LAKKI MARWAT, Nov 13: The UNDP-funded pilot project of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) has proved helpful in educating community about the use of modern methods to combat the menace of land degradation and desertification.

The pilot project was launched in 2009 with the aims to improve local environment, combat soil degradation, alleviate poverty and enhance the living standard of local population.

A female consultant of UNDP Umme Zia paid a special visit to the district on Sunday to evaluate the achievements and usefulness of the project. She was informed by the locals that Kanna plantation had helped to save land from erosion, bring stability in sand dunes and flourish the cottage industry.

In her visit to Mela Mandrakhel, Zangikhel, Khar Badnikhel and other villages, the UNDP consultant inspected Kana plantation, farm nurseries, protection walls, plantation of energy plants and other traditional means used for protecting land from wind and water erosion.

She also met with the male and female office-bearers and members of village development organisations to know their viewpoint about the usefulness of the project and their suggestions to bring further improvement in it.

“Spreading of Kanna leaves is helpful in bringing fertility to the land as they stop land erosion,” members of village uplift committees told the UNDP official.

They said the sphere of the project should be expanded to the provision of clean drinking water facility to the people, tractors for farming, setting up of non-formal schools for providing jobs to the educated female youths and vocational training facility to the uneducated womenfolk.

They also informed the UNDP consultant that Sustainable Land Management project had increased the knowledge of community about the land management practices and persuaded them to carry out Kanna plantation and grow energy plants.

“Under the SLM project the village development organisations have been provided with baan machines which help locals to get enhanced quantity of items made from Kanna and its leaves,” they maintained.

They said with the provision of more financial resources the schemes like construction of Rod Kohi dykes and rehabilitation of eroded lands could also be carried out with community participation.