Karachi

Under the European Union funded Program for Improved Nutrition (PIN) some 108,500 fruit tree saplings were raised and distributed in local communities in ten districts of Sindh.

The districts where the saplings were distributed, include Matiari, Sajawal, Thatta, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Dadu, Jamshoro, Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot and Shikarpur. The plantation drive was kicked off on account of International Day of Forests as celebrated on 21st of March, 2022.

According to the UNICEF’s National Nutrition Survey in 2018, Sindh has alarming rates of stunting and malnutrition in children, and micronutrient deficiencies in women and adolescent girls. To address the nutritional needs of communities, Rural Support Program Network (RSPN) and Rural Support Programs (RSPs) including NRSP, SRSO and TRDP are working jointly in various districts. The European Union funded Program for Improved Nutrition in Sindh (PINS ER3) is one of the program that is being implemented in Sindh.

Recently PINS collaborated with the Sindh Forest Department (SFD) for a Fruit and Forest Tree plantation drive in 10 districts of Sindh province and as part of this drive, 108,500 fruit tree saplings were raised and distributed in local communities

The fruit tree plantation drive was aimed at improving the access of marginalized and malnourished communities, to address the nutritional needs of communities especially of women and children. Under this EU supported initiative, the local communities of targeted districts will be able to have access to fruits such as java plums, jujube, mangoes and guava, which are a source of essential vitamins and minerals. As part of the plantation drive and celebrating the International Day of Forests, a number of activities were organized in targeted 10 districts. The school children and community members were specially included in these events to not only celebrate the day of Forests, but also to get them sensitize on the role of forests, trees and fruits for the healthy population of Sindh and Pakistan.  In these events, children also prepared skits and plays on the importance of tree plantation and environment protection.

PINS has previously led plantation of Moringa, a nutrient-rich plant that is suitable for Sindh’s climatic conditions and more than 150, 000 plants have been planted in over 55,000 households in program districts.

PINS is working in support of the Government of Sindh’s multi-sectoral Sindh Accelerated Action Plan for Reduction of Stunting and Malnutrition (AAP), to reduce malnutrition through Agriculture and Food Security (AFS) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) related interventions. The program works with community institutes including Community Organizations, Village Organizations and Local Support Organizations. The community institutes, the federation of local communities have played a key role in the plantation drives which shows that communities are also responding to their social responsibility and are organized to play their key role in local development.   After getting a positive feedback of these drives, the SFD has indicated a willingness to make fruit tree saplings a permanent part of its annual plantation targets. PINS will continue working with the SFD in the coming months to formalize this commitment and to bolster its linkages with LSOs for maximizing the outreach. With such initiatives, we can help the government to make our Sindh healthy and green. (PR)

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