Recognizing that food security and nutrition remain critical challenges in desert communities, MMBA has promoted kitchen garden concepts across working areas. Kitchen gardens offer multiple benefits: they provide fresh, non-hybrid, healthy vegetables at household level, reduce dependence on expensive market purchases, ensure nutrition security especially for children and lactating mothers, utilize household wastewater productively, and empower women who typically manage these gardens.

MMBA has introduced a wide range of local vegetables suitable for different agro-ecologies and home-based uses. These include Gwar gum (cluster beans), coriander, spinach, and tomatoes—crops selected for their nutritional value, climate adaptability, and multiple uses. The organization provides awareness and training about kitchen garden techniques, including seed selection and preservation, soil preparation using organic manure, water-efficient irrigation methods like drip or pitcher irrigation, companion planting to maximize space and minimize pests, and seasonal crop rotation.

Importantly, MMBA has developed food processing systems that teach women how to use vegetables when fresh and preserve them for extended periods. In a region where market access is limited and refrigeration often unavailable, these preservation techniques—sun drying, pickling, fermentation—prove invaluable. The organization establishes demonstration kitchen gardens, showing best practices before small landholders adopt them. This increases availability of vegetables which are non-hybrid and healthier than commercially available alternatives. The initiative specifically targets and encourages women households, recognizing their central role in family nutrition and their capacity to manage productive home gardens alongside other responsibilities.

MMBA’s most extensive and impactful livestock intervention has been the Sheep and Wool Improvement Scheme, implemented in Barmer and Jaisalmer districts in partnership with the Central Wool Development Board (CWDB). This comprehensive program addresses the multiple, interconnected challenges facing shepherd communities—poor sheep breeds, high mortality rates, lack of healthcare, absence of insurance, poor wool quality, exploitative middlemen, and complete neglect during droughts.

The program works with massive scale—600,000 sheep (300,000 from each district of Barmer and Jaisalmer) and 7,007 shepherds. The main activities encompass healthcare for sheep, breed improvement through distributing quality rams, insurance for both sheep and shepherds, scholarships for children of insured shepherds, wool grading and marketing support, supplementary feed distribution during droughts, financial support for sheep pen construction, capacity building trainings, and advocacy for policy changes.

Sheep health camps are conducted twice annually—the first round in March-April before the hot season, and the second in August-September after the monsoon. MMBA formulated 10 health teams to provide quality services. Each team comprises one team leader, one veterinary health officer, two livestock assistants, and one field staff from the respective area. During program years, 130 sheep health camps were organized annually, providing treatment and vaccination to 306,033 sheep in Barmer district alone.
These mobile health camps bring services directly to shepherds’ doorsteps, eliminating the impossible burden of transporting flocks to distant veterinary facilities. Qualitative medicines are made available to poor and needy shepherds who could never afford them otherwise. The camps address common diseases, administer preventive vaccinations, treat injuries, perform deworming, and provide nutritional supplements. Shepherds and villagers consistently express deep appreciation for these efforts—in a region where livestock represents family wealth and food security, veterinary care becomes a matter of survival.

Beyond medical services, awareness meetings are conducted with shepherds during health camps. These sessions generate awareness about sheep and shepherds insurance, breed improvement programs, bank loan procedures, social security schemes, and welfare programs of the government. This holistic approach ensures shepherds receive not just immediate healthcare but also information that helps them access longer-term support.

Shepherds in the area typically cannot afford quality rams for breeding. Consequently, sheep populations suffer from inbreeding, poor genetic quality, low wool production, and diminished disease resistance. MMBA’s breed improvement program distributes rams of good quality to shepherds, fundamentally transforming flock genetics and productivity.

The distribution follows a carefully designed protocol: one quality ram is provided per 100 sheep in a shepherd’s flock. All rams are first insured under United India Insurance Company by MMBA, then given to shepherds. This insurance protects both the organization’s investment and the shepherd’s livelihood—if a ram dies, replacement occurs without the shepherd bearing financial loss. Distribution programs are organized at panchayat level, conducted by Ram Distribution Committees formulated by the organization to ensure transparency and fairness. In one program year alone, 3,000 quality rams were distributed across the project area in Barmer district.

The impact of breed improvement manifests within a single generation. Improved rams produce offspring with better wool quality, higher disease resistance, improved growth rates, and enhanced overall productivity. Over program years, measurable transformation occurred: wool production increased from 400-500 grams per clip to 650-700 grams per clip—a 40-50% improvement. Wool quality improved from 35-37 micron (coarser) to 30-32 micron (finer), commanding better market prices. These improvements directly translate to enhanced shepherd incomes and improved living standards.

Insurance represents a revolutionary concept for shepherd communities. Prior to MMBA’s intervention, awareness of insurance remained virtually non-existent, and high premium costs made it inaccessible even when understood. The organization had to make enormous efforts to introduce and normalize insurance among skeptical, economically vulnerable populations.

Sheep insurance is conducted under Oriental Insurance Company Limited. The premium structure is designed for affordability: ₹19 per sheep annually. On death of an insured sheep, ₹1,200 is paid as claim amount—a sum that, while modest by urban standards, represents critical relief for shepherd families. In program years, insurance coverage expanded dramatically. From a previous status of “very rare due to lack of awareness and higher premium,” the number of sheep and shepherds with insurance increased substantially.

