Ecosystem Protection by Olive Plantation

Forests are depleting at fast rates, time might come where we loose forests completely, posing enormous threat to overall ecosystem, water quality & quantity and wildlife.  Decrease in water availability for agriculture in past few decades has increased the susceptibility to environmental stresses particularly drought. Local communities depending on these resources are getting less resilient towards future challenges of survival.

Reversing ecosystem degradation is indispensable and enhancing forests will lead towards improving Ecosystem Management.  Olive plantation has two things: its fruit - olives itself, and its underground strong root system that extend over twenty feet and stop land sliding in mountainous areas.

Olive cultivation will help to overcome these as plants survive with less water and in cold weather. Pakistan is country conducive to olive plantation where it provides an opportunity for combating challenges to ecosystem and enhance income of under privileged and can play a major role in economy.

Forests present in area are heavily subjected to degradation and deterioration and dwindling at fast rates and if appropriate measures are not taken, a time might come where we could lose these forests completely.

Some pristine forest patches were left completely barren and ecosystems were deteriorating leaving behind gloomy look of total degradation. This situation is therefore posing enormous threat to overall environment.  Due to dwindling forests, watersheds are getting depleted causing deterioration of water quality and quantity. This is also leading towards a threat of loss of charming wildlife and birds harbored by these forests. Most importantly, local communities depending on these resources are getting less resilient towards future challenges of survival and existence.

However, potential forestry resources of these areas can offer, and if tapped properly and put in use in sustainable manner can definitely lead to not only reduction of pressure on these resources but also will be of a source of sufficient earning for local people. Total population of area is 32,000 out of which 8,000 are men, 12,000 women and 12,000 children. Total direct beneficiaries will be 6,750 out of which 2160 will women, 2565 children and 2025 will men of 750 households.

Growing Olive trees is not a profitable business but also a long term ecosystem protection as olive trees have more than 250 years of life. Growing Olive with modern farm management techniques can be a long lasting business to improve economic conditions.

Objectives:

• To improve ecosystem and protect forestry cover through 60,000 olive trees plantation on 3,000 kanals (4 kanals per family) in 1 year; and
• To increase income of 750 families through inter cropping in olive trees fields.

Anticipated Results:

• Environment of area improved due to plantation of trees.
• Olives are available for local consumption and for marketing
• Overall health of residents of area improved, particularly of women.
• Household income of target villages increased as olives are available for marketing.

 Following will be carried out:

Objective 1: 

• Formation of Project Coordination Committee (PCC)
• Procurement of Plants
• Plantation of Olive plants
• Protection of plantations
• Replacing dried Plants
• Procurement of Seeds
• Sowing & Sale of vegetables

Objective 2: 

To meet current needs of target community inter cropping will be carried by growing vegetables in olive fields.  Following will be carried out:

PCC will remain active even after completion of project to ensure sustainability.

The areas selected for this project is four villages i.e., Namb Romal, Phagwari, Fatot, and Dehla of UC Phagwari of Tehsil Murree, District Rawalpindi. The UC Phagwari is the biggest of all UCs in terms of population. Total population of these villages is 32,000 out of which 8,000 are men, 12,000 are women and 12,000 are children.

The beneficiaries of the proposed project will be the residents of area.  Total number of direct beneficiaries will be 6,750 out of which 2160 will be women, 2565 children and 2025 are men of 750 households. The women are mostly doing household activities while some of the men do farming and some are engaged in job.

To implement the project, NGO will form a Project Coordination Committee (PCC) consisting 5 members - 2 from NGO and 3 from community. The local communities as the part of Project Coordination Committee, recognized as one of the best mechanisms for grass root developments worldwide.

To implement the project, NGO will form a Project Coordination Committee (PCC) consisting 5 members - 2 from NGO and 3 from community. NGO has planned following activities:

 Objective 1: Afforestation of 3000 kanals of land by planting 60,000 olive plants:

As there is dire need of environmental protection and income generation through plantation in the project area besides the other benefits derived and or associated with the plantation. For this purpose plantation will be done on selected 3000 kanal of land.  Following will be carried out to meet the objective:

Social Organization:

In order to carry out plantation on 3000 kanals of land, most essential part will be to socially organize especially local communities and sensitize them about importance of planting olive plants along-with the introducing to overall concept of the project and for this purpose project opening ceremony will be conducted. The local communities will be part of Project Coordination Committee, recognized as one of the best mechanisms for grass root developments worldwide.

