Rana Farooq for promotion of organic farming in Pakistan

Islamabad, October 13, 2012 (PPI-OT): United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s (UNIDO) country representative in Pakistan, Shadia Yousaf Bakhait today called upon the Federal Climate Change Minister Rana Muhammad Farooq Saeed Khan at his office.

She briefed the Minister on a range of matters pertaining to different projects being implemented in Pakistan by UNIDO in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and non-governmental organizations. Effectiveness of these environment uplift programmes also came under discussion.

The minister assured his ministry’s all-out cooperation to UNIDO for successful implementation of all sorts of programmes/projects in the country.

She said that latest green farm technology is now available in the market that can be utilized for augmenting production of vegetables and grains without harming the environment.

She pledged to take all-out measures from the UNIDO platform for transfer of such technology in Pakistan.

Director-General (Environment) at the Ministry of Climate Change, Jawaid Ali Khan, briefed the minister about different projects initiated in jointly by the Ministry and UNIDO in Pakistan.

He said the ministry is working on more than 40 multi-million dollar environmental development projects with international donor agencies to be funded by the Global Environment Facility(GEF), which include ‘Enhancement of Institutional Capacities for Clean Development Mechanism and UNFCCC’, Industrial and Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Faisalabad, Bio-Valley Research and Outreach Centre for Plant and Animal Biodiversity’, ‘Adaptations Regarding Industrial Wastewater Management in Faisalabad, Climate Change Adaptation in Arid and Semi Arid Zones of Pakistan’, ‘Conservation of Marine Resources and Mitigation of Environmental Degradation in the North Arabian Sea Eco-region’ and ‘Promotion of Innovations In Clean Energy Technologies’.

He said that the two-year ‘Enhancement of Institutional Capacities for Clean Development Mechanism and UNFCCC’ project is of high significance initiative to be implemented in financial support by GEF.

“Located in Islamabad, the national-level project will cost US$ 350,000 and will be implemented by UNIDO. The main objective of the project is to strengthen Pakistan’s capacity to develop and implement carbon finance transactions eligible for the current Kyoto Protocol and international regimes and to address climate change in post-2012 scenario”, he told the Minister Rana Farooq.

He said that another pilot project ‘Adaptation regarding industrial water management in Pakistan’ will be implemented in Faisalabad in collaboration with UNIDO. Introducing adaptations regarding industrial wastewater management and reducing the impacts of the inappropriate disposal of liquid industrial and municipal waste in the country are key goals of the project. Around two million people will be benefited from the treatment plant to be installed in Faisalabad, particularly those living in rural areas of the city.

The Director-General (Environment) also proposed for launching a project at provincial and national levels for promotion of organic farming to meet rising food needs of the country and earn foreign exchange reserve by exporting the surplus food items.

He said that the ministry has been already approached by non-governmental organization and corporate sector to launch joint programmes for promotion of the organic farming and he urged the minister to extend his support in this regard. So that such proposals for joint-ventures on organic farming promotion should be actualised.

The minister said he is always read to support good initiatives and urged the officials to raise awareness among the common people regarding the benefits organic farming and how it can add to environmental sustainability.

Federal Climate Change Secretary, Mahmood Alam, said that vegetables grown traditionally with use of latest technology can help check degradation of natural resources and efficient use of farming land for better farm productivity.

“Many changes observed in the environment are long term, occurring slowly over time. Organic agriculture considers the medium- and long-term effect of agricultural interventions on the agro-ecosystem. It aims to produce food while establishing an ecological balance to prevent soil fertility or pest problems. Organic agriculture takes a proactive approach as opposed to treating problems after they emerge,” he said.

Mr. Alam also said that soil building practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, symbiotic associations, cover crops, organic fertilizers and minimum tillage are central to organic practices. In many agriculture areas, pollution of groundwater courses with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is a major problem. As the use of these is prohibited in organic agriculture, they are replaced by organic fertilizers.

Besides, Organic agriculture reduces non-renewable energy use by decreasing agrochemical needs (these require high quantities of fossil fuel to be produced). Organic agriculture contributes to mitigating the greenhouse effect and global warming through its ability to sequester carbon in the soil. Many management practices used by organic agriculture, he shared during the meeting with the UNIDO’s country representative in Pakistan.

For more information, Contact:
Muhammad Saleem
Deputy Director
Media and Communication
Ministry of Climate Change
Government of Pakistan
LG and RD Complex, G-5/2, ISLAMABAD
Ph: 051-9245565
E-mail: moccpakistan@hotmail.com
Web: http://www.mocc.gov.pk/