There is a dire and pressing need to introduce Appropriate, Integrated and Sustainable

Approach to Sustainable Development, keeping in view latest trends that are producing
“Results”. This is due to the fact that present mechanisms and Approaches have failed to
‘Deliver’. A short analysis is given below:
Assets-based Community Development:
Needs-Based Community Development: Traditional Model:
• Based on Needs
• Goal Institutional Change
• Conversation Problems and Concerns
• Change Agent Power
• View of Individual Consumer/ Client
Needs are based on Community Problems
Assets-Based Community Development: Alternate Model:

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 1

 • Based on Assets
• Goal Building Communities
• Conversation Gifts & Dreams
• Change Agent Relationship
• View of Individual Producer / Owner
Assets are based on Community “Treasures”
“Asset-Based” Development:
 Reorients development from a “needs-based” approach. Needs-based models seek to
identify weaknesses in a local community and then implement strategies to overcome
those weaknesses.
 This method of mobilizing citizens focuses on negative characteristics of a community
and demoralizes local residents, thus limiting proactive action at the local level.
 Focusing on local assets, instead of needs and deficits, allows residents to identify
possibilities for change that they can control, and energizes residents to take action.
Asset-Based Community Development:
Individual self-interest Asset Mapping Catalyst
Relationships undeveloped which causes
Relationships to Develop

Relationships form One Outcome

based on is Community Action!
Networks, Trust and Norms

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 2

 While the needs-based approach focuses on garnering external resources to solve
problems, the alternative asset based approach looks for residents’ personal skills and dreams
and links them to action through a public articulation of these local assets.

ECONOMIC GARDENING:
Economic gardening is an economic development model that embraces the fundamental
idea that entrepreneurs drive economies. The model seeks to create jobs by supporting existing
companies in a community. The concept, pioneered in 1987 in Littleton, Colorado, when the
State was in a recession, is an alternative to traditional economic development practices. It
initially was based on research by MIT's David Birch, who suggested that most new jobs in any
local economy were produced by the community's small, local businesses. In Littleton, City
Leaders observed that only 3 to 5 percent of all Companies were "high growth" but determined
that those "gazelles" were creating the great majority of new jobs.
Economic gardening connects entrepreneurs to resources, encouraging the development
of essential infrastructure and providing entrepreneurs with needed information. The Economic
Gardening initiative provides local entrepreneurs with access to competitive intelligence on
markets, customers, and competitors that is comparable to the resources customarily only
available to large firms. Included in the market information category are database and data
mining resources, and geographic information systems.1
Economic Gardening is an effective way for States and Regions to “Grow their own”
Companies instead of economic hunting activities that have a questionable track record of
success.
Organizations often confuse Economic Gardening principles with traditional economic
development tactics. Gardening is not about connecting entrepreneurs with support institutions or
helping them with their operations, workforce development or tax credits. It is about leveraging
research using sophisticated business intelligence tools and databases that growth companies
either aren’t aware of or cannot afford. Research specialists typically assist in four key areas:
strategic market research, geographic information systems, search engine optimization and social
media marketing. Examples of how specialists help companies include:
 Identify market trends, potential competitors and unknown resources
 Map geographic areas for targeted marketing
 Raise visibility in search engine results and increased web traffic
 Track websites, blogs and online communities to better understand competitors and
current and potential customers
 Make informed decisions on core strategies and the business model
The virtual model, using trained specialists and team leaders, enables time-crunched CEOs to
participate in an Economic Gardening network without ever leaving their offices. The programs
are hosted by Entrepreneur Support Organizations on a local, regional or statewide level.2

1
[Link]
2
[Link]

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 3

RAPID MICRO ENTERPRISE ESTABLISHMENT:

Features: Each containerized system is engineered to your specifications with multiple options
available. These systems can include:
 Leg Supported Silo
 Bulk Bag Frame - designed for 2 ton super sacks.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 4

 Storage hopper
 Volumetric screw feeder
 Wetting cone or Slurry make down/storage tank with mixer, and level devices.
 Slurry feed pumps if required.
 All required piping and valves.
 Local control system with
 Programmable logic controller (PLC) including pre-programmed system logic.
All systems are completely tested with water for engineer or customer viewing before leaving
our facility. All IPM’s control panels are UL or CUL listed. Systems are provided with all
piping and conduit pre assembled to the fullest extent.

Containerized Incinerator. Desalination Plant.

Conglomoculture: Private Sector Development, Creating Markets, Transforming Lives:
It is quite obvious that there is many a gap in development, resulting in deprivation and
misery in large parts of the Globe. Lack of resources makes it quite often impossible for S and
MMEs to overcome market failure due to inability to provide specialization, access information
or establish bargaining power. Gender and environmental concerns are at the forefront for
fostering a development framework that provides a solution to poverty alleviation. The most
successful Development Schemes around the world have been and remain those of small holders/
manufacturers. These consist of banding together, provision of training, inputs and supervision,
manufacturing/ harvesting, storage, processing, packaging and eventual sale. The complete
support provided by a selfless and non-paternalistic Organization based upon technological
excellence has proved to be extremely effective in many Countries around the World.
Economic dynamism, growth and general all round prosperity is the goal and target of
most human endeavor. It is an established fact that the Private Sector is “the main driving force
of industrial development in virtually all countries and ---“. 3 The Private Sector is therefore the
target of study and analysis in order to ensure that this goal is achieved. Much has been and will
be written on this subject. However, a combination of close on ground scrutiny of existing
conditions; hands-on research at the grass roots level in many locations within an under
developed Country and a deep study of current research is called for. It is quite obvious that there
is many a gap in development, resulting in deprivation and misery in large parts of the Globe.
Many economic models have been tried out in various countries with the current ‘Free Market
Economy’ leading in achieving prosperity. Despite this, there is widespread disparity in attaining
success. “Ending poverty, the aspiration of the Millennium Development Goals, is the overriding
developmental objective of the 21st century. Despite great progress in the past 50 years, 1.2

