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VISION
"By 2010 Fruits for Development will increase the existing 4.5 per cent tree cover to 6.5 per cent in the country by impacting state policies to ensure that only suitable indigenous fruit trees are planted with public money on public lands, except forests, through civil society and government partnerships."
The vision creates a picture of a healthy future in which all people have plenty of fruit to eat from the abundant tree cover in the country where bio-diversity is abundant.
The vision inspires people to action to plant more trees and protect them in their own interest. Additionally, the cultural as well as spiritual and religious ethos also moves people to respond positively and refrain from harming the trees.
The vision is futuristic but realistic as planting and protecting fruit trees is culturally appreciated and religiously held good.
The vision spreads over the next decade but does not stop there. The continuity of actions generated by the vision beyond the target dates will be automatic. This will help roll in a sustainable growth in the overall tree cover and a corresponding reduction in nutritional deficiencies, poverty and an increase in biodiversity.
It is very specific. It has a set time frame, a defined area of implementation, clear strategy and real benefits for all stakeholders.
It is indeed realistic for planting fruit trees is culturally relevant and socially desirable moving all stakeholders into action.
Planting indigenous fruit trees means less energy spent on their care and a greater usefulness to the people ensuring their survival. Historic trends before the colonization of the Indian sub-continent also tell that planting fruit trees has a successful history in this part of the world.
The vision is clear about its goal, time frame, partners, strategy and incentives.It is a straight forward, common-sense approach to development and conservation that does not need much education or convincing to involve all stakeholders in pursuit of its realization.
Yes. It is challenging for it sets a desirable and achievable goal for all stakeholders.
It moves the stakeholders emotionally in anticipation of a society where fruit is plentiful leading to good nutrition for all and a reduction in poverty.
It is a shared vision as the various sub-cultures in the country as well as the numerous religions and their plentiful sects all stress the desirability of planting fruit trees.It touches the desire inside to do good for all.
It creates hope for a future where wants are less and the environment is more livable in the satisfying company of greater bio-diversity.
It fits the needs of people, as most cannot afford to buy even small quantities of seasonal fruits from the market.
It helps people to join hands for its realization.
It does move people to positive action. The drivers are in built in the local cultural and religious ethos.
All stakeholders can identify with it. Even those who may not be directly involved in the campaign will identify with the objectives.
The campaign
The campaign will help increase public participation in regular national tree planting drives. It will also improve the chanGes of survival for planted trees as cultural taboos inhibit harming fruit bearing plants. This will ensure an overall improvement in the national tree cover as well. An abundance of fruit will help insect and bird populations to expand greatly. Abundant fruit on public lands will help ensure a better nutritional status for the population and bring poverty levels down. All these factors will positively impact conservation efforts by reducing nutrition and poverty related stresses
Problem
Less than 4.5 per cent of Pakistan's landmass is under tree cover that is much less than an estimated 8-10 per cent to meet sustainable use needs. And the existing tree cover in Pakistan is shrinking at an ever-increasing and alarming rate.
Bio-diversity is at risk not as much from extinction as from the fact that the number of given organisms in various populations have dwindled to the extent where it may not threaten their continued existence but have definitely denied people the environment made livelier by other beings full of life and helping other processes to continue at a great pace and at a larger scale. Birds thus, for example , become the true messengers of hope if plentiful trees bearing good nutritious trees abound in the region.
The significance and catalysing value of fruit trees in ecosystem regeneration and adaptation is something one has not seen reflected in economic valuations of their worth. Fruit trees are symbols of satisfaction, regeneration, growth, happiness and sharing in our culture. The total absence of fruit trees from the public domain because of the exclusive rights of the market over them has masked that culture but cannot kill it. Having trees around will strengthen people in the face of the denial of fruits to the poor by the market.
Current situation
State agencies/local bodies spend tens of million rupees every year on tree planting campaigns that has been total failures. Reasons for the failure: people do not get involved; survival rate of plants is very low; and planted trees are of little use to people even if they do survive.Goal
To increase tree cover in Pakistan from the existing 4.5 per cent of land area to 6.5 per cent by 2010.Causes of current situation
Tree planting campaigns are undertaken without people's participation. The species planted are often non-indigenous demanding greater care, more water and are not of any use to the people. People often cut down/graze planted trees.Assessment of trends
The trend of planting useless/decorative/imported species can be traced back to the colonial days. This was in clear contrast to historical trends under local rulers before colonization who planted only indigenous species that were useful for the people. These trees contributed positively to the local environment improving nutrition and well being. Hence tree coverage was extensive through the sub-continent which was at that time one of the most affluent places in the world.
The postcolonial trends are a continuity of the colonial ones. There are no incentives for the government agencies/local bodies undertaking tree planting with public money on public lands to change this trend. Bureaucratic inertia also ensures that things stay the same.
