A
year ago, 75-year-old Abbas Khan watched helplessly as his crops
literally slid down a mountainside when the 8 October quake
struck.
In a matter of just a few moments, his field of maize, ready
for harvest, was destroyed and Abbas’ main source of income
and food for his extended family of 40 simply vanished.
Today, Abbas stands proudly in that same field amid a bumper
crop nearing time for harvest. His village of Batkul is perched
on a steep hillside, overlooking the mighty Indus River, which
winds its way down the Allai Valley. The community of Batkul
has been the recipient of seeds, fertilizer and farming tools
as part of a livelihoods project set up by International Federation
and Pakistan Red Crescent.
For Abbas, the distribution has proven to be a vital step towards
recovery following that devastating day a year ago.
“Last year, the crop was reduced to just three bags…
the quake struck just at the time of the harvest and ruined
our lives,” he says. “But this assistance have given
us and our families a new life.”
The seeds and tools farming project has so far assisted 4,500
families in the Allai Valley region of Pakistan’s North
West Frontier Province. All of the families have received maize
seed and fertilizer, while some have also been given farming
tools depending on their needs.
The initial distribution is for two sowing cycles and this support
will continue over the next two years. The project will be expanded
to other areas to assist more families through to the end of
2008.
An agricultural specialist works with the communities, giving
instruction and advice on the best use of the materials and
how to improve their harvest.
The target communities participate in the process every step
of the way, ensuring the acceptance of the activities and boosting
their chances for success. Union council-level organizations
are established in all distribution areas and community volunteers
have been assisting the International Federation and the Pakistan
Red Crescent with deliveries of the items and with recording
data.
The livelihoods project also includes planned distributions
of kitchen garden support and training for 2,500 families and
the distribution of 250,000 seedlings of forestry plants and
fruit trees. Another vital component of the project is skills
training in areas such as masonry, carpentry and sewing.
Dr Bais Khan, Chairman of a local welfare organization working
with the Red Cross Red Crescent on the project in Batkul, says
activities such as seeds and tools distribution do make an impact.
“Some of the people here subsist on the crops, but many
use them as cash crops,” he explains. “They are
very dependent on their harvest for their income for the year.”
Working hand-in-hand with the project, to ensure it is a success,
is the International Federation and Pakistan Red Crescent water
and sanitation project, which aims to restore vital water supplies
that have been severely disrupted.
“Water supply is a big problem… most of the piping
was damaged at the time of the quake,” says Dr Khan. “The
recent monsoon floods have further damaged them as a result
of landslides and there are about 20,000 feet of piping, leading
from water sources to the fields, which need to be repaired
and maintained,” he adds.
The water and sanitation project is helping to fix water supplies
through repairs of pipes, and rehabilitation of irrigation schemes.
A total of sixty projects are expected to be completed under
the International Federation’s plan of action by the end
of 2008. The water and sanitation project aims to assist a total
of 160,000 people with improved access to sanitation facilities,
enhanced knowledge of hygiene and access to clean water.
For Abbas Khan, watching his children and grandchildren work
the fields, the seed and tool distribution has not only helped
secure his family’s future but it has also restored his
independence. “We can earn now as we did before and support
our families in an honorable way,” he says.
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Families
receive maize seed, fertilizer and farming tools with
distributions planned to be sufficient for two growing
cycles a year through to the end of 2008. (p14740)
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Abbas
Khan’s family members working the fields with farming
tools distributed as part of the livelihoods project.
(p14738)
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