3
UNIDO Service Module 4: Private Sector Development - Overview

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 5

billion people—one-fifth of the people on Earth—live on less than US $1 a day, without access
to many of the social services basic to a decent human life.”4
Lack of access to funding and long-term finance is agreed to be the major stumbling
block for the Small and Medium Enterprises to achieve the target of sustainability and thus
provide income and employment to the vast majority of the poor. This perceived lack of
resources makes it quite often impossible for S and MMEs to overcome market failure due to
inability to provide specialization, access information or establish bargaining power. Clustering
and Networking are tentative first steps towards overcoming these problems without reversion to
the communes or even cooperatives of the past. “Clustering is generally defined as a process of
firms and other actors co-locating within a concentrated geographical area, cooperating around a
certain functional niche, and establishing close linkages and working alliances to improve their
collective competitiveness.”5 As far as Networking is concerned it is recognized that: “One of the
most compelling ways to help firms succeed is by increasing the power of the linkages and
networks they are part of. Many business ecosystems bypass weak regulatory environments by
creating private capacity for regulation and enforcement within the network. This capacity can
reduce asymmetries within networks and enhance the ability to enforce contracts, thus building
trust in the system.”6
Human greed and competitiveness are at the same time seen as pitfalls and on the reverse
of the coin, driving factors for success. How to balance this driving force and regulate it in order
to attain fair development for all is perhaps the real problem that lies at the heart of the issue.
Gender and environmental concerns are at the forefront for fostering a development framework
that provides a solution to poverty alleviation. It is recognized that lack of education as well as
fractured communities that lack cohesiveness and carry cultural barriers and taboos are major
stumbling blocks for unleashing the potential of individuals to achieve economic well-being.
Prosperity cannot and should not be imposed from above or from the outside. It is an often
elusive chimera that has to be nurtured within the bosom of the community. The spark has to be
enkindled from within and then husbanded to ensure that it grows into a steady blaze that is
equitable; just; environmentally safe; socially acceptable and exists for all without exception.
It is estimated that there are 9 to 10 million people engaged in the informal sector of the
rural economy in Pakistan alone. How to include the strengths of Large Enterprises in the efforts
of micro, small and medium enterprise and yet retain innovative dynamism and avoid
bureaucracy and red tape can be best achieved through adoption of targeted production for, or
under, an umbrella organization. Hindustan Lever is an example of effective intervention that
caters for many of the concerns elucidated above. In Japan and Taiwan, supporting Institutions
for small farmers were carefully and persistently built up. Development of land, Institutions and
skills were emphasized. In Pakistan, of all the Crash Programs; Community Development
Projects; Land Reforms; Chemical Fertilizers; Pesticides and Miracle Seeds, it was only the
inputs that proved to have a lasting impact upon the rural poor.
A practical working model closer to home is a modified Sialkot Model; Sialkot is an
Industrial City in Pakistan that manufactures Surgical Instruments and Sports Goods for export.
4
Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor
Commission on the Private Sector& Development: Report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
5
Jens Sorvik, co-author of the Cluster Policies Whitebook, the International Organization for Knowledge Economy
and Enterprise Development (IKED). Quoted from Development Gateway Expert Perspective.
6
Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor: Commission on PSD report to the Secretary
General UN.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 6

Piece work is sub let to small manufacturers who work out of their homes. Another example is
from Faisalabad, Pakistan where small looms are installed in many low income homes to
augment production for Cotton value added goods that this city specializes in. Yet another
example of success is from Malaysia in its quest for establishing Palm Oil plantations targeted
for export. The most successful Development Schemes around the world have been and remain
those of small holders/ manufacturers. These consist of banding together, provision of training,
inputs and supervision, manufacturing/ harvesting, storage, processing, packaging and eventual
sale. The complete support provided by a selfless and non-paternalistic Organization based upon
technological excellence has proved to be extremely effective in many Countries around the
World. The complete and integrated support provided to Malayan settlers in a fresh project, has
been criticized as being almost ‘paternalistic’ as well as extremely expensive. However, cost:
benefit analysis has shown the most remarkable results in poverty eradication and economy
generation at the grass roots level. The Organizations created for this development have emerged
as giants in the commodity market in Malaysia. Diversification as well as value addition has
served to keep up the tempo of expansion. There are many malpractices associated with some of
the above cited examples that need to be kept in mind in order to avoid their inadvertent
inclusion in any suggested framework for sustainable development.
The use of ICTs is an added advantage to make use of the Global Knowledge bank as
well as to keep current with market demand and supply. Electronic and Mobile Commerce are
the vehicles which can provide immediate response with flexibility and cut down lead times in
order to maximize profits. At the same time innovative and low cost inputs can be readily
accessed to overcome problems and fulfill requirements that would otherwise be subject to time
consuming and costly inputs and efforts. The questions remain firstly, ‘How to effectively
combine and deploy these best practices in order to ensure success?’ Secondly, ‘How to ensure
that gender concerns and environment imperatives are adequately catered for’ and thirdly, ‘How
to overcome lack of education?’
Training is a primary component however, it is highlighted that there has to exist a better
link between training and employment. Training that does not take into account employment
activities and the generation of employment, not only fails to satisfy the needs of the unemployed
but may actually increase migration to the cities. Thus, the very purpose of training is defeated.
Generally, participants are imparted agricultural training and other skills to find talent. Once a
particular talent is discovered, efforts are concentrated to develop that skill. Trainees are required
to actually perform those activities, which are relevant to them, within specific rural life
conditions and locally available resources. Training content, methodology and instructional
material must derive from the know-how requirements of rural activities and from the learning
characteristics of the target populations. Rural workers should be provided the skills and
knowledge that can be put to immediate use, rather than providing them with skills that are
required in an open employment market. Thus, Training Programs are designed to produce
graduates who can perform Manufacturing or Agricultural based functions in a better and more
effective manner by employing improved techniques. If training is directly related to production,
the participants are actually allowed to produce goods. In this manner, the operating costs of
training can be greatly reduced, if not all together eliminated. Thus, self-reliance is extended to
even initial activities. This method more than ensures that the learners develop skills that are
appropriate to their needs at a particular time, thereby eliminating waste of time, money and
effort. For instance programs have been designed wherein 1 acre of family land is earmarked for
the sole use of the participant, selected from the family. Usually this will be a semi-literate