External Factors
Colonization and its planted institutional arrangements alienated local populations by expelling them from public lands that were formerly commons with defined usage rights. This has continued under the post-colonial regimes.Advocacy
The advocacy campaign will involve all stakeholders including the general public who will be the direct beneficiaries of the initiative. This will earn the initiative tremendous credibility and help creating critical mass to ensure continuity of actions planned.
Little knowledge by way of scientific guidance will be needed as most stakeholders know the fruit tree species of local origin. In case, expert inputs are needed, they are already available with the government agencies involved in tree planting where highly educated foresters, agronomists and agriculturists are already on the payroll and available for consultation. DV shall act as the bridge between the communities and the experts to link them together in the campaign.
As mentioned below, few additional resources will be needed that will be requested from suitable donors. DV shall assume the responsibility of finding needed resources.
DV will research the present context to inform the Fruits for Development advocacy efforts through published instruments. Also, the outcome will help develop needed Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Materials for the campaign. DV will publish a quarterly newsletter with the campaign title to inform all stakeholders on the progress of the initiative. Video documentation will be carried out of the whole process. This will also help the campaign develop multimedia products for use as IEC materials. The target audience will range from the experts at government agencies, NGO activists and the beneficiary communities.
Tree planting will be carried out under existing institutional arrangements. The campaign will strive to ensure policy managers accept participation of the people in the process of the annual tree-planting campaigs. Public access to the fruit of the planted trees will be ensured through negotiated agreements between geographically specific stakeholders. This will motivate communities to actively own the planted trees.
In return for the use of fruit born by trees planted under the initiatives, beneficiary communities will be required to undertake joint management and monitoring responsibilities to ensure equitable access for all.
The campaign will begin with a few NGO partners to start a pilot and work to change the government policy on tree planting to make it imperative that only fruit trees should be planted with public money on public lands save in the case of forests. The pilots will help us in our engagement with government agencies to change the policy.
Beneficiary communities will be encouraged to organize into groups for better representation and safeguarding of their usage rights.
Suitable activities like photo exhibitions, demonstration videos, press conferences and articles in the press and coverage on the electronic media will help gain public support. This will also raise the campaign profile and help recruit more support for the initiative. DV shall articulate and carry out a communications strategy for the advocacy campaign based upon initial research and consultation with partners. The campaign shall launch a network of solidarity comprising all partners in pursuit of the campaign vision.
The advocacy campaign will establish a pilot area where the impact of greater fruit availability to people and an increased food cover will serve as a showcase for the vision. This pilot will help demonstrate the potency of the vision.
There will be very little need for capacity building of the actors for the purposes of tree planting. However, usage and sharing of the fruit as well as the management and monitoring will need some training of stakeholders. Such training will be organized through partner organizations. A TOT with a core group will help produce a cadre of trainers for the purpose. Those graduating from this TOT can take on capacity building where needed.
The Fruits for Development newsletter will be the primary means of information dissemination on the campaign.
The advocacy campaign will recruit prominent individuals from all over Pakistan to raise the profile of the initiative and to motivate people, mobilize sponsorships and symbolize trust.
A number of activities with involvement of VIPs, communities, NGOs and government departments will add to the public profile of the campaign. Additionally events like photo exhibitions, press conferences, media articles, TV/radio coverage will all give the initiative a solid public profile. These will be coordinated by DV through the communications strategy.
Development VISIONS will coordinate all campaign activities to help realize synergies in the work of various stakeholders involved.
Sharing of campaign experiences with development actors outside Pakistan will be carried out by DV with the intent to launch a regional and an international network for possible replication in countries with a similar social, cultural, resource base or economic situation.
Tangible economic incentives will be there for all stakeholders who will share in the use of the fruit born by the trees.
Fruits for Development does not need any funds for the tree planting itself as public money is already being spent on the purpose. This initiative will helpputting it to better use in pursuit of the vision. All needed infrastructure and manpower are already deployed and only need to be reoriented to realize the vision. A relatively small amount of support will be needed for the core advocacy campaign activities including resources for pilot projects. Please consult the budget estimates below.
Process
A participatory process of consultation will ensure a creative atmosphere for campaign development.Options for the process of campaign development range from organized consultative meetings with set agendas and timetables to informal group discussions with community/government agency personnel.
Scooping through suitable formats with all stakeholders will ensure consensus. Stakeholders include concerned government departments/agencies, local bodies, print and electronic media, NGOs, CBOs, and local communities.
Participatory facilitation by known individuals will ensure smooth continuity in all consultations and scooping exercises.
Allowing all stakeholders to share how they visualize the campaign should fold and focus to achieve goals.
