Effects of Billion Tree Tsunami Project on the Income of Nursery Raising Rural Community in District Mardan

Abstract

Agriculture is the back bone of Rural Economy of Pakistan. It consists of crops, Vegetables, livestock, Poultry farming, Fruit farming and Forestation. Forest play key role in the development of a country and on 25% land, forestation is necessary while in Pakistan this coverage is less than 5%. Seeing to this importance the government of KP has been started a project namely Billion Tree Tsunami since 2014 and ended in 2017.The main objective of the project was reforestation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while the present study major objectives were to find out the effects of billion tree Tsunami Project on the income of nursery raising growers in rural community of District Mardan and problems and constraints faced to nursery growers in the study area. Among 25 districts Mardan District was selected on the basis of more plantation. Latter on two villages, Katlang and Bakhshali were randomly selected from this district. The total beneficiaries in these two villages were 150. Through Yamani formula the sample number was fixed 110 and through proportion allocation formula allot 73 respondents to Bakhshali and 37 to Katlang villages. With the help of questionnaire data were collected from the said respondents and for data analysis, descriptive statistics and pair t-test were used. The results indicate that 60% respondents were literate and majority respondents were in Age group 30-40 while found familiar with the Billion Tree Tsunami Project. Although respondents have signed an agreement with the forest department and after agreements nursery units were allotted to Nursery growers in the study area. The result explained that BTTP have trained the nursery growers in nursery raising techniques in the study area. Tube and Bare root plants nurseries were raised by farmer and then that nurseries were sold on the forest department at a double price and then said nurseries were distributed among targeted farmers by project staff in the study area. The study further explains that tube roots nursery number was found more than the bare roots. Most of the farmers obtained training in nursery raising while nursery growers were financially and technically also supported. Before the project the nursery growers average annual income level was Rs.243455 and after project the income level was Rs.474864 and difference was Rs.231409 and was highly significant at 5% confidence level while they were happy and all growers stressed that to continue the project for ever. Few problems and constraints were identified during survey to Nursery raising grower in the study area. There was no transparency in nursery plants distribution to farmers; Less varieties of nursery plants were available by forest department such as pines, walnuts, berry and eucalyptus etc ; The number of facilitation centre were less than the requirement, so nursery growers access to BTTP staff was difficult. On the basis of findings following recommendations were given for uplifting nursery growers in the study area. Credit provision by government to nursery growers are requested; Well plan management is required for continuation of the Project; Monitoring centre should be established for proper checking and balance in the study area ; Nearest facilitation centre should be developed for easy access of nursery growers in the study area ; Government should supply new plant species, fruit nurseries and ever-green plants to farmers according to their interest for enhancing tree plantation; Demonstration plots should be arranged on road side for advertisement to rural community of district Mardan for uplifting to this project for multiplication of plants in the study area.

Keywords:- Effects , Billion Tree Tsunami Project, On The Income Of Nursery Raising, Rural Community District Mardan