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 7

youth. He is provided on-job training by supervising ongoing productive farm work on his land.
An example is the Chitambo Youth Project, carried out in the late 70's in Zambia. The CCZ
Twofwane Program involved work on a commune farm. Here a small plot was earmarked to
each participant. He was helped to produce and allowed to retain the profit. Gradually he was
helped to establish his own farm.
“The quality of goods that poor people purchase—whether food, water or financial
services—is almost always substandard.” Often, an informal private sector fills the gaps with
goods of higher prices and varying quality. It serves an important need, for informal economies
sustain the majority of poor families in many countries. Yet the advantages of economies of scale
and scope are missing from the lives of people at the bottom of the pyramid. Some of the barriers
are poor marketing and poor distribution.” 7This factor is the flip side of the coin wherein the
poor pay more for less quality; this factor exacerbates an already dismal situation. Immediate
reversal to a situation where quality is provided at competitive rates but also provides income to
the Executive Committee is an example of sustainability. Exclusion of the middleman is not
aimed at; rather the existing entrepreneur is co-opted into the network by providing credit and
eliminating undue duplication and competition. This is one area of intervention where unbridled
and cut throat competition by price manipulation and sub standard goods is uncalled for. An
example is of those shopkeepers who hold fresh vegetables on credit, sell at more than double
rates and pay the grower from revenue generated from his own produce. Current market rates
and profit margins can be regulated through Executive Committees of the sort that we are talking
about.
Informal community credit has long been a practice in Pakistan and is called “Komittee”.
Here a group of individuals agree to deposit a fixed sum at fixed periods. Individual members are
provided the combined deposited sum on revolving basis. The success of this informal system is
amazing and many short term requirements are financed through this system. Similarly
immediate credit for long term production can be provided to members of a structured and well
organized community. The poorest and most deserving are provided with credit from the entire
community on a priority basis and helped to achieve targets and attain sustainability. In this
system even private money or electronic credit as practiced by Multi National Banks can be
emulated at Micro Level. Federal and Provincial Governments can contribute to underwriting
these efforts as well as maintain monitoring. Where regulatory frameworks are weak or absent,
adaptive frameworks can be emplaced within these grassroots organizations. These organizations
can introduce their own currency such as LETS being practiced in some communities. Social and
peer pressure can be readily brought to bear with a human face that recognizes problems and
weaknesses at the individual level due to the fact that they are part of that society. The emphasis
is placed upon solving problems and issues rather than penalizing shortcomings.
Umbrella Organizations: With this framework emplaced for representation, large Umbrella
Organizations can be formed to implement Development Activities. This is necessary in order to
ensure that there is no undue duplication and development interventions are pertinent to
particular areas. This activity is called the Community or Collective Approach and has achieved
success in Countries as diverse as China (where it originated) and Malaysia. It is used to channel
Community based Growing/ Rearing or Production through provision of Training; Production
Orders; Raw Materials; Plant and Equipment; Quality Control and Marketing. The Approach is
not paternalistic but is completely participatory. The bargaining power thus attained as well as
large scale purchase of inputs at reduced rates will afford sustainability to the production and
7
Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor, Chapter 1, Section 8.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 8

basic economy generation efforts of the people involved. The Managing Committees of these
Umbrella Organizations should have Village Organization Executive Committee members on the
Boards as well as hire professionals to undertake specialized functions. Thus expertise can be
brought to bear for running the affairs of micro enterprises empowered to behave as
Conglomerates. Regulating activities on a large scale can easily be affected through these bodies.
Unfair Trade & Manufacturing Practices can be eradicated through careful supervision and
affiliation with International Agencies such as the ILO. Secondly, funds from Regulating Bodies
with specific agendas and incentives for meeting the targets of International Agreements such as
the Prototype Carbon Fund of the World Bank, amongst others, can be tapped. Environment
concerns can be inbuilt and ensured through legislation. Trans National Micro Finance
Institutions and Development Institutions can support these efforts with a systematic and
transparent accountability as well as Monitoring and Evaluation procedures. Productivity can be
linked to perceived Regional and National requirements such as the balancing of Trade with
other Regions/ Countries as well as Import substitution resulting in less haulage which in turn
reduces Carbon Emissions and improves local economies. Regions of endemic poverty can be
directly addressed along with mandatory prioritization of targeting poor and disadvantaged
groups within populations.
Marketing: While manufacturing; processing and packaging can be effectively emplaced, it is
marketing that is the weakest link in the chain. If Community Conglomerates are established to
meet specific targets, marketing is assured. A reverse process of marketing can be integrated into
the proposed mechanism.
Example: Pakistan first experimented with growing tea in the hilly north of the country as far
back as twenty years ago. The effort was successful yet received no impetus to thrust it to the
forefront and help reduce an enormous import bill. Along came UniLever Pakistan and
established a tea growing and processing enterprise with the help of funding from the Provincial
Bank where the effort was taking place. Results of second best in the world were loudly
trumpeted about and yet the pace of expansion was sluggish to say the least. Seven years down
the line UniLever is pulling out and fifteen hundred farmers are left in suspense. They waited
four long years to earn from their farms as intercropping was not allowed. This rather dismal
situation can be dynamically reversed through the intervention and mechanism outlined above.
At a very minimum ten districts can produce in place of a small part of one presently engaged in
the effort. Economics of scale will ensure cost effectiveness and establish a strong presence in
the International market. By using complete foliar nutrition, competition between plants for
nutrients ceases to be an issue and intercropping can provide returns until the tea crop is
established. This has been tried out on-ground with many plant species and has proved itself time
and again. Yields from wheat crops have been increased by 800 Kgs per acre while potato crops
have improved from thirty, 100 Kg bags to eighty bags. This is a much better business ecosystem
than the one that has currently failed despite being successful! The model, once established, can
be enhanced to include planting of Olives and other edible oil bearing plants as well as fruit,
herbs, spices, condiments and aromatic plants. All of these can thrive in the area and are lacking
merely due to absence of knowledge and quality inputs. The picking; sorting; cleaning;
processing and packaging of these products will directly benefit women and landless poor. Thus
all classes of society are integrated to support ongoing resource generating ventures.
The mechanism is established to enable the formation of a platform on which activities
are based. The interface required is knowledge and facts regarding that particular activity.
Training material in local languages, graphically illustrated and published on the web with

