Lamentably, the forests and trees along the banks of barrages, canals, water channels, highways and roads have almost vanished in Sindh. Sindh had never experienced this much ‘anti–tree and anti-environment’ attitude as during the last one decade. The timber mafia and local influential people made Sindh province treeless and forestless without impunity. Sindh has been denuded of all greenery as a result; Sindh nowadays experiences harsher weather and alarming temperatures.
In this scenario, the agro forestry holds real potential for increasing the number of orchards and tree plantation to stop soil erosion and other negative effects from taking a hold of the province.
There are many variations of agro-forestry. There are several traditional, distinctive patterns for planting trees, singly or in groups or groves on both private holdings and on commons. The most usual are patch planting, line planting, scattered planting and hedge (or live fence) planting. Sometimes, too, naturally generated trees are left to grow and may even be protected and nurtured until utilised. However, the relevant federal, provincial organisations and flowering and fruiting promoting NGOs are requested to take pragmatic steps to promote agro-forestry in Sindh province which can be a bane for its socioeconomic and environmental elevation.
HASHIM ABRO,
Islamabad, June 18.