NATIONAL
CONSERVATION
STRATEGY (NCS)
Mudassar Arabi 2009-MS-ENV-02
Ahmad Ameen 2009-MS-ENV-07
Hammad 2009-MS-ENV-
NATIONAL CONSERVATION
STRATEGY (NCS)
NationalConservation Strategy approved
by the Cabinet in March 1992.
Since1992, NCS has served as de facto
environmental policy of Pakistan.
THREE OVER- RIDING
OBJECTIVES OF NCS
1. Conservation of Natural Resources
2. Sustainable Development
3. Improved efficiency in the use and
management of resources
NCS ATTRIBUTES
14 Core Programme Areas
A total68 specific programmes
Each with long-term goal, expected results, and
resource investments
Rs.150.7billion recommended investment
including Rs.52 billion from private sector
NCS ATTRIBUTES
14 Core Programme Areas
A total68 specific programmes
Each with long-term goal, expected results, and
resource investments
Rs.150.7billion recommended investment
including Rs.52 billion from private sector
NCS 14 CORE PROGRAMME
AREAS
1. Monitoring soils in croplands
2. Increasing irrigation efficiency
3. Protecting watersheds
4. Supporting forestry and plantations
5. Restoring rangelands and improving
livestock
6. Protecting water bodies and fisheries
7. Conserving biodiversity
NCS 14 CORE PROGRAMME
AREAS
8. Increasing energy efficiency
9. Developing and deploying renewable
10. Controlling pollution
11. Managing urban waste
12. Supporting institutions
13. Integrating population and environment
programmes
14. Preserving cultural heritage
1- CROPLANDS
Less than 20% of 88 million hectares of Pakistan
is suitable for agriculture
Lowest levels of output per hectare
17% of the land used for farming, forestry, or
ranching is affected by water erosion
8% of the country land suffers from wind erosion
9% of the country land suffers from Salinity
96% of land is in low levels of organic matter
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
CROPLANDS
Gypsum application on sodic soils,
Increased organic manure application,
Saline agriculture,
Green manuring by leguminous crops,
Direct or indirect return to the soil of crop
residues, and
Soil conservation works in rainfed croplands.
2- IRRIGATION
Only 30% of the water tapped in the Indus Basin
are intended for crops
Groundwater is another source for irrigation, but
nearly 90% of the annual recharge of groundwater
is already drawn up by tubewells.
groundwater is that it contains much more salt
than canal water;
water supplies is based on a rotational system
supply system
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
IRRIGATION
To increase irrigation efficiency, an investment of
Rs. 18.5 billion is suggested in four programmes:
irrigation system rehabilitation,
command water management,
on-farm water management, and
improved water harvesting in torrent irrigated areas.
17,000 kilometers of the canal system needs to be
rehabilitated
3- WATERSHEDS
Watershed lands in the upper Indus River and its
tributaries suffer from both unfavorable soil and
water conditions and poor management.
Erosion in these areas accelerates, soil is being
washed down into the reservoirs on which
irrigation depends.
Community participation is needed as much in
watershed management as it is in improving
irrigation efficiencies.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
WATERSHEDS
Creating multi-disciplinary extension and support
teams of foresters, agronomists, civil engineers,
and community organizers.
These teams can help prepare provincial, district,
and local action plans, with the goal of protecting
10% of the total watershed area.
Providing information on run-off control
measures and conservation structures.
4- FORESTRY AND PLANTATION
Nation’s wealth of biological diversity.
4.57 million hectares, 5.2% of the area of Pakistan.
7,000-9,000 hectares a year are being lost to deforestation.
Loss of forest vegetation during the last few decades as
single trees have been felled or lopped off by local people
needing fuel.
Forests play important ecological roles:
they protect soil from eroding or blowing away
reduces sedimentation in reservoirs.
Forests slow down the runoff, thus reducing
floods.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
FORESTRY
The NCS recommends investing Rs. 5.84 billion over
the next decade to support forests and plantations
through six programmes:
Intensive management of critical forest areas
Afforestation on marginal private lands by land
owners
Community forestry
Linear plantation
Urban plantations
Courtyard/social forestry
5- RANGELANDS AND LIVE
STOCK
Desertification is the cause of the loss of biological
productivity of drylands
Rangelands are now only producing at 15-40%
Livestock contribute some 30% of the gross
domestic product generated by the agricultural
sector.
The livestock sector is a prime candidate for the
recycling and more efficient use of resources.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
RANGELAND AND
LIVESTOCK
Torestore rangelands and improve livestock
quality, three programmes and an investment of
Rs. 2.56 billion are called for:
Community-based range management,
Selective sand dune stabilization, and
Disseminating high-yield variety fodder and
improving
Livestock quality.
6- WATER BODIES AND
FISHERIES
A 90% of tropical marine species pass at least one stage
of their life cycle in mangrove Forests
Deltas covered by mangroves are four to seven times
more productive
Critical link between fisheries and mangroves is
acknowledged
Projects are likely to have a considerable impact on
marine and coastal resources.
