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Brief Description of the Project Components
1. Village Land Use Planning (VLUP)
To achieve objective, one of the most important interventions was to get maximum cooperation, understanding and involvement of all stakeholders, it was very important to carry out the Village Land Use Planning exercise in the target villages. VLUP is basically a tool to assist the local population with the development and implementation of natural management plans to increase and sustain the productivity of vegetation of privately and jointly owned hillsides and farmlands for their economic and other benefits. Keeping in view the above justification, four village plans, one for each village in Shamozai Valley, were developed and implemented. Nagha (ban) was implemented in the project area on the existing and afforested forest areas and penalties were fixed for the trespassers.
2. Natural Resource Management (NRM)
Certain activities were carried out to supplement the natural resources of the project area. These activities include raising of four nurseries, two for VO and WO each. Planting stock was obtained from these nurseries and communal hillsides were afforested. A total of 700 acres were planted with Acacia modesta, Pinus roxburghii, Robinia pseudoacacia and Leucaena leucocephala. In addition, Apiculture was also boosted by distributing 115 beekeeping boxes in the project area. Olive grafting (7000 plants) and establishment of lemongrass demonstration plot were also of the main activities.
3. Awareness Raising
Need is to aware people about their role in forest conservation and environmental rehabilitation. Involving the locals in conservation activities proves to be helpful. The locals were involved in Ashar plantations (a Pashto word for “working together”. Total of 16 Ashar plantation campaigns with about 1000 saplings planted in each Ashar). Similarly, participation in World Environment Day, Environmental Education Programmes (six) arranged in schools of the Project Area, Exposure visits (six) for Village Organizations are some of the major awareness raising activities.
4. Capacity Building
Capacity building events were arranged for VOs and Project Staff every now and then during the Project life. Total of 20 events were organized, including Financial Management, Packing and Packaging, Beekeeping, Livestock Management, Food Preservation, Nurseries Raising Techniques, Kitchen Gardening for the VOs. Trainings for Project Staff include Monitoring and Evaluation, Basics of GIS & RS, Social Mobilization, Business Planning & Management, Natural Resource Management and MS Project.
5. Village Development Schemes
Two developmental schemes are also part of the project alongside the abovementioned activities. Drinking Water Supply and Drain Rehabilitation Scheme in Rangila village and Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Scheme in Gharai village are part and parcel of this activity.
6. Visibility Material
During the project life, visibility remained its integral part. Informative booklets, brochures, calendars, tea mugs, signboards and, last but not the least, a Project Documentary Movie were published and distributed.
Approach & Methodology
In all project activities, community involvement was ensured both in terms of cash and in kind. Most of the interventions were made on cost sharing basis with 80% from the project and 20% from communities. For each activity, the VOs pass a resolution and forward it to LASOONA office for further necessary action. Experts and professionals from line agencies were also involved to maintain quality of the work. In this regard, Livestock Department, Water Management Department, Social Welfare Department and Forest Department contributed in their capacity.
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