Forest Deptt, FAO, Local Community Start Fruits' Plantation In Chitral

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2021 ) :District Forest Department in collaboration with food and Agriculture Organization of UN Friday launched fruit trees plantation in district Chiral while engaging the local communities.

An event to this effect was organized in Community Based school Birir, Kailash Barir Valley of district Chitral where 2,000 fruit plants were distributed among the local people free of charge for plantation in their respective areas and on deserted lands with a view to generate livelihood and reduce the burden on forests.

The local Muslim and Kailash tribe participated in the event. Speaking on the occasion Provincial Coordinator, FAO Chalgoza Project Ejaz Ahmed explained the technical method of planting and caring the plants.

He said FAO arranged energy efficient stoves for those who consume alternative energy instead of wood, adding that it stays warm for a long time. The organization has also announced reward for those local communities who plant and protect orchards farms in their areas.

SDFO, Forest Department Umair Nawaz said the people of Chitral mostly use rely on forest wood for cooking and other purposes, adding that if they get fruit from these plants they can earn livelihood for themselves and their families besides they can cut their branches of fruit trees for burning purposes that could reduce the burden on forests.

President, Chalgoza Forest Protection and Conservation Committee of Birir valley Unat Baig Kailash, thanked the officials of Forest Department and Chalgoza Project for distributing fruit trees free of charge to local poor people.

He said it would help the locals to plant these saplings and later sell the fruits in bazaar to earn respectable livelihood.

Shamsul Rabi, the organisation's general secretary, said the project would change fortunes of local communities who would plant fruit trees and get the fruit for themselves and to sell it to cover their household expenses.

The local communities including Kailash women have urged the Federal and provincial governments to provide them with alternative sources of energy so that they could use for cooking and heating purpose instead of burning forest wood.