Environmental research

The project aims to provide training in social forestry at community level to NGOs and CBOs, to demonstrate successful strategies for mobilizing community to conserve their environment and to expand the ongoing project of social forestry. Targets set for the project were: i) to train gardeners and school teachers of six schools each year in nursery raising and tree plantation. ii) to train members of CBOs, NGOs and community to set up nurseries, parks and plantations in public places. iii) to establish nurseries in six schools each year. iv) to create awareness among studetns about importance of forestation by introducing social forestry as one of their subject. v) to design and promote improved buffalo yards and biogas plants. vi) to develop and demonstrate cost effective on-farm water management systems for improving irrigation and reducing waterlogging in rural areas. OPP started to promote kitchen Gardening by the Housewives who were learning Prevention of Disease and Family Planning. The response was good and large number of Kitchen Gardens are now common. Later, in collaboration with IUCN Tree Plantations were introduced. A first class Nursery was set up in the one-acre compound of OPP s New Building. This Nursery got technical support from the Forrest Department, IUCN and U.S AID. There was a good response to the call from planting trees from individuals and institutions, particularly the schools, mosques, hospitals and even police stations. 1990 onwards the OPP has extended its activities to adjoining villages as described in the Rural Pilot Project Report. The package of advice to the villages, which are situated in the arid zone, is to turn from crop culture to tree culture and produce timber, fruits, vegetables and milk for the Karachi market. Technical guidance and training is given at the OPP Nursery and loans are provided to peasant entrepreneurs by the Orangi trust. Another first class nursery was set up in Suhrab Goth with a grant of Rs. 70 000 from U.S Aid. This nursery is now selling plants and seedlings to nearby villages. Furthermore thirty peasant proprietors have taken loans amounting to Rs. 6,70,000 for making orchards and woodlots. Their example is inspiring others to turn their barren land into a fruitful source of income and as a Result, many of the orchards are planning to have small nurseries.

Pakistan