PESHAWAR: The forest department has started a training programme for the forest-dependent communities in Hazara division to help them enhance their income sources.

A statement issued here on Monday said that the department had started a series of trainings through its institutional and human resource development and management directorate to improve capacity of local forest-dependent communities and para-professional staff for enhancing their skills and capacities in various sectors, including fruit orchard development.

The statement said that the training was part of the 10-Billion Tree Tsunami Project. It said trainings had so far been conducted for Haripur, Battagram, Torghar, Kaghan and Siran forest divisions. Various techniques of fruit orchards development were demonstrated to the participants during the trainings.

The statement said that the trainees would further disseminate the technical know-how and knowledge to the grassroots level. The innovation and skill transfer would enable the local communities to improve their livelihood sources through making use of their limited land resources.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2022