Procurement of Plants:

Based on discussion and suggestions of the local communities of project area and experts from Forest Department olive plant species will be selected for plantation.

Plantation of Olive plants:

As project will be completed in 1 year time therefore after selection of patches, trees will be planted. A list of indigenous species of olive trees will be developed with the help of experts from Forest Departments and locals. The selected plant species will be planted, also keeping in concern the suitable plantation season for these areas.  Trees are planted in square with equal line to line and plant to plant distance. There may be 18 to 20 trees in a kanal.

Protection of plantations:

The owner of the land will be responsible for plants protection and report to NGO about situation of plantation.

 Replacing dried Plants:

The plants dried will be replaced in next planting season. Likewise, empty pits will also be planted.

 Objective 2:   To increase the income of 750 families of the villages through inter cropping in the olive trees fields.

 As the environmental protection and income generation through olive plantation in the project area will take some time.  To meet the current needs of the target community inter cropping will be carried by growing vegetables in the selected land. Following will be carried out to meet the objective:

 Procurement of Seeds:

Based on suggestions of the local communities of project area and experts from Forest Department seasonal vegetable seeds will be procured for plantation.

Sowing & Sale of vegetables:

As project will be completed in 1 year time therefore keeping in view the seasonal vegetable seeds will be sowed.  This on the one hand will enable the owner of the land to earn reasonable amount from the sale of vegetables and on the other hand will regularly take care of olive plants.

The PCC will remain active even after the completion of project so that, in future, the scheme remains sustainable.

 Solution will address following needs:

• Environment of area improved due to plantation of trees.
• Olives are available for local consumption and for marketing
• Overall health of residents of area improved, particularly of women.
• Household income of target villages increased as olives are available for marketing.

The solution is well aligned with the challenge as the solution main focus is reversing degradation of ecosystem on the one hand and provide scalable economic opportunities to most deserving community on the other hand through inter cropping and olive plantation. The Project focus Sustainable Development Goal 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

The solution is at concept stage as the NGO is working with a small group for the testing of the solution for last 2 years.  The results of the pilot are very encouraging.  We are very hopeful that the solution will not only address the ecosystem but also the needs of the local community.

Inter cropping is the innovation in this solution.  Most of the farmers rely on single cropping in the area due to non-availability of the knowledge and resources. 

As the environmental protection and income generation through olive plantation in the project area will take some time.  To meet the current needs of the target community inter cropping will be carried by growing vegetables in the selected land.

Introduction of latest technology to agriculture for productivity and efficiency is indispensable.  Farmers need inputs to increase production, but access to these is often poor in less developed countries.  While inadequate transport and marketing infrastructure are often at root of problem, there are certain aspects that can be addressed.

NGO will form Project Coordination Committee for the implementation of the project.  PCC will establish linkages of the local farmers with markets for easy sale of the products at best rates.

As the nature of the project is plantation of olive trees, it will be self-supportive as the community will take care of these plants which will result in environmental stabilization as well as increase in their income.

Currently we are not serving but the solution will serve 750 farmer families in one year and more than 2000 in five years.

1. Training of farmers on inter cropping

2. Training of farmers on olive plantation.

3. Number of olive tress planted

4. Increase in the household income by inter cropping in the short term

5. Increase in the household income by olive sale in the long term

NGO has 5 full time staff, 10 part time staff and 25 volunteers.

As the NGO is community based and have deep roots in the community and serving the community since 1992.

The CEO has done his M.Sc. in Rural Development from Wye College of England and has more than 25 years of experience in this field.

The Project Manager is also a social activist with more than 20 years of experience in project management.

The social organizer is an active person with more than 20 years of experience in social organization.

As mentioned above that the team leaders have more than 20 years of experience in their respective fields and are actively involved in the activities at the grass roots level for the development of the local community.

As we see that this platform is appropriate to address the issue and get the solution.

The solution needs a financial input from the donor and for that we are applying to Solve.

The line departments for technical inputs.  Moreover, NGO will partner local community based organizations for the advancement of solution at grass root level.