In Gangapur, Rajasthan, where villagers have found a new livelihood through the ice cream industry in the face of chronic water scarcity and declining agricultural output, countless vehicles have been cleverly converted into mobile ice cream stands, creating a new source of income for local farmers and boosting the local economy, becoming a vivid example of how to cope with the effects of climate change.
In the desert town of Gangapur in Rajasthan, villagers have ushered in a brand new season. Every November-February, before the first rays of dawn break, car repair shops along the town's dusty bazaar are busy preparing for the day ahead, displaying rows of cylindrical stainless steel food containers and vendors stocking up on chocolate and strawberry-flavored syrups.
As soon as March arrives, the villagers begin to prepare for their migration. At these repair shops, thousands of vehicles have been converted into mobile stalls selling all kinds of ice cream, from simple cardamom condensed milk ice cream to rich flavors like chocolate, vanilla and pistachio. At the same time, local farmers who have turned careers to become dessert makers are also doing maintenance for their small trucks and preparing to drive to distant cities and towns, where they will sell the desserts for the next nine months.
■ Ice cream truck operating in Mumbai. In wealthier states such as Gujarat and Maharashtra, the "snack culture" has attracted many farmers in areas hard-hit by the climate crisis to turn into hawkers. The money they earn in a few months will be enough to last them through the year. Credit: Roli Srivastava/Migration Story
In northwestern India, the ice cream industry has become a lifesaver for villagers as chronic water shortages have severely damaged agricultural output and household livelihoods.
In addition, the ice cream industry has created a new industry chain in the region, bringing with it its most valuable resource: jobs. The number of vehicle repair shops and shops selling ice cream-related supplies in the town has surged from 50 in 2015 to about 500 today.
During the four-month season each year, around 50,000 trucks are converted into ice cream vans. Even the local printing shop is expanding its staff, busy printing ice cream posters with a backdrop of local temples and legendary warriors.
■ In the town of Gangapur in Rajasthan, up to 50,000 trucks are converted into ice cream trucks every year for the arrival of summer. Credit: Roli Srivastava/Migration Story
It is estimated that there are about 140 million internal migrants in India – who have left their homes to find work on construction sites, factories or as daily wage workers in other states. Their decision to migrate is often due to the growing climate change losses in their hometowns.
While trade has boosted household incomes and boosted local economies, it is rare for entire industries to emerge as a result of migration patterns.
"During the peak season, from November to February, our market serves 500 small trucks a day," Kalu Mohammed Patan said in his workshop, as two workers were performing final checks under a truck whose owner was about to depart for the city of Indore, an eight-hour drive from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.
These ice cream trucks can be found all over the streets of India, with their brightly coloured posters and flashing neon signs.
"We make enough money during the season to sustain us for a year," Patan said. "Without the relocation for the ice cream business, the people in the villages around Gangapur would continue to be poor."
"We have a shortage of water and a shortage of jobs," he said. "Migration is not an easy task for people who don't have land, because starting a business requires a certain amount of capital. But now, those who stayed in the village have also found job opportunities. Each workshop provides more than 10 local jobs. ”
Rajasthan, known for its spectacular kasbahs, stunning desert safaris, palatial palaces and historic temples, has been the hardest hit by India's exodus to other states, according to India's Department of Statistics. This phenomenon is mainly caused by the harsh climatic conditions in the region, and the drought and lack of rain have seriously restricted the development of agriculture.
In Gangapur, residents have forgotten when the last abundant rainfall occurred. Still, the catastrophic drought at the turn of the century still haunts them – it not only destroyed crops such as corn, peanuts and peppers, but also left their livestock starving. It was from that period that more and more people started leaving Rajasthan to look for job opportunities elsewhere.
Among those who left was 16-year-old Kanhaya Prajapati. In 2005, he followed a villager's ice cream truck on a journey to Gorakpur, Uttar Pradesh.
"The harvest in the fields has dropped dramatically, and there is no other source of income. Four months later, I came home with Rs 5000. It was a decent amount of income, so the next year I decided to go it alone," Prajapati said. He now sits in front of his brand-new ice cream truck, which is much more advanced than the wooden trolley he started with nearly 20 years ago.
■ In the workshop in Gangapur, Bayraf Lal Dangarh and his truck. He is able to save thousands of rupees a month by making and selling his own ice cream. Credit: Roli Srivastava/Migration Story
Over the past decade, about 100 people in Prajapati's small village of 350 people have joined the industry, most of them running ice cream trucks.
They have all heard about the "snack culture" that is prevalent in more affluent states such as Gujarat and Maharashtra, where people would buy ice cream, cola, and popsicles from roadside food stalls until late at night, in stark contrast to their sunset villages.
When 31-year-old Bayraf Lal Danhal was 14 years old, his father bought a second-hand minivan when he was tired of traveling 95 miles to Madhya Pradesh to graze.
"I rented a place in Mansasa (a small temple town) and made my own ice cream. I was able to save at least Rs 15,000 a month to send home, which was not possible in my original village," he said.
These trades helped their families in their hometown to build concrete houses, install wells for domestic use, and irrigate farmland.
Inspired by these successful migration stories, more and more villagers are driving their ice cream trucks to neighbouring areas, and dairy officials say demand for milk from the local state-run dairy is increasing in Bilawala.
■ In Gangapur, trucks are plastered with advertisements for ice cream flavors and traditional Indian desserts such as faruda (a rice noodle dessert) before a seasonal trip. Credit: Roli Srivastava/Migration Story
In the lakeside city of Udaipur, about a two-hour drive south of Gangapur, a car dealer said it had sold as many as 600 small trucks — colloquially known as "baby elephants" — most of which had been converted into ice cream trucks during the four-month season.
600 miles away from Gangapur Market, Shankar Singh sets up his ice cream truck next to a temple outside Mumbai. His assistant was cleaning the counter and lighting incense while lighting LED lights that glowed blue and orange to add luster to the stall.
"This business supports my family's livelihood, and I can't close the shop, not even for a day," Singh said. Like many others, he decided to abandon his trip back to his village to participate in the elections.
He mentioned that he chose not to go home to vote due to fear of losing income during the peak summer season, as well as a lack of confidence in any political party to solve the problems of water shortages, inconvenient public transportation and inadequate hospital facilities in his area. Still, for Singh and many others like him, Mumbai is merely their workplace.
On the ice cream trucks in Gangapur, a common poster depicting the desert, camels and women in traditional costumes of Rajasthan is emblazoned with the old slogan "Padharo mhare desh" (Welcome to our land) printed in bold lettering. This is not only a call to customers, but also a proud memory of hometown.
本文译自The Guardian的文章“Cool solution: how ice-cream saved drought-hit farmers in India”，该文章最初由“迁徙故事”（Migration Story）发布，这是印度首家专注于该国庞大国内移民人口的新闻编辑室。