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 9

mobile and wireless pc connectivity will serve to fill this niche requirement. Authoring,
publishing, accounting and word processing as well as art and graphic capabilities in local
languages are all required to support the effort.
Conclusion: The reference to the Malaysian Oil Palm Plantation came with the quote “Do not
ask how much it cost? Ask how much it would cost not to do it.” Fanaticism is fuelled by
complete reliance upon fickle fortune, with assured prosperity or even hope for the future, the
gentler path of pragmatism is opted for. Without this vital support net and positive direction at
the grass roots level there exists a very real threat to immediate survival. This has got to be
recognized and solutions provided to escape a never ending spiral of crisis that further aggravates
rather than alleviating an already fractured existence!
The Development Dilemma:
The Technological tools and knowledge, that has become and is fast becoming, available
in the modern world, requires a great deal of expertise and experience to be used effectively. It is
quite obvious that this level of skill is lacking. However, Information Technology is able to
overcome this problem to some extent. A Sustainable Development Action Plan is a precise,
detailed, highly technical and elaborate document. The present methodology that is being
adopted for formulation of such a Plan, be it through the an International Organization or through
the PE&DD of the Provincial Government or even what is proposed at Village, Union/ Tehsil/
District Council levels, needs to be improved. The need is pressing and the intent quite correct,
however the methodology needs to be altered. Even the blanket implementation of the
Devolution Plan faced many problems; it should have been implemented from the Village or
Neighborhood level incrementally and supported with complementary activities. The efforts by
the District Conservation Strategy Support Units of the IUCN based upon a process of National
Conservation Strategy – Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy (Baluchistan Conservation
Strategy) and District Conservation Strategy had been designed in the pre-devolution phase of
Government. Decentralization being a key recommendation of all earlier Strategies there is all
the more reason for coming up with a complete and implementable strategy at District level. At
present some of the thinking is based upon earlier experiences in the Sarhad and Chitral District
Strategies. Some of their concepts are outlined below:
Challenges:
Operationalization of District funds to address local issues at the local level.
Bridging the gap between Civil Society and the Public Sector and improving access to
Social Sector facilities.
Integration of Conservation and Sustainability aspects of development in the current
process of Nation building.
Limited autonomy of Line Departments at District level – need for devolution.
Delegation of legal backing and power to local forums.
Equitable and participatory investment of Public funds on local needs.
Rationale:
Lack of participatory, assets based and integrated development at the District level.
Lack of interface between the Public and Private Sectors.
Lack of Village-Union-Tehsil-District input into Provincial development plans leading to
ad hoc and lower impact development interventions.
Lack of equitable development due to non-involvement of locals and centralized
development planning and execution.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 10

 Lack of Institutionalization of effective mechanisms to foster decentralization of the
development process.
Local capacity building in environment and development.
Mechanisms of Strategy Formulation:
Formation of District Development Authority.
Collection & Collation of Primary Data.
Preparation of Introductory paper/ inception report and its distribution amongst
Stakeholders.
Formation of Round Table of District Stakeholders consisting of Government members
and Civil Society.
Formulation of Steering/ Executive Committee.
Public Consultation process, Union Council, Village level, Male and Female groups.
Identification of priority issues/ sectors.
Commissioning of Sector papers.
Preparation of Strategy Document.
Commissioning of Case Studies to elaborate on prioritized issues.
Continuous liaison and coordination with partners.
It is suggested that this process would benefit greatly from input of up to date primary data.
Some of the measures and framework that could accommodate them are outlined in this paper. If
“Strategies for sustainability are processes of planning and action to improve and maintain the
well being of people and ecosystems” then these measures would greatly aid the process and
bring some order in the picture. It is necessary to know the current state of the well being or
otherwise of the people and ecosystems before planning and action to improve and maintain
them can be possible. This presupposes the requisite knowledge of how and why ecosystems
function and the dynamics of socio-economic conditions within which they interact with people.
What is required is firstly to establish a Detailed Sustainable Development Action Plan. This can
be done by adopting a three pronged approach supplemented by a triple intervention effort.
THREE PRONGED, THREE DIMENSIONAL APPROACH, PTA:

