ABOUT 40 per cent of the cultivated area of Pakistan is salt-affected. Salinity problem is severe in arid to semi-arid regions where water is a scarce commodity, rainfall erratic, and groundwater saline. The majority of the population of these areas live below the poverty line with the literacy rate at 10 per cent in women and 40 per cent in men.

About seven million hectares of the cultivated land is saline to sodic. About 3.5 million hectares are categorized as wasteland due to high salinity and sodicity but could be utilized for sustainable crop production by harnessing and conserving water resources, improved water management, additional surface storage and through introduction of salinity and drought-tolerant crops and livestock.

The practice of bio-saline agriculture on saline soil is the best way to compensate this most adverse natural consequence. Bio-saline agriculture utilizes degraded lands to provide an outcome to the rural poor without huge expenditures of drainage and reclamation.

The affected lands posses a vast potential to produce economically important salt-tolerant trees, shrubs and other important agronomic crops like wheat and rice. There are numerous management practices while putting into practice, the farmer may reap bonanza from these wastelands.

Growing of salt-tolerant species of plant is highly conducive. Generally in our local condition the plant species suitable for this job are Acacia, Tamarix, Casuarina and Eucalyptus. These can be grown on salt-affected soils without any expenditure for meeting local requirement of timber and fuel on commercial scales.

Livestock production is an integral component of the agricultural sector. In the present scenario, one of the major handicaps in animal production is the feed/forage shortages. A number of shrubs and trees species can be cultivated for livestock feed. Apart from this, there again exist unlimited opportunities for the marketing of cultivated forages.

Currently, it is indispensable to utilize the potential of saline/sodic wastelands for production of forage and fuel due to steady increase of pressure on existing land resources exerted by population explosion and consequently, the needs of newly emerging millions. Their utilization by salt-tolerant shrubs/trees posses an enormous economic and environmental potential for many developing countries to alleviate the poverty stress on local inhabitants. For the purpose being, many salt-tolerant species have been selected and proposed like Kallar grass and Atriplex spp, etc.

The vegetation covered created by these salt-tolerant species is panacea for sodicity dilemma. This cover encourages the population of wildlife including birds, reptiles, small mammals and boost microbial activities within the soils ecosystem. On decaying, these produce acidic substances that are very helpful in mitigation of side-effects of salinity/sodicity hazardous.

Similarly, for cultivation of agronomic crops like wheat, rice and sorghum, resource-saving farming techniques like ridge-sowing and bed-sowing can be employed. Crops cultivated on salt-affected soils by following advance agronomic practices have demonstrated excellent results in terms of about 70 per cent of yield advantages over conventional means of cultivation. These techniques are highly valuable in the conservation of scarce resources like water to about 50 per cent.

Similarly, newly adopted techniques like seed priming and seed soaking also encourage germination of seeds over saline soils and result in enhance crop production also. According to a researcher, there is an increase of about 20-30 per cent in crop yields where seed priming/soaking was carried out before sowing. These techniques are absolutely cost effective and can be practiced on saline soils for optimum output. Selection of sat-tolerant cultivars of rice and wheat for rehabilitation of salty land is economically sound for local people to drive the circle of their life.

Application of biotech knowledge for the development of salt-tolerant varieties may bring a revolution in this direction. Pakistan, which is a centre of three geographical regions South Asia in the east, West Asian plateau in the west and central Asian mountain region in north, enjoys all types of climatic conditions. Their salt and drought resistant characteristics can be transformed for rehabilitation of wastelands to benefit the rural poor being overwhelmed by an acute poverty.

For instance, plants like dwarf palm native to saline/sodic environment is common from southern part of the NWFP to Mekran coastal plateau area up to the Indus River basin in Sindh province. Such kind of scattered gene pole can be exploited to introduce new varieties.

Bio-saline agriculture may play a vital role in optimum utilization of water and land resources by producing not only more food for the rural poor but it can also create employment opportunities. Adoption of recent bio-saline agricultural strategies is the only solution to sustain the momentum of rural life. With the course of time, depletion of natural resources is on increase. For encouraging bio-saline agriculture on these wastelands following suggestions are as below.

* Selection and screening of salt and drought tolerant species of plants should be carried out on sound basis.

* Provision of effective and well-flourishing species with respect to their adaptation under pre-existing environment and other necessary technical assistance to rural poor should be ensured thoroughly.

* Biotech knowledge should be employed to introduce salt and drought resistant cultivars of both forest and field crops. In this direction, establishment of biotech research cells engaged in development of new salt-tolerant cultivars and technologies in remote areas is imperative to materialize the dream of rehabilitation of barren lands.

* Emphasis should be on growing of shrubs suitable for livestock rearing to benefit local people.

* An effective and dynamic marketing system is needed to ensure the consumption of timber produced; otherwise like in case of eucalyptus people would be extremely discouraged.

* Implementation and introduction of resource saving techniques is another vital parameter to put into practice to achieve the desired goals and objectives.