GBRSP

  • +92 5811 922478

Natural Resource Management

Gilgit Baltistan Rural Support Program (GBRSP) engage with grass root level institutions, such as VOs, WOs VCCs, CBEs and local support organizations. GBRSP is striving for uplifting socio-economic status of local community through engaging the community in development process applying the participatory approach. GBRSP has deep rooted linkage with community institutions like CBOs, VOs, WOs, VCCs, LSOs, in the entire GB.

NRM section/department deals with natural resource management related issues and proposes nature based participatory integrated solutions for communities and government concerned line departments. 

NRM section established by GBRSP in 2019. focus of NRM section is on sustainable and wise use of natural resources, keeping in view the needs of the community and scientific importance of biodiversity and its components.

NRM section believes in demonstration and replication of innovative ideas to enhance the productivity of natural resources to attend the goal of up lifting the living standard of local people through better management of resources, avoiding the conventional approach in agricultural and livestock raring practices.

KEY OBJECTIVES:

Ensure sustainable use of Natural Resources keeping in the mind the needs of mountain community and scientific importance of biodiversity components and fragile mountain ecosystem and by uplifting the living standards of local people.

KEY STAKE HOLDERS:

  1. Agriculture
    • Research
    • Extension
    • Seed Certification
    • Integrated Pest Management (Biological Control)
  2.  Livestock/Poultry
    • Disease Control
    • Livestock Management 
    • Good Herding
  3. Fisheries Department 
  4. Water Management Department
  5. Forest Park, Wildlife and Environment

Other Stakeholders:

  • Tourism
  • Education
  • Health
  • District Administration

 

Roles & Responsibilities:

  1. Develop synergies with all relevant Govt line department.
  2. Develop management plans including:
    1. Conservation Management Plans
    2. Species Recovery Plan
    3. Forest Joint Management Plan
    4. Fish Farming & Management Plan
    5. Village & Valley Development Plan
  3. Facilitate Indigenous organizations regarding conservation linked development interventions / activities.
  4. Scientific study &  published research paper about Nature based solutions to environment.
  5. Identification of Livelihood opportunities  to uplift Socio-economic coordination of locals through integrated participating approach

Reflection of Activities

NRM section intend to conduct training sessions to bring community together in a common platform for discussion, experience sharing, wildlife and forest management planning, develop coordination & linkages and initiate effort towards participatory sustainable development approach.

The target group of planned activity were community members engage in agriculture practices, like vertical farming, peas producer, capsicum growers, nursery raiser and practitioners of cereal crop and orchard owners and people having interest in forest plantation and nursery raising.

Training on Nursery Raising: Training was delivered to the community of ICO Yashkun het, Gonar Farm District Diamer by the Resource Person named Mr. Raqib ullah RFO-Diamer and Mr. Adnan Wali (GBRSP Representative). A total 25 participants were facilitated through lectures and extending modern basic opportunities/environment to locals regarding entrepreneurship/livelihood.

Training on Forest Tree Planation: Training was conducted at GBRSP Regional Office Diamer. The participants included were from various villages (i-e Thak,Chilas, Goanr farm and Thore). The Proposed training mainly aims at the facilitation of communities in undertaking activities to minimize carbon emission and environmental degradation through community lead interventions.

Training on Vertical Farming: Training was delivered by resource person Dr. Ijlal- DD Agriculture Astore and Mr. Adnan Wali (GBRSP Representative) at village Nowgam, District Astore. The concerned community welcomed and appreciated the efforts made by GBRSP.

Plantation

30,000 cuttings will be erected in the four district of Gilgit Baltistan. (Diamer, Astore, Nagar and Gilgit) including nine thousand cutting target of various forest spp has been fixed for plantation in District Gilgit, 8000 cuttings in District Diamer, 7000 cuttings in District Astore and Nagar respectively.

During the period in review, the GBRSP’s Department of Natural Resource Management (NRM section) planned to complete the set target and decided to involve and take on-board grass root level institutions, such as VOs, WOs VCCs, CBEs and local support organizations. who could also contribute in making the target achievable.

As per past practice, these planting targets are to be assigned among the organizations i-e iCO Pari Dass, iCO Koliwaal muhallah in District Gilgit while in District Diamer ICO Yashkun het and ICO Gayanche/Thak. NRM team visited concerned villages for co-ordination/consultative and holds community assembly meetingsand requested to submit detailed resolutionfrom community organization mentioning their realistic targets to plant cuttings, methodology and contribution, if any.

