By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday launched the countrywide spring plantation drive by planting a sapling here. Emphasizing the government’s commitment, he announced to double the number of saplings planted in 2024 compared to the previous year’s achievement of 240 million.
Speaking on the occasion, he highlighted the urgency to expand Pakistan’s forest cover, currently at a mere 5% of the total area, to mitigate climate risks. Quoting the Global Climate Risk Index, he underscored Pakistan’s ranking as the 5th most vulnerable country to climate-related hazards, he stressed the necessity for immediate action.
“From 1999 to 2018, the country had to face the loss of 10,000 precious lives besides billions of dollars of financial loss; therefore it is crucial to create awareness about the climate change risks at all levels including educational institutions,” the prime minister remarked.
The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to make all possible efforts to spread this plantation drive to every corner to make Pakistan a green and pollution-free country. He also asked all Pakistani citizens to help the government by fully participating in the plantation drive to save the country from climate change disasters and provide a healthy environment.
On the occasion, the prime minister was also briefed about the area-wise plantation targets across the country.
He was informed that during the spring plantation 2024, a total of 54.38 saplings would be planted across the country out of which 14.1 million saplings would be planted in Punjab, 11.72 million in Sindh, 5.71 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 3 million in Balochistan, 11.85 million in Azad Jammu and
Kashmir (AJ&K), and 8 million saplings would be planted in Gilgit Baltistan. While during the Monsoon 2023 drive, a total of 49.02 saplings were planted across the country out of which 14.62 million saplings were planted in Punjab, 19 million in Sindh, 10.68 million in KP, 1.06 in Balochistan, 3.3 million in AJ&K and 0.36 million saplings were planted in GB.
The major species to be planted in the spring drive include Timar, Kikar, Jand, Amaltas, Shisham, Sukh Chain, Simal, Farash, Phulai, Chir, Kail, Deodar, Peepal, Neem, Drekh, Beri, Imli, Jaman, Chilgoza, Willow, Ailanthus, Sirus, and Poplar.
Pakistan’s agriculture sector is likely to be severely impacted by climate change, with projections suggesting yield declines in many key food and cash crops, including cotton, wheat, sugarcane, maize, and rice.
According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan year 2020- 21, agriculture has a 19.2% share in the GDP and accounts for 60% of exports, providing livelihood to about 68% of the country’s population living in rural areas, and employing 45% of the national labor force.
Climate change will impact the agriculture sector mainly through reduced crop productivity, adverse impact on livestock health and increased agricultural production losses because of extreme weather events.
