Greening saline waste land with peoples participation in Faisalabad, Pakistan

Limitation to agricultural productivity is imposed by the root zone salinity. The salinity problem was occurred through rise in water table and deposition of salts on the surface through capillary action. In Pakistan, about 6.8 million hectares area is salt affected and is causing annual losses of 3 billion US dollar. For combating salinity, the engineering options like constructing side drainage through tube well, surface drains, subsurface tile drains and on farm water management problem are becoming expensive and energy intensive. As an alternative, establishment of salt tolerant plants through peoples participation are being more advocated to deal with the problem. The people form a group called "Saline Agriculture Farmer Association" and the programs are implemented through the people's participation. A wide range of salt tolerant plant material has been screened for successful introduction. Saline agriculture technology (cultivation of salt tolerant plants on saline lands) is a low input technology, farmer oriented and environment friendly having profound effect on physical, chemical and biological parameters of the soil. Moreover, economic returns from saline environments are conceivable with in a span of few months.