Twenty
seven members formed the Gulibagh CBO on the 12th of February
2002, after the village was introduced to the objectives and
activities of the Palas Conservation and Development Project
(PCDP). Seven members had shown an interest in starting an orchard
and the toss had to decide that Mullah Khan and his three brothers
Ahmad Jalal, Abdur Rahman and Amal Khan got the 40 pomegranate
saplings (“Qandahari” variety) provided by the project
for this 'demonstration' orchard. The saplings were obtained
by the project from a private nursery in Manglawar, Mingora/Swat,
which was initially set up by the famous Swiss “Tutti
Frutti” project in 1995.
When the Program Officer (PO) for Agriculture arrived at the
plot, two of the brothers and their four helpers (who contributed
their labour on “hashar”= exchange basis) were busy
digging the holes. As advised by the PO, they should be 2 feet
wide and deep. Although the saplings would not be planted that
deep, the stones removed from the hole would give a soft space
for the roots to expand vertically.
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Mullah Khan is on looking, while one of the labourers
digs a hole
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Mullah Khan and his brothers will also plant a hedge around
the orchard. The PCDP gave the plants, the technical advice
and the inputs of fertilizer for the first 3 years, by when
the young saplings – only ¼ inch thick at the time
of planting – will have grown to be 1-2 inches in diameter
and bear their first fruits.
There will be ± 15-20 fruits per tree in the 1st year,
up to 100 in the 2nd year until, when the pomegranate tree will
have fully matured after 7-8 years, an average of between 300-500
fruits will be produced per year.
Mullah Khan lives a bit further down from the main road, just
below the big wild Parsimon tree, where the party-flag of Maulana
Fazlur Rehman is erected next to a hujra.
For the first 2-3 years after planting, the four farmers
will still cultivate the traditional maize crop, which will
bring an income of 3-4 maunds (= 1200 Rupees + 300 Rupees
value of stalks as cattle feed). After the maturity of the
pomegranate orchard, it was recommended by the project to
grow vegetables, as the plough cannot operate there anymore
and the income from growing all kinds of short stature vegetables,
like peas, tomatoes, carrots, raddish and turnips could raise
the income above 2000 Rupees for the same field, which measures
around 3000 square feet (= 11 “marlas”).
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Ahmad
Jalal watering his newly planted pomegranate saplings
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The rest of the calculation for the farmer should also be
encouraging: multiplying 300 fruits x 40 plants = 12000; given
that 6 pieces make a kilogram and Qandahari pomegranates sell
at 40 Rupees in the Pattan bazaar (60/= in Islamabad), Mullah
Khan will have a net income of 60000-65000 Rupees out of his
2000 kg, after he has deducted the 15000-20000 Rupees input
for fertilizer and spraying per year.
The PCDP and the villagers of Gulibagh will surely observe
the success of this orchard !
The wild pomegranate bushes around these two terraces will
still be collected to make use of their medicinal and culinary
properties.
Klaus Euler, Co-Director/CTA, 28.02.02, Gulibagh,
Kuz Palas, Kohistan
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