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 11

Indicative Impacts:
• Establishing 55,000 VCs and preparation of 55,000 VDPs in five years
• Significant increase in production of nutritional protein food, value added items,
consumable goods, woolen made-ups, silk yarn/ eggs and craft items.
• Enhancement in opportunities of employability to the extent of 10,000,000 HHs with
50% annual increase through home based handicraft production, rural poultry, Wood
Craft, Livelihood income generation activities, Tourism, Mineral Processing &
Development and Fisheries activities.
• Market facilitation, promotion and development of small/ cottage industrial units in the
private sector would increase employment opportunities for above 40 million males/
females directly & indirectly also these activities will attract local and foreign investors.
• HID centers will provide training to 10 million youths (male & female) annually in
technical education and vocational skills.
• Reverse trend for migration from rural to urban areas.
• Rise in social and economic standards of rural area.
• Leading towards prosperity and well-being of the communities at all levels.
Key Operational Approach:
• Promotion of Participatory Development.
• Institutionalization of Community Driven Initiatives.
• Collaboration with all Stakeholders.
• Building Synergies.
• Service Provider.
• Sustainable Development.
Strategy:
Sustainable Development Action Plans
Formulation of Sustainable Development Action Plans at State and District levels entailing
extensive consultations with local communities in target areas with suitable partners from the
private and public sector. By paying attention to the planning process, the organization will
ensure that its action plans address local needs and are realistic and practical. Secondly, Village
Development Plans will have a formal frame of reference for formulation.
Social Mobilization:
• Formation and registration of V/MDCs.
• Preparation of V/MDPs in light of State and District Sustainable Development Action
Plans.
• Capacity building of V/MDCs.
• Promote coordination and collaboration among stakeholders for implementation of
V/MDPs.
• Ensure sustainability of the development process.
11 steps strategy for Socio-economic up-lift:
1. Preparation of State & District Level Sustainable Development Action Plans.
2. Zoning for Sustainable Development.
3. Demarcation of sub villages.
4. Initial contact and basic Information.
5. Series of dialogue for V/MDC formation.
6. SD2 exercise with Page Ranking for Nexus of Trust.
7. V/MDC registration with Local Government.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 12

8. Socio-economic survey/ Asset Mapping & Assessment.
9. Village/ Mohallah Development Plan Preparation.
10. Resource Mobilization.
11. Implementation and Execution.
Community Development:
This has been defined as economic development, political empowerment, integrated service
provision, comprehensive planning, as well as job training and housing programs. These diverse
objectives and definitions have often left rural people questioning what is in their best interest
when it comes to local and regional development. Today, new models of rural economic
development are emerging to deal with the changing landscape of rural economies. These models
are linking past, current, and future strategies together as they attempt to provide rural
communities an opportunity to create a new and invigorating future.
Asset Based Vs Needs-Based Development Models:
The recent past has seen great emphasis based on Needs-based Development models which
seek to identify weaknesses in a local community and then implement strategies to overcome
those weaknesses. As a dynamic new concept Asset Based Assessment focusing on local assets,
instead of needs and deficits, allows residents to identify possibilities for change that they can
control, and energizes residents to take action. Financial resources are also viewed differently
within the assets-based model; grants and loans, for instance, are seen as gap-filling instruments,
rather than as guiding forces for the direction taken by the community. In this approach, a
community first organizes itself to identify local assets and, once these are identified, the
community residents become mobilized and reorganize their local assets to create a positive
future. Local assets may include individual, associational (voluntary organizations), institutional,
economic (including hidden economic assets such as the transfer of wealth upon death), cultural
and historic, and natural resource assets. Representatives of the community then map the assets
for visual presentation to the community. The important point in the asset-based model is that
mobilization of local citizens is a key component of local development efforts.
Economic Gardening:
Using local resources to grow their own jobs through entrepreneurial activity, or Economic
Gardening, instead of recruiting them from outside the community, or Economic Hunting. After
studying characteristics of high-growth companies experts found that it was not the size of a
company that predicted business success and growth, but the focus on innovation, new ideas and
processes, and unique products.
Enterprise Facilitation:
In the enterprise facilitation model, local community facilitators are identified and provide moral
and technical support for residents with dreams of becoming entrepreneurs. Where numerous
models of rural economic development are action-oriented, this particular model relies on word
of mouth to advertise the availability of an entrepreneurial facilitator. Enterprise facilitators are
“passive” in that they do not initiate any projects until a committed individual comes forward
with the enthusiasm to move the idea for a new or expanding business forward. After this
individual comes forward, the facilitator helps the individual find a “team” to help with all of the
functions that the individual may not have the skills or interest in completing for a business to be
a success. The facilitator helps build the team to support the potential entrepreneur. Then the
facilitator provides support to the potential entrepreneur by developing a formal business plan
and securing financing for the business. This model focuses on individual entrepreneurs who
have dreams (assets) of owning their own business in a rural community.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 13

Community-Based Entrepreneurial Training:
Another model of community and economic development is community-based entrepreneurial
training and support. This model, originally called EDGE (Enhancing Developing and Growing
Entrepreneurs), has now been adapted in the West. The EDGE program focuses on developing
local community capacity to identify emerging and existing entrepreneurs and provide technical
support to them. Research conducted on this model illustrates the importance of building
community capacity and culture to support entrepreneurial activity in rural communities and
regions. Statistical data has suggested that developing local coalitions focused on supporting
entrepreneurial activity locally increases the number of jobs created as well as the benefits paid
for the newly created jobs. Drawing upon an asset-based approach the Western EDGE model has
five primary objectives. They include:
1. Assisting entrepreneurs to create and evaluate their business plans.
2. Assisting new and current small business owners develop and implement their business
plans, and plan for business growth and expansion.
3. Providing program participants with follow-up support from their local communities.
4. Creating and retaining jobs through the start-up and expansion of small businesses.
5. Facilitating community capacity building by enhancing the structural field around
entrepreneurial endeavors.
Sustainable Development through Community Participation:
The most successful development interventions all over the world comprise Small
Manufacturers/ Growers Associations. Practical problems that are insurmountable on individual
basis are readily resolved through collective efforts. Careful guidance and support for quality
control assure marketing and provide financial security to disadvantaged groups from amongst
the populace. This is specifically true for Women’s Groups. The most successful Development
Schemes around the world have been and remain those of small producers. These consist of
banding together, provision of training, inputs and supervision, production, processing,
packaging and eventual sale. The complete support provided by a selfless and non-paternalistic
Organization based upon technological excellence has proved to be extremely effective in many
Countries around the World. These include the Developed as well as Developing Countries.
To achieve Poverty Eradication through self-reliant basic economy generation using the Comilla
Approach (Late Akhter Hameed Khan) for Rural (Service Centers) relying upon Social
Mobilization at Grass Roots level for Eco-Regional Development.
Tools:
o Survey and Data Collection.
o Impact Analysis (Social, Environmental, Economic - SEE).
o Bioenvironmental Management.
o Electronic/ Mobile-Commerce.
o Intensive Horticulture & Livestock Development.
o Micro Enterprise.
Operational Areas:
o Community Based Micro Enterprise/ Value Addition.
o Agriculture/ Horticulture/ Livestock.
o Minerals/ Chemicals.
o Services.
o Internal Tourism.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 14

Steps:
o Survey/ Collect Data.
o Build up Knowledge Banks (Cross Reference).
o Collate Data/ Prepare GIS.
o Establish HID Training/ Service Centers.
o Build up Organization for Area Development.
o Assess Assets/ Gather Resources.
o Prepare Short/ Medium and Long-Term Plans.
o Implement/ Evaluate/ Adjust.
o Monitor and carry out Impact Analysis.

