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BEIJING: China highly appreciates Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Billion Tree Honey (BTH) Initiative and believes that China and Pakistan can share experience and technology in agricultural cooperation under the framework of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Cheng Xizhong, visiting professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law said while commenting on launch Billion Tree Honey Initiative by Prime Minister Imran Khan to promote tree plantation and honey production in the country. As far as I understand, PM Imran Khan has actually put forward a very important issue of forestry ecological engineering, which is also a major issue of scientific development of the national economy, he said on Monday.
Addressing the launching ceremony in Islamabad, PM Imran Khan said that Billion Tree Honey Initiative will help control environmental degradation, including enhancing forest cover, cleaning river,protecting ground water from pollution, and checking air pollution.
He said it is the responsibility of his government to hand over a clean Pakistan to younger generations. , The Prime Minister added that Billion Tree Honey Initiative will also help enhance exports, and create job opportunities for the youth.
According to Billion Tree Honey Initiative, plantation of plants including Kao, Phulai, Ber, Kikar and other bee flora is encouraged.
A mechanism has been devised for encouraging plantation of bee flora, improving quality of honey production, and providing assistance to the bee keepers through provision of financial resources.
He said, forestry ecological engineering refers to the design, construction and regulation of the integrated eco-engineering system with woody plants as the main body according to the principles of ecology, agroforestry and ecological cybernetics.
Its purpose is to protect, improve and sustainably make the best use of natural resources.
Forest is the cradle of civilization. It not only has multiple ecological functions such as carbon fixation and oxygen release, water and soil conservation, wind and sand prevention, pollution reduction, air purification, climate regulation and biodiversity maintenance, but also has multiple economic functions such as timber production, economic fruits, biological medicinal materials and biomass energy, as well as beautifying the environment, promoting employment, poverty alleviation and other diverse social functions.
Throughout history and from all cultures, bees have always been the embodiment of diligence. There is an inseparable relationship among bees, trees and human beings. Albert Einstein once predicted that if there are no bees in the world, human beings can only survive for four years at most, he added.
Bee breeding can maintain the ecological balance and diversity of plant species, and improve the yield and quality of crops. Bee breeding is generally not restricted by urban and rural areas, and does not occupy arable land, and the value of bee products is stable, which can increase the income of bee farmers.
Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner once created a theory called biodynamics. The theory holds that agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry should adopt a three-dimensional mode of production, which should not only meet the subjective spiritual and ethical requirements, but also meet the objective needs of the ecological environment.
This means more natural ways of planting, such as raising bees in trees, to create a sustainable ecosystem.
At the same time, those trees that need bee pollination will also attract other insects, so as to establish a more balanced and healthier ecosystem in the trees and reduce the use of chemicals, he concluded.
