Environmental policy and administrative management

UNICEF and UNDP/Small Grants Programme (SGP) plan to work jointly with federal PCRWR of the Ministry of Science & Technology, MOST, and Local Government Departments on water, environment and sanitation programme and community mobilization for reducing water contamination through rational use of chemicals and reduced POPs contamination and mitigation to remove arsenic from water supply in selected schools in Punjab and Sindh Provinces. The overall goal of the joint programme is to demonstrate provision of sustainable safe water supply and sanitation models to help contribute to the reduction of mortality and morbidity among women and children. Activities in the programme agreement cover providing safe water sources and improved sanitation facilities to schools; installing chlorination plants for water systems relying on surface water sources and ARTs, Arsenic Removal Technologies, at schools and tehsil HQs. As well selected number of teachers, water system operators, and social mobilizers will be trained on hygiene knowledge, operation and maintenance of water supply systems and treatment plants, sanitation and safe water supply. The joint programme will benefit at least 250,000 people from Sindh and Punjab in 2004. The agreement is extendable up to the year 2008. 2. Nature of the proposed activity a. Primary objective (s) of the activity. Please specify whether it is designed to: (1) Demonstrate, through small-scale activities, successful or potentially successful) approaches to reducing greenhouse emissions leading to global warming, conserving biodiversity, combating desertification and land degradation, reducing pollution of international waters and/or reducing depletion of the ozone layer. The project activities constitute preparation of training modules, training of trainers, farmer field schools and publication of promotional material for wider implementation of IPM. One of the objectives is to reduce use of insecticide sprays by introducing alternate environmentally safe methods based on biological control. Consequently, the outcome of these activities will have very positive impact on conservation of insect biodiversity, air pollution control by reducing use of insecticide sprays and reduction in water pollution, that is mostly contaminated by heavy spraying of pesticides. The project activities will support management of air and water pollution and help face challenges of climate change to some extent. (2) Demonstrate successful, or potentially successful, strategies for mobilizing communities and peoples to conserve their environment. The operational strategy of the project constitutes: Raising mass-awareness campaigns for reduction in pesticide use Training and education of the trainers and farming communities in identification of pests and their natural enemies Increasing crop yield and reducing cost of production by minimizing number of insecticide sprays. These strategies will certainly motivate the farming communities for conservation of their environment and resources. (3) Develop priorities and strategies for addressing relevant environmental problems. The major priority of the project is development of training modules which will ultimately guide how to implement IPM at larger scale even after termination of the project. Environmental conservation is one of the major concerns of the project. One of the project objectives is to facilitate public health and environmental conservation initiatives by reducing use of insecticide sprays. (4) Support research, data gathering and/or the preparation of inventories. The project field station based in Southern Punjab (Multan) will have a laboratory and an insect resource center for exact identification and rearing of useful insects. It will also be equipped with a proper record keeping facility where data will be stored on scientific basis. (5) Provide training, at the regional, subregional, national, subnational or community level, for relevant NGOs and/or communications activities. Apart from PRSP relevant staff, the staff of Agriculture Extension will also be able to avail IPM facilities established for implementation of IPM and utilize the training modules and promotional material. (6) Support exchanges of experience among NGOs or community groups through exchange-of-persons, working and/or communications activities. The active members of the farming communities will be provided opportunities to visit target / demonstration plots from one village to other or to other NGOs if working on similar patterns in the area. Description of the proposed activity. Please indicate: (1) Type (s) of activity (ies) to be carried out. Conduct survey of the cotton growing villages to determine extent of pest damage and average number of insecticide sprays being applied by the farming communities. Establish field station for field activities and rearing of natural enemies. Organize training for PRSP staff with technical backstopping from ECI for exact identification of harmful insect pests and their natural enemies, cultural practices for management of pests and control techniques of environmental significance. Collect and prepare a resource of insect pests and their natural enemies for guidance of farming communities and the Trainers. Organize Farmer Field Schools (FFS) and Training of Trainers (TOT) for implementation of IPM of cotton pests. (2) Location The selected villages of Botey Wala and Qasba Union Councils are located in Southern Punjab, Multan.

Pakistan