Arid university plants kiwi saplings

'Pakistan could fight climate change by increasing green cover'

RAWALPINDI:

Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) started kiwi tree plantation drive in the Potohar region for the first time on Saturday.

The project, under the Prime Minister Clean and Green Campaign, was inaugurated by PMAS-AAUR Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Qamar Zaman at its Koont Research Farm. While addressing the participants, VC said that planting saplings was a virtue, and the highest of which was planting a fruit-bearing one. He added that the project was aimed climatise kiwi plants in the Potohar region, adding that the measure would be profitable for the locals.

Dr Zaman said that the challenge bigger than planting saplings was nurturing them. He expressed that Pakistan was among the countries highly affected by climate change. But, by increasing its green cover, the country could not only fight climate change but also export fruits to different countries to earn foreign exchange.

Hailing the green initiatives taken by the government, Dr Zaman urged the people to fully participate in the plantation drive launched by the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2020.