ABSTRACT:
Background Environmental emergencies and conflicts are major drivers of human displacements. Among the environmental variables, water represents one of the most critical factors, and populations in arid regions are the most exposed to droughts and more likely to migrate. In such contexts, farmers are among the most vulnerable communities. As a matter of fact, when animals are forced to move, disputes among communities may arise, and the risk of transboundary diseases’ spread increases. In India chronically arid landscape and rising temperatures result in severe droughts which in turns lead to migrations. This abstract explores the phenomenon of forced displacements at the human-animal interface and the related promising strategies adopted in Maharashtra (India). Methods A research was conducted on PubMed®, followed by a search of grey literature. Results The establishment of cattle camps in Maharashtra is essential in mitigating the adverse effects of extreme weather, thereby ensuring the survival of entire farmers communities. Cattle camps can open during times of drought, where water and fodder are distributed for the animals. In 2019 the Authorities of the districts of Beed and Nashik published the procedures for their establishment. The documents (available in Hindi only) describe the requirements that must be fulfilled before starting a camp. This approach has been included since 2022 among the strategies to address emergencies in the Disaster Management Plan of the district of Beed. Non-governmental organizations and the press are raising awareness on this strategy. Only one paper mentions the Indian cattle camps. Conclusion When animals are forced to move with their owners, it is vital to acknowledge the relevance of the human-animal-environment interconnections to develop effective strategies. To date no studies have been carried out on Indian cattle camps and further research is required to better understand opportunities and issues concerning this promising strategy.