CHITRAL, Nov 14: Women of the remote areas are being imparted training in different ventures like poultry farming, honeybee keeping and vegetable gardening to economically empower them, says regional programme manager of Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) Saleem Shah. Addressing the concluding ceremony of a five-day training workshop here on Sunday held with the financial assistance of UNHCR, he said that there was an intense need of economic empowerment of women-folk who had tremendous potential for income generation.

Mr Shah said that there were various income generating opportunities in different valleys of the district on which the local women must be trained to fully exploit the potential. He added, the SRSP has already accomplished preliminary work in this regard.

He maintained that in the Kalash valleys of Bamburate, Birir and Rumbur and the areas flanking the forests, the honeybee keeping can bring rich returns for the women by employing even a small effort.

He said that SRSP would provide extensive training on poultry farming on commercial scale in different remote localities to help them augment their income.

He said poultry farming was being developed in the area as a micro-industry and was being designed in a way to engage women there.

Mr Shah said a comprehensive programme was on the anvil to make the industry established on sound footing because most parts of the district had been found to be suitable for promotion of the industry.

He said that developed breed of fowl and necessary gadgets for the industry were also being supplied to the women who have gone through the training.

Gender coordinator SRSP Shahida Jabeen and social organiser Tariq Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.