An olive plantation project costing Rs 14.585 million is being launched at Akakhel Maira of Bara Tehsil in Khyber Agency under the Sustainable Plans Development Program (SPDP). The project envisages establishment of community farms on 2000 acres land under an agreement with local tribesmen.
The project, when completed, would be handed over to the owners of the land, said a press release issued by Media Cell of Fata Secretariat on Friday. The Project Director Sustainable Development Program Rahmat Jan has said that olive gardens project is likely to be completed within three years in close collaboration with the tribal elders of Bara Tehsil.
He further said that olive is valuable source of foreign exchange earning and olive project will help improve the socio-economic life of tribesmen. He added that at present precious exchange is being spent on the import of olive oil and this project is a step forward to attain autarky in olive oil besides generating employment opportunities in the area.
He explained that community physical infrastructure ie tubewells, farms, roads, community dams and appropriate irrigation system is being laid out in the area to make the project a success. The Project Director said that community farm Bazaar Zakha Khel costing Rs 14.780 million is another project under which pistachio, pomegranate and almond orchards have been established on 1050 acres wasteland of Bazaar Zaka Khel area of Khyber agency.
The survival rate of fruit plants is more than 90 percent and the communities have offered other potential sites for community farms. 15 community farms have been established on 21050 acres wasteland iin Kurram, Mohmand and Khyber Agencies under the SPDP. A sum of Rs 216.084 million has been allocated for the purpose out of which Rs 196.518 million have been spent till June 2008.