Short Term Plan (1st Year):

 Processing Plants for food, beverage, livestock and dairy industry, Recycling, Wool
Spinning, Shawl/ Blanket Weaving, Silk Reeling, Textile Designing and Made-ups (Training and
Collective Production/ Marketing).
 Agriculture/ Horticulture/ Livestock: Small Growers/ Herders Associations for Organic
yields enhancement (Integrated Plant Nutrition/ Management Systems – IPN/MS)/ growing for
Export/ Import Replacement. Establishment of Resource Units – Nurseries/ Germplasm/
Embryos.
 Survey for Mineral Resources, Establishment of Small/ Medium/ Large-Scale Processing
Facilities.
 Training for Small/ Medium/ Large-Scale Chemicals Enterprises/ Marketing Support.
Target Groups:
Employment Generation for Disadvantaged Population Groups (Females, Landless, Wage
Workers), subject to availability of Funds, Service Center establishment for dissemination of
training/ demonstration of excellence for future expansion.
Food Systems Analyses:
Uncontrolled growth of urban communities adversely affects resources and facilities critical to
future food security. There is an urgent need to determine future demand, supply and distribution
of food to expanding urban communities; to design comprehensive systems in which rural crop
and livestock production are holistically integrated with reliable post-harvest preservation and
economic distribution from rural producers to urban processors and markets. There is need and
opportunities for mathematical simulation models to determine the most efficient channels and
times for rural to urban and intra-urban transportation of perishable foods. Opportunities are
apparent for employment in rural agribusiness, in primary processing of perishable food sources
to satisfy changing demands of urban consumers. Professionally competent systems analysts are
urgently needed to cooperate with scientists engaged in research and development for
agricultural and industrial biotechnologies. The author chairs an international working group that

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 15

studies and recommends on holistic integrated food systems. The group's aim is to help ensure
food security for nations and communities at various stages of development and need, nations
with access to a wide diversity of resources.
Past experience in farming and food systems analysis illustrates how development agencies and
governments must first analyze and understand what of relevance exists before prescribing
potential improvements. Food systems analysis first takes account of the opportunities and
resources needed for productive development, the constraints and risks contingent on adaptation
and adoption of unfamiliar innovations and novel technologies.
Industrial Biotechnologies:
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plants (PMPs):
Throughout the world the need and demand for improved health care are growing and
diversifying. In consequence, health care industries are changing in structure and activities. The
cost and time to discover and develop new drugs are becoming prohibitive for even the largest
corporations. The pharmaceutical industry is reforming into two complementary sectors: the
large drug companies supported by hundreds of 'specialist biotechnology' companies that provide
specific services under license or through other cooperative arrangements with larger
corporations or other health care providers. The demand for health care services may soon be
greater than can be sustained, particularly where governments seek to provide comprehensive
health care free of charge for all people. Secondly, plants have been genetically modifies to
produce valuable vaccines and medical inputs. Introduction of these plants will lead to local self-
reliance.
Food Security, Income and Poverty:
The ICSU-CASAFA report describes cultivable land as a fast-shrinking resource, and presses the
need to raise food crop yields and farm productivity throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The report specifies the following urgencies:
a) To protect and enhance the natural resource base: farm land, surface and ground water,
genetic diversity;
b) To reclaim and restore fertility in land degraded through misuse;
c) To promote systematic integration of production with post-production activities and to
stimulate establishment and maintenance of rural agro-industries;
d) To devote more research to land capacity classification, soil and water management, to
ecologically conservative land use.

The report illustrates the diversity, lack of consistency and many contradictions among
definitions of, and prescriptions for, sustainable agriculture. It states: "It is unhelpful to propose
any particular production system as sustainable in all ecologies, locations and societies. No
specific system is suitable and sustainable for all circumstances ... Donor agencies should not
seek to impose on poor farmers in developing nations systems designed to remedy wasteful
practices in more affluent agricultural economies." The report contends that donors assign
greater emphasis to agricultural production technologies than to post-production systems; to
policy, social and economic considerations. The report urges far greater support for post-
production systems; for technologies, logistics and economics of preservation, processing,
transport, distribution and utilization.
In simplest terms, food security depends upon a dynamic balance among disposable income,
demand, supply and distribution. Production of food crops, livestock and fisheries must
progressively increase to satisfy expanding and diversifying needs and demands of growing

