IUCN holds workshop on Salinity in Karachi

Karachi, 20 December 2021 (TDI): Pakistan International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) held a workshop on the Salinity issue. The organization is collaborating with its partner local organizations which include Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University (MNSUAM), Society of Facilitators and Trainers (SOFT), and Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET).

It has also included an international partner, Charles Sturt University from Australia. The meeting between all entities was specifically held in light of creating progress towards tackling the issue of increasing salinity within the Sindh region.

One of the aims of such a workshop was to explore ways the local partners could increase their cooperation with local communities to establish ways of creating better and more sustainable water management plans as well as inland systems for areas that were specifically affected by the issue of salinity.   

Discussions took place between the representatives of the project Adapting to Salinity in the Southern Indus Basin which received funding from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) as well as by international representatives of the said project via an online platform. 

Dialogues on the analysis of the saline-affected areas were exchanged on the basis of information collected on the expected level and the nature of salinity within the targeted areas. 

Furthermore, a one-day excursion to Keti Bunder, one of the areas that were heavily affected by salinity was also organized. This was done to gather first-hand information on the nature of the salinity and draw plans of how livelihood can be established with this salinity. 

The meeting was concluded with Dr. Micheal Mitchell, the project leader from Charles Sturt University admiring the enthusiasm and commitment of the local partners to this project as was illustrated in the workshops. He expressed it was this enthusiasm and energy to change and improve Pakistan’s most impoverished areas that could truly make a difference. 

Furthermore, Dr. Bakhshal Lashari also praised the partners and donors for their generous contributions towards this project and duly expressed the hope to see this project improve the standard of living within the communities of the coastal regions of Pakistan.

Further, Naveed Soomro, the manager of said project voiced the importance of the issues caused by salinity within Sindh, describing it as a matter of great concern. It increased the issue of food insecurity by rendering the soil infertile, he expressed his hope for this situation to be reversed for a sustainable future. 

What is the IUCN? 

IUCN or the International Union for Conservation of Nature is an international body consisting of partnerships with governments and civil societies around the world. Using information and research conducted by membership organizations greater than 1400 in number along with suggestions from experts which constitute more than 1800, it designs projects and agreements to conserve the natural world.