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Tracing an impressive project
The buffalo’s, too, support the sustainable development in the village of Debreste
The power of the fast information flow and the possibility to check them at the very spot is nothing new in the world as well as in our country. However, the exciting thing this November was that when tracing the information regarding an unusual project for protecting the cultural and the biological diversity in order to develop the rural areas (implemented by the Centre for Education, Environment and Nature Protection “Biosfera” from Bitola), I headed for the village of Debreste, Prilep. Guided by one of the “Biosfera” members, but also by the images I could recall from my childhood of the huge, black animals, buffalos, rolling and enjoying in the middle of the village in water, I confirmed the notion of them still living in our country, and that impressive efforts have been made to save the species from dying out. This is indeed an unordinary and unusual attempt in Macedonia. In order to mobilize the rural communities to take actions for in the direction of providing sustainable development, “Biosfera” focuses its activities on three areas in southwestern Macedonia, in the municipalities of Dolneni, Bitola and Novaci. Their activities are supported by the Save Foundation from Saint Galen, Switzerland, which has provided financial assets for buying a male buffalo and donated it to be kept and raised in the village of Debreste, a village that belongs to the municipality of Dolneni, the last place in Macedonia where they keep a drove of 13 female buffalos.
In the municipality of Novaci, where most of Mariovo is, by strengthening the capacity of the ecological association “Pelagonija”, “Biosfera” is going to try to mobilize the municipality in order to activate the young people and the experts for promoting the region in a direction of providing sustainable development for the future welfare of the municipality.
“The municipality of Bitola includes the villages of: Kosava, Ostrec, Velusina, Dragos, Lazec and Porodin. The characteristics of these place rich in cultural and historic monuments and wonderful nature, give us the opportunity to consider creating sustainable development plans, especially because of the fact they are located at the very border with the Republic of Greece” – say the “Biosfera” members, who, in the present, initial phase of the project, are being quite optimistic. According to them, the project’s development component for Debreste is moving in a direction of organizing the buffalo breeders into associations for protecting the buffalos and sustainable development of the village, thus creating possibilities for developing rural tourism and branding dairy products, such as female buffalo milk.
Debreste - a village with a long tradition of buffalo breeding
In the village of Debreste, there is a long tradition of buffalo breeding. The local inhabitants say that the black animals have been there forever. In the past, about 200-300 male and female buffalos were being kept. When they talk about them, it is with a lot of sympathy, emphasizing the fact that, now, as well as in the past, these domestic animals have been looked after without any help from the country, although it is a rare species which is slowly dying out. The “Biosfera” project gives great hope that the number of buffalos is going to increase thus increasing the production of milk and other dairy products.
Now, there are 600 houses and 3000 inhabitants in Debreste of Turkish, Macedonian and Albanian nationality, and the majority of the population work as farmers and cattle breeders, the same as they did in the past. Cows and sheep are being bred, but what has always been distinguishing the village from the other villages is the buffalo breeding. When you enter the village, you are fascinated by the long strings of tobacco, which is grown in almost every family. Although it was November, there were people sitting and talking in the middle of the village, enjoying the autumn sun, tractors passing along the non-asphalted streets and driven by young people. From the conversation we had with the remaining female buffalo breeders that took place in one of the village inns, we found out about the strong connection between the animals and the families, about the breeding tradition, the quality of the milk, which together with the camels’ milk is considered to have the best quality in the world.
The Debreste inhabitants say that two years ago, the Institute for Cattle Breeding came up with the idea to pass a law for protecting the buffalos. The owner of the milk factory “Fejzi” from Gostivar has also shown certain interest to invest in their breeding. However, none of that has been materialized yet.
“If the country does not do anything to protect this species, nothing is going to happen”, said our interlocutors, pointing out that the process of buffalo extinction is not only popular in Macedonia, but also in the whole region of the Balkan Peninsula. We have always bred them in a very high level, we have provided the necessary care and food, but lately, we have earned very little from them, and breeding them is an expensive process. We were used to drinking buffalo milk, and they, with their looks, the way of living (they can lie in water for five or six hours in summer) and their weight (on average, a buffalo weighs about half a tone), have always attracted people’s attention and caused sympathy. They have often been filmed for TV”, say the remaining buffalo breeders, adding that the animals want to communicate with each other and that they always move in couples.
The buffalo, which arrived in Debreste from the village of Dolno Orizari, Bitola, is called Bresko. He is 18 months old and is “hosted” by Demir Sinanovski, whose family has a long tradition of buffalo breeding and still has two female buffalos.
“Because of the buffalo brought by “Biosfera”, we are going to continue keeping the female buffalos. There are people in the village who have other sources of income, but still they want to keep these animals in their homes.
“The milk quality is compared to the cow’s milk – it is considered that 5 liters of buffalo milk equals 15-20 liters of cow milk”, says the vet technician Iso Feratoski. There are some pessimistic announcement of some breeders that the remaining female buffalos will only make it until Gjurgjovden, but they, as well as Feratoski, say that for the welfare of the species is it very important to protect the buffalos permanently and to organize the purchase of cheese and milk.
We saw Bresko in Demir’s yard. He wants to be scratched at the back and wants attention when being fed. We could also try cheese from the famous milk – mozzarella is made from it. According to “Biosfera” estimations that cheese is to be branded and available to a number of consumers in future. The cheese was excellent, with a taste to remember. The visit to Debreste was an opportunity to see how the “Biosfera” members help the interested young people establish the future association of buffalo breeders and get involved in the modern sustainable development tendencies because the village itself offers natural conditions and tradition, which is enough for a start.
The project for protecting the cultural and the biological diversity for a rural area development involves in itself collecting notions from the old legends and beliefs, which are still present today. It is believed that the female buffalo milk can cure, but the village inhabitants say that even today in Debreste, there are people who come to ask earth from the ears of these animals since it is believed to cure certain illnesses. In Macedonia, besides Debreste, there are several other villages where buffalos are being bred, such as in Klepac, Lipkovo and Strumica. There, the same as in Derbeste, they are not protected by law, either. In some parts of the world, these domestic animals are protected, for example India and in Australia.
There are archeological findings in Debreste
Debreste inhabitants are pleased to say that the village is attractive not only because of its rare animal species, but also because of other values in favor of developing the village tourism. So far, several archaeological localities have bee discovered with remainings from the past, settlements from the Neolithic period and the middle ages. They bear some very impressive names like: Baciliste (from the Roman times), Gorna Crkva (from the late ancient period and the old Christian church), Gradiste (from neolith to the medieval times), Zagorice (medieval settlement and a church), Kale-Gradiste (with a polygonal castle with towers from the late ancient times), Mlaka (medieval necropolis), Selska Dzamija/Mosque (a fragmented marble arch with Greek insignia has been discovered in the mosque’s yard).
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