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 16

populations. Efficient post-production systems, to ensure safe and effective protection,
preservation, transformation and distribution must be economically integrated with production
systems.
Food insecurity, chronic hunger and under-nutrition are both dismal consequences and clear
indicators of extreme poverty. People with money, power and control over negotiable assets
rarely suffer from chronic hunger. Alleviation of food insecurity requires greater opportunities
for paid employment and more equitable access to critical resources and assets among and within
nations.
Due to climatic variability, years with too little or too much rain, damage and destruction by
pests, parasites and pathogens, crop and livestock production inevitably change from year to
year. To compensate for years of poor harvests governments and/or regional organizations
should maintain reserve stocks to carry over surpluses from regions and seasons of abundance to
those of scarcity. The cost of holding reserve stocks should be calculated as an insurance
investment not an unwarranted expense.
Food security need not be synonymous with food self-sufficiency, a nation's ability to produce
all food required by its population. For diverse reasons: climate, topography, soil and climatic
conditions, many nations cannot be self-sufficient and must depend on food aid or imports.
Substantial reductions in food spoilage after harvest could be realized by establishing primary
food preservation and protection facilities in rural areas where crops are cultivated and animals
husbanded. Food saved from spoilage increases total food available and enhances food
availability and security.
Framework:
Thus, three separate but coordinated bodies need to work harmoniously together, in order to
achieve a practical and implementable Sustainable Development Action Plan. This is only
possible if a single controlling authority is provided the mandate to carry out the task. The three
bodies are:
Conservation Strategy (Technically qualified and experienced).
District Development Authoritiy (Highly experienced and locally staffed). Specializing in
Social Mobilization (Community Based Organizations, male and female), networking (Cluster
Groups) and Micro Finance for Micro Enterprise.
Human Resource Development {highly skilled and well equipped specializing in Hands on
Training (HOT)}.
A form of District Development Authority structure, as suggested elsewhere in can provide
government and locally elected interface quite effectively. deploy Management Tools to achieve
the desired results. Some such tools for use by the District Strategy Team are:
Field Survey.
Aerial Photography.
Satellite Imagery.
Ground Survey.
Field Sketch/ Plan.
Management Survey.
Job Analysis.
Job Evaluation.
Management Audit.
Reorganization/ re-equipment.
Monitoring & Evaluation.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 17

Field Survey:
Use: The use to which it will be put is what determines the scope and extent of a Field Survey
and consequently fixes a limit to its extent. We have the territory of a District for which a
Sustainable Development Action Plan is required. It would serve our purpose admirably to
prepare a Surface Condition Land Plan of a scale of 1 cm: 20 m. Separate sheets capable of being
superimposed upon each other would carry details of different categories. These categories could
be:
Administrative and Financial:
Demographic.
Revenue Estates/ Land Tenure.
Villages and Mohallahs.
Land values.
Zoning.
Historical, Cultural and Scientific.
Public Services:
Water Supply.
Sewerage.
Drainage.
Electricity
Telephone.
Gas.
Roads/ tracks.
Physical:
Agriculture.
Vegetation.
Wildlife.
Built-up Areas.
Topographical.
Hydrological.
Soil Conservation.
Geological.
Seismic.
Land use.
Land Capabilities.
Planning/ projections.
ESP: The afore mentioned maps would necessitate the gathering of Bench Mark data of
technical nature. It would establish the present conditions in graphical details. From this basis
and foundation it is possible to make a Sustainable Development Action Plan. This plan would
be an effort to shape/ guide and channelize physical growth and usage in accordance with the
principles of ESP:
Economically Feasible (Economic).
Socially Just (Sociological).
Environmentally Sound (Physical).
This would include improvement or re-planning of existing usage as well as determine a
framework for future usage. Thus the plans should cover projections of as many years into the
future as deemed necessary (10 years, 50 years, etc.). Due to lack of planning and control we are

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 18

saddled with Ribbon Development that takes place along main roads and highways. Each
individual seeks to extract maximum benefit from road frontage and builds as suits them the
most without consideration to the requirements of others or overall community requirements.
Legislation to prevent such development must be made and implemented at all costs in order to
avoid chaos and related civic problems.
Zoning: This is termed as the method of regulating Land use in accordance to the best use that
suits the overall community and the area itself by restricting usage and arranging components of
the area in relation to a specified plan. The overall distinction is made between the following
categories:
Urban.
Civic.
Business.
Industrial.
Residential.
Recreational.
Institutional.
Cultural Heritage.
Rural.
Built-up area.
Residential.
Commercial.
Institutional.
Agricultural.
Rangeland
Wilderness.
Forest.
Recreational.
Pristine.
Reserves.
Parks.
Protected Areas.
Heritage.
Zoning is important for Sustainability as well as the equitable public regulation of private and
government property. A zoning exercise is rigid only in so far as topological details are
concerned. Principles should be adhered to without going into too many details. This leaves
room for rational adjustments in accordance to future requirements. Use density in any sense is
specified and sustainability or using without using up or causing irretrievable damage is ensured.
Procedure: The procedure and manner of carrying out the exercise can be as follows (with
necessary alterations depending upon specific sites).
Declaration of Intent.
Submission of Plan and Budgetary estimates (1 month).
Government Sanction.
Invitation of Public objections (1 month).
Government consideration of objections, holding of inquiries if required and subsequent
sanction for preparation (1-2 months).
Preparation and publication in consultation with stakeholders (12 – 18 months).

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 19

 Invitation of Public objections to draft scheme (1 month).
Consideration of objections, modification of draft scheme if required and submission for
Government sanction (4 months).
Sanction of draft scheme and appointment of arbitrator.
Arbitrator proceedings for each area, publication of award and submission of detailed
proposal (6 - 12 months).
Scrutiny of proposals by Tribunal of Arbitration, public proceedings and decisions (4
months).
Final scheme forwarded to Government.
Final sanction after scrutiny and financial implications determination (5 months).
Enforcement (1 month after sanction). 36 to 48 months.
Objectives: The objectives of the exercise are:
Provides overall framework for Sustainable development.
Enables orderly expenditure of Public funds in prioritized manner on projects of
permanent, constructive and sustainable value.
Stimulates wider interest in and understanding of development and environmental issues.
Minimizes mutual conflict and brings about harmony and understanding between
different groups and members of society.
Ensures stimulation of and ensures basic economy generation.
Protection, preservation and enhancement of the economic, social, cultural,
environmental and aesthetic character of the District.
Bill:8 The urban sprawl and haphazard, unplanned construction in the District especially in the
thickly populated areas has created problems not only directly related to growth but has begun to
endanger the environment and our very way of life. It has therefore become necessary to
empower and give guidelines to the local bodies to immediately arrest such growth. Hence the
Bill to enable local councils in the Abbottabad District to specify areas for Land Use.
Whereas it is expedient to enable local councils in the Province to specify and designate areas in
their local limits for land use for the management of growth, encouraging comprehensive
planning, governing the development and use of land, regulating non-conforming use and to
preserve the environment and our way of life and matters ancillary thereto in a manner that is
economically feasible, socially just and environmentally sound in order to achieve Sustainable
Development.
It is hereby enacted as follows:
1. This act may be called the Abbottabad District Local Council Land Use & Sustainable
Development Enabling Act, 2001.
* A simple enabling provision could of course be inserted in an already existing Act;
however, this Act envisages the outline of the sort of zoning required by a Local Council.
1.1 It shall extend to the whole of the District.
1.2 It shall come into force at once.
* Although the Federal Government has declared certain Nature Reserves, there is no law
either Provincial or Federal that would enable any Department or Organization to do so.
2. In this Act unless the subject context otherwise requires:
“Construction” means any man made structure whether temporary or permanent, built upon the
land requiring displacement of earth or change in nature of the land.
“Designated” means designated by a Notification issued by the Local Council.
8
Anjum Saeed, Rotary Club Abbottabad.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 20

