sustainable rangeland management and pastoralism. Many indigenous  grass/ fodder species can be propagated and seed materials distributed for re-seeding or introducing in the areas where it was abundant earlier but now it is rare.  Collaboration with local research  institutes/ stations will be good idea for  partnership program.

Regards,
P. Vivekanandan,
SEVA,
45, T.P.M.Nagar,
Virattipathu, Madurai - 625 016
Tamil Nadu, India.
 Phone: 7708852334
+91 452 2380082
 e-mail: vivekseva at gmail.com
website:  www.sevango.in

Chair, South Asia  IYRP Group

International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026 (IYRP)
https://www.iyrp.info

On Wed, Oct 2, 2024 at 9:00?PM Maryam Niamir-Fuller <mniafull2 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Dear Friends of IYRP
>
> I am pleased to share with you an article published recently in the
> Rangelands Journal of the Society for Range Management, *The Kordofan
> melon and pastoralist water strategy in Sudan: potential for climate change
> adaptation and sustainable livelihoods, *by Prof Hussein Sulieman and
> myself, that highlights the importance of cultivation of wild varieties of
> watermelon as an ingenious and indigenous technology for sustainability -
> as water and as fodder in the long dry season for camels, sheep and goats
> in northern Sudan.  This traditional practice also helps maintain a
> collaborative relationship between settled agropastoralists and
> transhumance pastoralists. However, the introduction of mechanized hybrid
> watermelon farming is slowly displacing this practice in favor of growing
> domestic watermelons for sale in towns and cities. The hybrid
> watermelon has also caused the introduction of a disease that appears to be
> affecting the wild varieties. Nevertheless, the practice still endures with
> the potential to be an adaptive measure to climate change. The field data
> for this article was gathered by Prof. Hussein Sulieman just before the
> recent hostilities and conflicts that have unfortunately engulfed Sudan.
>
> The Article is in support of one of the 12 Themes of the IYRP - namely to
> recognize the value of traditional/indigenous practices and technologies,
> and to celebrate and document them. You can access the article with the
> link below freely until 19 Nov 2024.
>
> Share Link:
> https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1js0zhDeV42Vw
> <https://kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F%2Fauthors.elsevier.com%2Fc%2F1js0zhDeV42Vw/1/0102019242d4f264-ce36371a-7efa-403f-b33d-c1d3886da831-000000/G_NMNK41UwFBDupNuk7xBKP2Sh0=393>
>
> Please help to share knowledge about rangelands and pastoralists
> worldwide, and support the IYRP 2026.
>
> *...*...*...*
> Dr. Maryam Niamir-Fuller
>
> *Support the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists
> 2026  https://www.iyrp.info <https://www.iyrp.info>*