Products of fisheries accounted for 3-5%
Considerable scope exists in Pakistan to expand
aquaculture
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
WATER BODIES AND
FISHERIES
Seven programmes and an investment of Rs. 1.3
billion are suggested in order to protect water bodies
and sustain fisheries:
sustaining mangroves under reduced freshwater inflows,
improved handling of marine catch
ancillary employment programme for fishers
use of wastelands for fish farming
integration of fish farming into agro-pastoral systems
pen fish culture in small reservoirs using fruit or vegetable
wastes
promotion of integrated pest management
7- BIODIVERSITY
Great variety and richness of flora and fauna and of
wildlife habitats
nine major ecological zones and 21 out of 22 of the
recognized Asian wetland types
The greater threat to Pakistan’s biodiversity
Hunting Pressure
Killing of Trees
Excessive Grazing
Industrial Pollution
Expanding Settlements
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
BIODIVERSITY
Toconserve biodiversity, the NCS recommends
investing Rs. 1.08 billion in seven programmes:
management of national parks and protected areas,
development of new national parks,
development of new wetland reserves,
a medical botanics and germplasm preservation
programme,
community management of game reserves,
programmes for endangered species, and
captive breeding in the private sector.
8- ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Pakistan is both energy-poor and energy wasteful.
Known gas reserves have a life expectancy of just 16
years, and domestic oil production meets less than a
quarter of needs.
Industrial waste is a source of energy that is
increasingly being tapped in industrial nations.
Cogeneration involves burning waste from industrial
processes to provide energy for a factory.
It tackles two problems at once: waste disposal and
energy needs.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Thefive programmes to increase energy efficiency
over the next decade require the third largest
investment called for in the NCS Rs. 21.5 billion:
energy conservation by reducing transmission and
distribution losses,
energy conservation in large industries
energy conservation in buildings, retrofits
appliances,
energy-efficient cooking programme
cogeneration in industrial units
9- RENEWABLE ENERGY
Renewable energy sources are fairly undeveloped in
Pakistan.
Renewable energy sources are
Hydropower
Biogas Plants
Fuel Wood
Windmill pumps
Solar water heaters
Solar cookers
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
RENEWABLE ENERGY
TheNCS recommends spending Rs. 6.34 billion in 1992-
2001 on seven programmes to develop and deploy
renewable energy sources:
developing and deploying biogas units,
developing and deploying open-core gasifiers and solid-state
fermentation units,
developing and deploying solar water heaters and solar cookers,
developing and deploying windmill pumps,
energy from wood fuel plantations,
development of micro- and mini-hydel plants, and
applied research and development of wind energy farms.
10- POLLUTION
Sources of pollution
Industry
Transportation
Cities
Farming
Pakistan generates 47,920 tonnes of solid waste a day.
53% of the population has access to safe water.
Gastrointestinal diseases account for 25-30%.
Rivers become mere sewage carriers at low-flow periods due
to the lack of urban waste disposal services.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
POLLUTION
Preventingand abating pollution requires the second largest
investment called for in the NCS — Rs. 22 billion for seven
programmes over the next decade:
shifting industry composition towards environmentally benign
processes and products,
integrating clean, low-waste technology in new large manufacturing,
retrofitting of pollution abatement equipment in existing formal
industry,
collection and treatment of wastes of urban small industries,
refineries upgrading programme,
vehicle tune-up and related programmes, and
setting up compressed natural gas stations.
11- URBAN WASTE
48,000 tonnes of solid waste generated each day in Pakistan.
19,170 tonnes comes from Cities.
To manage urban wastes in the next 10 years, the NCS
recommends spending Rs. 13.35 billion on four programmes:
garbage collection and disposal,
energy-from-waste plants,
wastewater treatment of livestock farms, and
construction of oxidation ditches and other biological treatment of
wastes.
12- INSTITUTIONS FOR
COMMON RESOURCES
Community organizations are essential for the success of
efforts to better manage Pakistan’s use and maintenance of
natural resources.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can be supported by
federal, provincial, and local governments in the establishment
of these institutions.
Local bodies should be encouraged to consult with the
institutions for common resources on the preparation of
district development plans.
13- POPULATION AND
ENVIRONMENT
Sixth most populated country in the world.
45% of the population is under the age of 15, putting a heavy
burden on adult population.
Substantial share of deaths in Pakistan are of infants and
children.
Infant mortality rate has only recently started to fall.
Fertility rate declines expected to follow urbanization.
Karachi alone accounts for one-fifth of urban dwellers.
one-quarter of the urban population lives in illegal settlements.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
POPULATION
In order to integrate population and environment
programmes, Rs. 14 billion needs to be spent during the next
10 years on three programmes:
accelerationof conventional population welfare programme
through health system and NGOs,
involvement of resource sector extension agents in disseminating
family planning goals, and
intensive population programme in fragile areas with high fertility
rates.
14- CULTURAL HERITAGE
Pakistan has a rich cultural heritage of archealogical remains,
monuments, old cities, and historic and architecturally
significant buildings and Streets.
Resources have both aesthetic and economic values.
Natural deterioration of these sites is being accelerated by
vandalism, urban pressures, encroachment, and insensitive
restoration.
Only 146 out of 1,799 historical monuments and 33 out of 112
archaeological sites identified thus far have been conserved to
date.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Preserving the cultural heritage of Pakistan will require an
investment of Rs. 2.45 billion from 1992-2001 in six
programmes:
area conservation in large urban centers of historical and cultural
significance and shopping precincts,
area conservation in small historic towns,
conservation of historical monuments and buildings,
conservation of archaeological sites, monuments, and forts,
restoration of buildings of architectural merit, and
identification and documentation of traditional resource
conserving cultural practices.
IMPLEMENTING THE
NCS
Peoplethemselves are not the problem.
Indeed, they must be part of the solution.
Plansto hold workshops with key sectors
of society on its implementation
The NCS cannot succeed without the
cooperation of the people of Pakistan, its
ultimate resource.
THANKS