“Government” means Government of Abbottabad district.
“Local Areas” means an area under the jurisdiction of the Local Council.
“Local Council” means Local Council constituted under the N.W.F.P. Local Council Ordinance,
1979 but does not include the Union Council.
* Union Councils have been excluded from Local Councils, as it would create
insurmountable problems at that tier of Government.
“Record of Rights” means and includes the document detailed in section 39 of the N.W.F.P.
Land Revenue Act, 1967.
“Shamilat” means and includes any area so shown in record of rights.
“Zone” means an area specified or designated under this Act.
* The District should be enabled to plan and specify areas for particular use in order to
realize its own needs and secondly to involve the community itself in the exercise. The list of
zones has been shaped not to be overly specific but only to provide a framework towards
planning. It shall ensure that haphazard overlapping of each zone does not take place. At the
same time it would make it incumbent upon each Local Council to carry out zoning exercises as
the following section puts a moratorium upon all construction until this exercise is completed.
This list is not exhaustive and may need further vetting of town planning etc.
3. The Local Council shall designate the Local Areas within the Local Limits into one or
more of the following Zones:
Zone A.
Low density residential areas consisting of single or double story residential detached homes of
not less than 1 kanal plot size along with allied facilities and laid down setbacks.
Zone B.
Medium density residential areas consisting of double story houses of less than 1 Kanal plot size
with allied facilities and laid down setbacks.
Zone C.
High-density residential areas of no limit on plot sizes and erected structures and allied facilities
there upon.
Zone D.
Commercial area consisting of retail shops, bazaars and markets.
Zone E.
Commercial areas consisting of no limits, high rise shopping malls and other retail outlets and
commercial bazaars.
Zone F.
Commercial area consisting of service areas such as motor mechanics and other service
providers requiring large plot sizes.
Zone G.
Warehouses, godowns and mundies.
Zone H.
Industrial areas consisting of small and medium size industries and cottage industries.
Zone I.
Industrial areas of no limits large industries.
* The proviso will ensure that the courts could go into the question of malafide changes
thereby keeping a check upon such misuse.
Zone J.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 21

Agricultural area where no construction of more than 2000 sq. ft. is allowed for a minimum plot
of 3 acres or more.
* Urban area planning is already envisaged in the local body’s ordinance, however this
has not been implemented. This section will not only solve that problem but shall also include
the unplanned urbanization taking place in the rural areas.
Zone K.
Forest areas with regulated felling/ re-planting.
Zone L.
Rangelands for grazing/ pastures.
Zone M.
Natural reserves where no construction, agriculture, hunting or any human activity is allowed.
Zone N.
Shamilat land, community service areas such as parks, schools, mosques, grazing land,
graveyards, etc.
* The concept of Shamilat exists traditionally in our society. This concept is incorporated
in the record of rights; the absence of any law regulating the use of such land has defeated its
envisaged purpose of common village land to be used by its owners for collective benefit. This
section aims to remedy that problem and give to the local council large tracts of land which
could be used by them for community development and at the same time ensure and arrest
misappropriation by individual Deh owners and preserve village communities as we know them
today. It would also ensure resumption of all such land that has been encroached upon over the
years.
Zone O.
Any other zone with the prior permission of the Government.
* As the above section takes away the rights of the individual to make any construction
after the designation of the zones and it is envisaged that all areas of the District (except the
cantonments) shall be so zoned, it would be necessary to safeguard the existing construction.
However, it is also envisaged that at a point later in time these areas must also fall in line with
the designated zones as we have already allowed cancerous growth to overtake our cities and
villages.
4. The local council may redesignate any zone or change its boundaries with the prior
permission of the Government, provided that such a change or redesignation is not made
maliciously.
5. A complete moratorium is hereby placed upon all construction and land use in the
District until:
5.1 Master plan has been drawn under section 76 of the N.W.F.P. Local Government
Ordinance, 1979 and approved by the District Government.
5.2 The local council for the areas falling within their local limits specifies zones.
6. Ownership and possession of Shamilat lands shall be deemed to vest exclusively in the
local council within whose local area the Shamilat is situated.
7. The existing construction legally made before the commencement of this Act shall
remain outside the ambit of this law until a procedure is laid down by the local council in the
rules framed under this Act whereby a time frame shall be set out to put the existing construction
in conformity with the zones specified under this Act.
8. The local council may:
8.1 Make rules to carry out the purpose of this Act.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 22

8.2 Make byelaws to further manage, control and govern the zones designated by the local
council.
9. Legal implications:
9.1 Who ever contravenes the purpose of this Act or the rules or byelaws made under this Act
shall be punished with fines extending up to Rs. Five Hundred Thousand.
9.2 The Court trying an offense under this Act shall order the demolition of any construction
in contravention of the specified zone.

Sardar Taimur Hyat-Khan Page 23