Caritas helps Pakistan’s desert farmers

(March 06, 2010) The south eastern Nagarparkar town in the Thar Desert can now grow its own vegetables thanks to a Caritas program. Hindu peasants here are lauding Caritas Pakistan Hyderabad (CPH) for irrigating their lands in this area in Sindh province along the Pakistan-India border. From 2001-2003, Caritas built four dams and 18 ponds here. “After six years, the water table in the area has risen 40 feet (12 meters), and as a result, 40 wells are functioning properly,” said Mumtaz Bashir, coordinator of the CPH Livelihood Program. “Forty thousand people are thus able to get water now and most of them started cultivation last year.” During the February 25-March 2 campaign, Caritas workers held seminars and distributed 5,000 mostly mango saplings to hospitals, Catholic schools, NGOs and even rangers at checkpoints. “Global warming is affecting us, the rains have diminished and pollution has increased. We must grow plants to sustain the water level in the desert region,” Bashir told peasants gathered at a Catholic school in Abasar village on March 2. He urged farmers to grow vegetables near their bathrooms and kitchens to maximize the use of water. Khanu, a Hindu farmer, said: “We used to depend on rain water before, so Caritas’ help is a blessing.” He added that growing fruit trees would also be beneficial for his livelihood. The CPH Livelihood Program started in 2008. It runs courses on bio sand water filtration, soil fertility, water conservation, tree planting, kitchen gardening and the use of fuel-efficient stoves.