After the Flood in Pakistan 38 Berlin Geographical Papers - Freie ...

conditions and unsophisticated options in tilling the land properly. Salinification and
waterlogging are obvious in many places. Only large-scale and mechanized preparation of
agricultural land parcels might alleviate these problems. Consequently, many fields have
remained fallow, levels of debt bondage will likely increase, and food insecurity is a severe
issue for many households.
Box 9: The Mallah of Ahmed Sorjho – sharefishing and poverty
Fisherfolk in Ahmed Sorjho belong to the caste
of Mallah. They are engaged in sweetwater
fishing only adnare seemingly not represented
by the PFF, as is the case in Badin and Dadu
Districts. In Ahmed Sorjho there is not a single
Mallah household that owns agricultural land.
Their hamlet in Ahmed Sorjho is named after
their leader, Yaqoob Mallah, and consists of
makeshift mud and plastic constructions spread
over the northern part of the village (cf. Fig.
5.19) All Mallah hosueholds are related to each
other and provide mutual support. Before the
flood they all lived in kacha mud houses with
their own boats and nets and most of them
possessed livestock too.
As with seawater fishing, there exists an
exploitative contract system for fishing in the
Indus too. Powerful individuals purchased the
licenses from the Government and bind the
fisherfolk into ‘sharefishing’ agreements that
forces Mallah to deliver 50% of their catch to
license holders. Apparently, the lobbying work
of the PFF that led to beneficial changes in the
license system for fisherfolk in Badin does not
apply to the situation Thatta where exploitation
through sharefishing remains common practice.
However, because all Mallah lost their boats
hardly anybody was engaged in fishing at time
45
of research. Only occasionally resources are
pooled among households and a boat is rented
for Indus fishing.
Before the flood it was common too among
housewives to contribute to the households’
income by sewing clothes or embroidering
textiles. However, sewing machines were lost in
the flood and home-based income activities have
ceased accordingly. Mallah children collect
firewood for marketing and hardly any child has
ever visited a school. All handpumps that were
present in their hamlet have been destroyed and
people now obtain their drinking water from
puddles of remaining flood water. Those puddles
are also used for washing clothes and bathing.
The use of brackish water leads to multiple
health problems especially affecting children.
To cope with the adverse situation, an increase
in firewood collection among the Mallah is
observable. Marketing of sweets from Daro town
to their village with small benefits has been
tried; others simply became beggars in nearby
urban areas. All these activities are not sufficient
to ensure food security after the flood. Increased
Pan-consumption to suppress feelings of hunger
is apparent even among very small children.