Criteria to plant cuttings have been shared with relevant community. NRM section facilitated the concerned community through provision of Rs.30 for 4-5ft long cutting while Rs.10 will be provided to the community who will raise small cutting of 8-12 inches. Plants/cuttings will be arranged by community-based organization (CBOs)/ individual themselves. However, GBRSP provide financial assistance for farm/social forestry while the community will be responsible to dig pits under proper agreement to be drawn with the GBRSP besides the responsibility of after care and future sustainability of plants.

Plantation is of the best practices to mitigate climate change, its impacts and to improve livelihood of the communities, and to provide a clean and healthy environment for the inhabitants of GB. Plantation is not just tangible but also of great value to the community since it caters for their needs and pave way towards development.

In this regard, a serious effort has been made to enhance the tree cover of Gilgit Baltistan, NRM section visited Pari bangla, Joglote and villages of District Diamer (Gayanche-Thak and Yashkun Het) thus plantation sites have been identified, assessed economic viability, delivered technical input/feasibility of the proposed activity as well as developed a strong linkage with community of respective village.

Green Plantation Activities: Green plantation Day activities were carried out in all the districts of the Gilgit, Diamer and Astore by the GBRSP. Trees were distributed by the Community Development Section GBRSP with the help of Natural Resource Management section of GBRSP.

Distribution of Citrus Plants

For achieving the set target of planting 2500 citrus plants for year 2020-2021, the NRM section decided to involve and take on-board various stakeholders like private nursery owners, who could also contribute in making the target achievable. GBRSP invited the stakeholders for a meeting and requested to submit detailed concept notes/proposals/RFP. In accordance, NRM team conducted various co-ordination/consultative session at village level. The following activities were carried for citrus plantation,
  • Identification of potential sites for plantation and private nursery growers
  • Assessment of the identified potential sites
  • Dialogues with the communities or individual land owners (both men & women) to ascertain their willingness for provision of land for citrus plantation
  • Signing of TOPs with selected beneficiaries
  • Mass awareness campaigns among the communities
  • RFP of citrus tree plantation was developed but the target could not be achieved as this activity suffers directly due to covid-19

Nursery Raising

NUrsery-Gbrsp
Six forest nurseries will be erected in the four district of Gilgit Baltistan. (Diamer, Astore, Nagar and Gilgit) including two nurseries in District Gilgit, 02 in District Diamer, one each in Districts Astore and Nagar. NRM section being in its nascent stages managed to make considerable achievements during the period in review with very limited staff and resources. NRM team decided to stay committed and put in their entire efforts and expertise so as to give it a remarkable start and build its recognition across GB. The biggest challenge for the NRM is to engage local people in off-farm income generating activities as they are unable to travel to other areas for work, they do have opportunities nor the facilities in their own area, and they do not have the necessary skills to take part in activities. In order to overcome this issue, NRM section hold dialogues with the local community of iCO Pari dass Muhallah Districts Gilgit, and unanimously agreed to support by investing in their skill enhancement and transfer of technology/necessary equipment so that they are able to generate additional household income that would mainly cater for their own needs. As a result, NRM section supported iCO Pari dass muhallah and technically raised two forest nurseries in the respective area selected by the community themselves through resolution These nurseries are not only producing and selling the seedlings but are also training the local youth in the same trade. It is expected that more than ___ households will directly benefit from this intervention. Nursery establishment are not just tangible but also of great value to the community since it caters for their needs and pave way towards development. During the period in review, NRM section managed to complete the said target of nursery raising in the District Gilgit. However, the targets of other districts suffer directly due Covid -19 as the said activity was seasonal

Trout Stock Assessment and Private Fish Farms

The Gilgit Baltistan Rural Support Programme of Government of GB with the Financial Assistance of Fisheries Department Gilgit Baltistan (PSDP project) under Prime Minister Agriculture emergency Programme titled: Promotion of Trout Farming in Northern Pakistan undertook this assessment.

The study was conducted to assess the needs for private trout farmers support and to appraise the current trout stock. Along with survey local community sensitized and mobilized for the enhancement of sustainable aquaculture productivity and profitability in private fish farming across Gilgit-Baltistan.

In Gilgit District fifteen private fish farms were assessed on trout stock and farmers needs for support . Similarly in Hunza four famer, Nagar one famer, Ghizer seventy one famers, Diamer nine farmers, Astore four farmers, Skardu, fifty one famer, Ghanche thirteen and in Kharmang seven trout farmer were validated assessed accordingly.Record data, understanding the issues and challenges, integrated management options for sustainable uses of water resources a number of methodologies interview, questionnaire survey and personal observation were employed during the study.

READ REPORT