World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) organized an exploratory field visit for journalists to its Department of International Development/Global Poverty Action Fund 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 observe biodiversity, explore aquatic life of the Indus River and highlight livelihood interventions undertaken by WWF-Pakistan.
Journalists from print and electronic media participated in the trip and showed interest in learning about project interventions such as empowering fisher communities, especially women, through vocational training centres, kitchen gardening initiatives, organic farming interventions, alternative livelihood methods and use of environmentally friendly bio-gas plants and efficient mud stoves.
The group also visited Taunsa Barrage Wildlife Sanctuary (TBWS) where they observed migratory birds residing near pond areas and undertook a trek in Bela Forest. A jeep safari was also organized to witness the hog deer in its natural habitat.
Umer Waqas, Site Coordinator, WWF-Pakistan informed the media, "It is challenging to work 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 working with fisher communities who are witnessing the impacts of climate change firsthand. Overfishing has exhausted river resources, and reduced fish catch has impacted their livelihood. Communities are educated about the harmful impacts of illegal fishing to gain a better understanding of threats and refrain from any activity which negatively impacts the environment. Sustainable fishing is promoted so that fisheries reserves are not exhausted. As a result of these initiatives the locals have now become more vigilant and stop anyone involved in fish poisoning.
WWF-Pakistan is also providing communities living around the Central Indus Wetlands Complex with alternate livelihood opportunities such as kitchen gardening units, livestock units and alternate sources of energy in order to reduce their consumption of fuelwood.
In order to ensure sustainability and long-term conservation, WWF-Pakistan promotes the establishment of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in the areas where it operates. CBOs have also been set up as part of the project to further spread the message of conservation. Organizations are trained to be self-sustaining and to work independently to protect the biodiversity of the region. Previously, people hunted migratory birds in the area but due to various initiatives and capacity building efforts of WWF-Pakistan, the local people are now their guardians, having realized the effect of decrease in bird population will have on them directly.
As local communities are witnessing the climate change impacts, WWF-Pakistan is engaged in skill enhancement of local communities to enable mitigation. Javed Iqbal, President, Indus Welfare Foundation (IWF) stated, "In the past, people used to carry out illegal hunting as well as fish poisoning but through awareness and capacity building efforts by WWF-Pakistan, people are now sensitized and they work with us to conserve natural resources."
WWF-Pakistan has also provided local communities 40 bio-gas plants to reduce their dependence on forests for fuelwood. Three villages in the vicinity of TBWS have also been provided over 800 fuel-efficient mud stoves which consume less wood. Solar panels are the next intervention which will be introduced and will further help in reducing community dependence on natural resources.
To protect the biodiversity of TBWS, WWF-Pakistan has taken wildlife and irrigation authorities on board to protect the Indus river dolphin and hog deer further from various threats. Through a watch and ward system the Bela Forest is also protected from hunters. From October to mid-March, the forest is home to different species of migratory birds including bee eaters, egrets, wagtails, little cormorant and larks which highlights its ecological richness.
Cattle grazing in and around Bela Forest is another issue affecting its ecology and increasing the possibility of disease transmission from domestic livestock to wildlife and vice versa. WWF-Pakistan regularly carries out livestock vaccination campaigns to reduce the threat of transmission of related diseases.
The Indus River is home to the endemic dolphin species, the Indus river dolphin which is also one of the priority species of WWF-Pakistan. Its conservation is promoted through capacity building workshops and seminars, and it is hoped that their population will increase as a result of these initiatives. Stranded dolphins, with the help of communities and a special ambulance designated for rescue purposes, are regularly released back into the main canals during low-flow seasons.
Another initiative by WWF-Pakistan includes providing 5,000 fruit saplings to local communities to help improve their diet as well as provide an alternate source of income. Fruit from mature trees is sold in local markets. Animal rescues are also carried out to save hog deer and wild boars trapped in canals. Recently, a hog deer trapped in a barrage gate was rescued by WWF-Pakistan representatives with the help of the local communities which illustrates the level of awareness among locals.
Two vocational training centers have been set up in the area to provide training for women in stitching, sewing and making domestic items which can later be sold in the local market to 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. The offspring of cattle is given to neighbors which also enable them to benefit from such interventions.
Kitchen gardening units are another intervention meant to increase the income of locals whereby they grow different fruits and vegetables on their land. Three model kitchen gardening units have been established in each village and have been further replicated, which demonstrates the communities’ willingness to make a change.
Better Management Practices (BMPs) is another useful means to promote greater yield of vegetables. BMPs emphasize efficient use of insecticides and pesticides which pose less harm to the environment and health of humans. Slurry is also used to enrich crops. Cucumbers, strawberries and grapes are some of the crops which have yielded better output from BMPs which are now further replicated in other areas. The BMP yield is also better in quality and is sold at a greater price as compared to vegetables produced by heavy use of insecticides and pesticides.
WWF-Pakistan is engaged in enhancing the skills of fishermen communities by providing alternate livelihood opportunities and creating awareness about the importance of the conservation of the local ecosystem. Increased government support is required so that environment friendly interventions can be promoted at 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 the conservation of natural resources will be ensured.