KARACHI: A two-day training workshop on participatory land mapping and principles of natural resources management was held in Mirpurkhas. The event was organised by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in collaboration with Society for Environmental Actions Reconstruction and Humanitarian Response (SEARCH).
On the occasion, the speakers said that sustainable land management is crucial to minimise land degradation.
FAO Representative Tahir Hasnain said that rehabilitation of degraded land is imperative to ensure the optimal use of land resources for the benefit of present and future generations. While highlighting the importance of participatory mapping, he said that it reduces conflicts by raising awareness of farming communities on respecting landholding boundaries and the sustainable management of natural resources. The Centre for Environment and Development Executive Director Nasir Ali Panhwar said that biodiversity provides free of charge services worth billions of rupees every year that is crucial to the well being of society. He said, “These services include clean water, air, pollination, soil formation and protection, crop pest control, and the provision of food, fuel, fibers and drugs.”
He regretted that biodiversity services are not widely recognised nor were they properly valued in economic or even social terms.
He expressed that land degradation problems in Sindh are more severe, which are subject to human pressures including deforestation, overgrazing, drought and sea intrusion. He stressed the need of adopting participatory natural resources management. SEARCH Executive Director Abdul Waheed Jamali said that maximum utilisation of soil is essential to increase agriculture productivity. He further said that Sindh has high potential for agricultural growth and with sustainable land management further degradation of land could be controlled.
Gohram Baloch said that unfortunately tenancy act could not be implemented and as a result peasants are still deprived from their rights. He lauded FAO for social mobilisation in Doulatpur minor where first time formal agreements have been signed between sharecroppers and landowners. Farooq Leghari, Ghulam Hyder Birhmani, Dr Hosh Mohammad Panhwar, Zubair Qambrani, Abdul Khalique Ogahi and others also spoke on the occasion.