Shepherds insurance, conducted under Life Insurance Corporation of India, provides even more comprehensive protection. The premium is ₹80 per shepherd annually. Benefits include ₹60,000 paid on natural death, ₹150,000 on accidental death, and ₹75,000 on permanent disability—sums that prevent families from falling into destitution when the primary earner dies or becomes disabled. Additionally, there is provision for scholarships for children of insured shepherds studying in classes 9th to 12th, with a maximum of two children per family eligible. ₹100 per month per child is paid after certification from the school head master.

During program years, substantial claims were processed: 3,654 sheep claims paid out from 162,035 insured sheep, and 5 shepherd claims processed from 4,422 insured shepherds. These payouts represent real families saved from economic collapse, children able to continue education, and hope maintained despite devastating losses.

Traditionally, shepherds sold raw, ungraded wool to middlemen at exploitative prices. The middlemen would then grade the wool and sell it at much higher rates, capturing profits that should have gone to producers. MMBA’s wool grading and marketing program breaks this cycle.

Shepherds are encouraged and trained in wool grading techniques, learning to sort wool by quality, fineness, length, and cleanliness. To incentivize adoption of grading practices, each shepherd is paid ₹1 per clip per kilogram twice a year as an incentive, helping the practice become habitual. Additionally, ₹2 per clip per kilogram is paid twice yearly to support direct marketing efforts, eliminating middlemen and ensuring shepherds receive fair prices.

The process is systematically organized: graded wool is collected at panchayat level, then brought to concerned wool mandis (markets) for selling. This collective approach gives shepherds bargaining power they would never have individually. The transformation is evident: from a previous status where wool grading and marketing support were non-existent, shepherds now routinely grade their wool and access better markets, significantly improving their incomes.

Government famine relief provides fodder for cows but ignores sheep and goats—the livestock of the poorest. MMBA recognized this grave injustice and took action. The distribution of supplementary feed was inaugurated by Mr. Ameen Khan, Panchayati Raj Minister, Government of Rajasthan, signaling high-level support for addressing this gap.

With financial support from the Central Wool Development Board, MMBA provided supplementary feed (locally called “Daala”) to 60,000 sheep from the target area. The feed was strategically provided to 25% of each shepherd’s flock—specifically weak and pregnant sheep that are most vulnerable during droughts. The quantity provided was 25 kilograms per sheep, enough to sustain animals through critical periods.

This intervention saved countless sheep lives. From a previous status where no supplementary feed was available and sheep perished during droughts, weak and pregnant sheep of poor shepherds now receive life-saving nutrition. The broader impact extends to family survival—when sheep survive, shepherd families maintain their economic base, avoiding destitution and forced migration.

Poor shepherds often cannot afford expenses for constructing quality sheep pens, leaving their flocks exposed to predators, extreme weather, and theft. MMBA, with support from CWDB, provided ₹10,000 to each selected shepherd to construct proper sheep pens. Cheques were distributed through MLA Meva Ram Jain of Barmer, adding prestige to the program. Financial support was provided to 30 shepherds on a preliminary basis, with plans for expansion.

Proper sheep pens protect flocks from:nocturnal predators like jackals and wolves, extreme heat during summer through shade structures, cold during winter nights, theft and straying, and disease transmission through better hygiene. From a previous status where no support existed for sheep pen construction, shepherds now have financial assistance to build protective infrastructure that improves flock survival and productivity.

Regular capacity-building trainings are conducted for shepherds, addressing multiple topics critical to their welfare and success. Training sessions cover sheep and shepherds insurance—explaining benefits, enrollment processes, and claim procedures; information on common diseases in sheep and their prevention; roles and responsibilities of shepherd development committees; wool grading and marketing techniques; NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), RTI (Right to Information), and social audit processes; social security schemes they can access; and various welfare schemes of the government designed for pastoral communities.

These trainings transform shepherds from passive recipients of charity to informed, empowered citizens who understand their rights and can navigate bureaucratic systems to access entitlements.

During the catastrophic 2014-2015 drought, when government support proved inadequate and poor people were abandoning livestock on streets, MMBA took the pioneering initiative to open cattle camps. The district collector inaugurated the program by dispatching a truck of fodder, signaling official support. MMBA facilitated 40 fodder camps successfully managed with community support, serving 10,644 animals. Additionally, through advocacy and community mobilization, MMBA helped establish cattle camps in 14 more villages, serving an additional 4,500 cattle.

The impact was profound and multi-dimensional. In an area where animal husbandry constitutes the major occupation and drought had destroyed agricultural produce, people were losing their livestock—their primary capital asset. The camps provided free, good-quality fodder and nutrient-rich cattle food, helping livestock improve their health. This helped people save their livestock and maintain earning capacity for families when no other employment sources existed. Transparency meetings were organized at MMBA premises to share budgets with committee members, building trust and accountability. The organization motivated communities to form management committees, ensuring local ownership and sustainability.

Beyond service delivery, MMBA has engaged in persistent advocacy for systemic policy change. The organization initiated a campaign for inclusion of sheep and goats into the famine code, raising the issue at state level through people’s support and media engagement. When communities approached district administration for fodder, they were denied because no provision existed to provide fodder for sheep and goats. MMBA organized communities to submit memorandums to administration demanding recognition of sheep and goats as legitimate livestock deserving drought relief.
This advocacy represents the most transformative work—changing the very structures that perpetuate poverty. A shepherd federation was developed at district level, providing collective voice and organizational capacity for advocacy and mutual support. This federation seeks to improve sheep breeds, increase wool production, enhance sheep health, and ascertain sustainable livelihoods for shepherds. Through collective action, shepherds move from invisible, voiceless victims to organized, empowered citizens demanding their rights.