By Rafiullah Mandokhail
ZHOB: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Forest and Wildlife Department Balochistan distributed and planted over 100,000 various kinds of trees to enhance forest cover and value chain in the Sulaiman Range.
According to Value Chain Specialist Yahya Musakhail approximately 120,000 trees of Deodar, Chirh, Popular, Apple, Pomegranate, Mulberry, Ailanthus, American Saroo, Baqain, Pullai, Ash, Maringa, Kabuli Kikar, Ber, Shisham, Rubinea, Almond, Pepper and Fig have been distributed and planted in different villages of the Sulaiman Range including Ahmadi Darga, Sur Lukky, Karama, Parei, Shinki Kona, Shin Ghar, Sangar, Tor Ghar, Khankei, Kapip, Zindei Malav, Mala Ragha areas.
“Established one block plantation site comprising 50 acres of land in collaboration with Forest and Wildlife department and two fruit orchards have been established on 3 acres each through the community involvement,” he added.
Moreover, he said 250 fuel efficient stoves and 50 gassy fires are also being distributed among the rural communities close to the olive and pine forests. Pine cones crusher machines, processing units will be installed and Chilghoza harvesting toolkits will be provided to the forest owners before the upcoming harvesting season.
“Harvesting tools have been distributed, a processing unit has been installed and a grading machine will be installed soon to put the Chilghoza business on modern lines,” Musakhail said.
Honeybee farming and sericulture are also being introduced that aims at providing alternative source of livelihood to the area people and conserving pine-nut forests. The objective of the GEF funded ‘Reversing Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Chilghoza Pine Forest in Pakistan’ project is to increase forest cover, value chain and alternative livelihood improvement, he added.