Pakistan implementing SLMP to combat desertification: Mushahidullah

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Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Mushahidullah Khan has said that Pakistan is implementing Sustainable Land Management Programme (SLMP) to combat desertification.

The minister expressed these views while addressing the Conference of Parties session 13 to Combat Desertification in China, said a press release received here on Tuesday.

Mushahidullah said, “Pakistan recognizes the serious problem of land degradation and desertification and has developed its national action program to fight the problem. The government is implementing Sustainable Land Management Program (SLMP) to combat desertification in collaboration with the provincial government. This program is jointly funded by Global Environment Facility, United Nations Development Program and government of Pakistan.”

He said that Pakistan is severely affected by land desertification and degradation like many other countries.

“About 80 percent area of the country is arid or semi arid and is prone to land degradation” he added.

He said two third of its human population depends on these dry lands for their livelihood.

He also said that the country has a fast growing population of 210 million people and most of the rural population survives on the fragile rain fed lands prone to desertification.