LAHORE - World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) organised an exploratory field visit for journalists to its Global Poverty Action Fund (GPAF) funded project Improving Livelihoods of Fishermen Communities of Central Indus Wetlands Complex, Pakistan through Effective Natural Resource Management. Through this capacity building initiative, journalists were taken to project sites in Kot Addu, Muzaffargarh district; Taunsa Barrage and Bela Forest to discover biodiversity, exploring the aquatic life of the Indus River and highlighting livelihood interventions undertaken by WWF-Pakistan.
Journalists from print and electronic media participated in the trip and showed interest in learning about the livelihood interventions made by WWF-Pakistan to empower fisher communities, especially women, through vocational training centers, kitchen gardening initiative, organic farming interventions, alternative livelihood methods and environmentally friendly bio-gas plants and efficient mud stoves.
The participants also visited Taunsa Barrage Wildlife Sanctuary (TBWS) where they witnessed migratory birds residing near pond areas, followed by a trek in Bela Forest. A jeep safari was also organized to observe hog deer in its natural habitat.
Umer Waqas, Site Coordinator, WWF-Pakistan informed the media, "It is challenging working with communities with limited resources. WWF-Pakistan is taking every possible measure to conserve natural resources of the area and the country by empowering local communities to reduce their dependence on them."
WWF-Pakistan is also helping create awareness among the local community by promoting the establishment of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in the area. Previously, people hunted migratory birds in the area but have now become their guardians as they have realized that harming the course of nature will harm them directly.
Javed Iqbal, President, Indus Welfare Foundation (IWF) stated, "In the past, people used to do illegal hunting as well as fish poisoning but through awareness and capacity building efforts, people are now sensitized and they work with us to conserve natural resources."
In order to reduce their dependence on natural resources WWF-Pakistan has also provided local communities with bio-gas plants to reduce their dependence on forests for fuel wood. Three villages in the vicinity of TBWS have been provided more than 800 fuel-efficient mud stoves which consume less wood.
Women empowerment is also promoted as two vocational training centers have been established which provide training for stitching, sewing and making domestic items which can later be sold to and become an alternate source of income.
In order to secure support for energy conservation, WWF-Pakistan has also provided 30 units of domestic livestock to the local communities. Each unit includes two cows, two goats and five hens. Thousands of fruit saplings of various fruits have also been provided to the communities free of cost so that they can earn extra income.
Kitchen gardening units are another intervention meant to decrease the expenditures of locals whereby they grow different vegetables on their land. Three model kitchen gardening units have been established in each village which have been further replicated, which shows that people are now willing to make a change.
Better Management Practices (BMPs) are another intervention meant to promote the growth of organic vegetables. BMPs require less fertilizers and pesticides and organic slurry is used to enrich crops thus leading to better yield.
WWF-Pakistan is engaged in enhancing the skills of fishermen communities by providing them alternate livelihood opportunities and creating awareness to prevent illegal fishing practices that threaten habitat. Increased government support is required so that environment friendly interventions can be promoted on a mass level. Conservation initiatives of WWF-Pakistan have shown positive results and it can be hoped that with the passage of time awareness will spread to each and every corner of the country and conservation of natural resources will be ensured.