BAHAWALPUR, July 6: The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWFN) has launched its project of “sustainable cotton initiative” (SCI) in collaboration with other agriculture bodies in the Bahawalpur district. Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, WWFN, fresh water and toxic programme director Hammad Naqi Khan said the project was aimed at reducing the environmental impact on cotton production resulting in improved livelihood of small growers by promoting environment-friendly better management practices (BMPs).

This included efficient irrigation techniques and integrated pest-management to reduce the use of irrigation water and toxic pesticides.

To achieve this objective, he said around 25 farmer field schools had been established in two tehsils of Bahawalpur and Yazman with the cooperation of the farming community. He said such a project was already working in Vehari district.

Mr Khan said the WWFN had approached APTMA to seek the support of textile exporters in up-scaling of project activities. He said this would be a step forward to prepare the local textile industry to meet challenges of textile-quota free regime under the WTO.

Project coordinator Rana Nazir Mahmood said that emphasis of the project was to empower the farming community through their own decision regarding their crops, the cost of which should be reduced with the rational use of water and agro-chemicals.

LOOTED: Seven armed men allegedly looted two houses near here on Tuesday night and decamped with jewellery worth over Rs100,000.