Pakistan Experience in Dryland Afforestation
Pakistan Experience in Dryland Afforestation
K. M. Siddiqui and B. H. Shah
ABSTRACT
Pakistan has a long history of and vast experience in
the practice of dry affoestaiton because about 60-70%
area in arid and semi-arid parts in Pakistan is
subjected to desertification to varying degree for
climatic reasons and due to misuse of land for
agricultural and pastoral purposes over a long period of
time. A number of government agencies have been engaged
in the afforestation of vast dry areas in the country.
Most of the efforts in this regards have so far been
patchy, sporadic and scattered, and ware therefore,
impact over a long period in the face of increasing
pressure of growing human and cattle population. The
Pakistan Forest Institute started systematic research on
efficient use of available rain water for dryland
afforestation in the 1980's under PL-480 Assistance
Programme of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council
and USAID Forestry Planning and Development Project on
both public and private lands. A number of water
conservation, harvesting and planting techniques were
investigated for the establishment of tree plantations
in the dry regions. The roaded catchments,
microcatchments, and individual basins proved effective
and economical for dry affoestation. Plastic mulching,
drip irrigation, pitcher irrigation and deep planting
were also successfully used for this purpose. A number
of multipurpose tree species adapted to the desert environmental conditions in Thal were identified. These
were Acacia albida, Acacia tortilis, Acacia elata,
Tecoma undulate, Acacia victoriae, Tamarix aphylla,
Acacia modesta, and Prosopis cineraria. For semi-arid
area of Kharian, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Acacia
saligna, Acacia elata, Acacia albida and Leucaena
leucocephala were found to be quite successful.
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June 1993
Vol. 43, Iss. 2
