AbbottabadState of the Environment and Development The designation of geographical entities in this book and the presentation of material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Published by: IUCN, Sarhad Programme. Copyright: © 2004 International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Pakistan, and the Government of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). Abbottabad—State of the Environment and Development was prepared by the Government of the NWFP (Planning and Development Department) in collaboration with IUCN-The World Conservation Union. It was supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The contents of this document and the opinions expressed do not constitute an endorsement by the SDC. Citation is encouraged. Reproduction and/or translation of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior written permission from IUCN Pakistan, provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission from IUCN Pakistan. Citation: IUCN Pakistan (2004). Abbottabad—State of the Environment and Development. IUCN Pakistan and NWFP: Karachi, Pakistan. xii +136 pp. Editor: Firuza Pastakia ISBN: 969-8141-72-3 Design and layout: Creative Unit (Pvt.) Ltd. Printed by: Rosette Printers, Karachi Available from: IUCN-The World Conservation Union, Pakistan Sarhad Programme Office House No. 109, Sarhad Office Road Defence Officers Colony Khyber Road, Peshawar Tel: 091-5271728/5276032 Fax: 091-5275093 IUCN-Abbottabad Office District Government Secretariat Abbottabad Tel: 0992-9310358 Fax: 0992-332449 www.acs.iucnp.org Contents Abbreviations iv Introduction vi Reader»s Guide vii Executive Summary viii PART I BACKGROUND 1. Abbottabad District Profile 2 2. Prioritising Issues 17 PART II GREEN SECTORS 3. Agriculture and Horticulture 21 4. Forests and Watersheds 30 5. Livestock and Poultry 39 6. Grazing Land and Fodder Reserves 44 7. Biodiversity, Parks and Protected Areas 49 8. Fisheries 54 PART III BROWN SECTORS 9. Mining 57 10. Energy 60 11. Waste Water and Solid Waste Management 65 12. Land Use Planning and Zoning 70 PART IV SOCIO-ECONOMIC SECTORS 13. Education 74 14. Health and Population Welfare 89 15. Infrastructure: Roads and Communications 96 16. Drinking Water 99 17. Ecotourism 104 18. Enterprise Development 109 19. Culture 114 20. Gender 117 PART V INTER-SECTORAL THEMES 21. Cross-Cutting Themes 123 Annex 1: Technical Terms and Concepts 127 Annex 2: Bibliography 132 Annex 3: Map of District Abbottabad 135 ABBREVIATIONS ACS Abbottabad Conservation Strategy ADB Asian Development Bank ADP Annual Development Programme AMC Ayub Medical College and Hospital Complex ASSD Abbottabad Strategy for Sustainable Development BADP Barani Area Development Project CBO Community-Based Organisation CCS Chitral Conservation Strategy CNG Compressed Natural Gas EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMW Ever-Married Woman EPB Export Promotion Bureau FEF Frontier Education Foundation GDA Galliyat Development Authority GoNWFP Government of the North-West Frontier Province GoP Government of Pakistan HHTIT Hazara Hill Tract Improvement Trust IIED International Institute for Environment and Development IUCN The World Conservation Union KfW Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau KPP Khushhal Pakistan Programme L&DD Livestock and Dairy Development Department LPG Liquefied Petroleum Gas MC Municipal Committee MSU Multi-Donor Support Unit NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NHA National Highway Authority NRCP Natural Resource Conservation Project NSSD National Strategies for Sustainable Development NWFP North-West Frontier Province OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development PCRET Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy and Technology iv Abbottabad State of the Environment and Development Abbreviations PEP-ILE Primary Education Programme-Improvement of the Learning Environment PHED Public Health Engineering Department PHP Project for Horticultural Promotion PIDC Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation PPAF Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund PRC Potato Research Centre SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SIE Small Industries Estate SoED State of the Environment & Development SPADE Society for Public Awareness and Development Economics SPCS Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy SRSP Sarhad Rural Support Programme SUNGI SUNGI Development Foundation TMA Town Municipal Administration UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme WB World Bank WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development WTTC World Travel and Tourism Council WWF World Wide Fund for Nature ZTBL Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited Abbottabad State of the Environment and Development v INTRODUCTION he challenge of preparing a lower-tier development strategy must by necessity focus on issues particular to the district. In the case of Abbottabad, this effort was T stymied right from the start by the glaring absence of reliable statistics for various sectors. No formal impact assessment studies were available and no independent critical analysis of development initiatives appeared to have been undertaken. The lack of baseline indicators to serve as a foundation for remedial proposals required that such a study be conducted. The State of the Environment and Development (SoED) was developed in response to this need, so that the most recent available data on various sectors could be brought together in a single volume. The SoED examines the current status of key sectors that have a direct bearing on development in the district. It takes stock of initiatives completed or in the pipelines and critically examines lessons provided by these efforts. This document is based on the findings of individual sector papers that were commissioned and finalised after broad interaction with stakeholders. By compiling and condensing these studies, the SoED serves as a snapshot of the district. The wealth of statistical information here is intended to provide a platform for informed decision making. It is our hope that this document serves as a benchmark study, to be updated at regular intervals, so that the process of systematic data gathering set in motion here can become an integral part of all future planning. vi Abbottabad State of the Environment and Development READER»S GUIDE he structural framework for the SoED and its companion pub- lication, the Abbottabad Strategy for Sustainable Develop- ment (ASSD), was developed simultaneously so that each T document, while standing alone, would also reflect the con- tent of the other. The SoED lays the groundwork for an integrated development vision for Abbottabad, examining in depth the current status of key sectors. This volume is designed for sector specialists and those seeking a deeper understanding of the on-ground realities under- pinning the strategic development vision outlined in the ASSD. The SoED begins with an overview of the district, covering physical geog- raphy, climate and land use patterns, as well as demographic and socio- economic indicators. Broader themes that impact human development, including poverty, unemployment, society and culture, are examined along with current institutional arrangements. The strategy formulation process is described, outlining the public consultation exercises held to identify issues that were relevant to the people of Abbottabad. The heart of this document consists of a detailed analysis of 18 core areas, which are discussed in individual chapters. Besides compiling statistical data, these chapters aim to assess the contribution of major players and examine the lessons that have been learned from previous development initiatives. The concluding chapter takes a step back from sectoral analyses to examine broader themes that have a wide-ranging impact on development efforts in all sectors. These cross-cutting themes are highlighted to ensure that they are kept in mind while planning remedial measures targeted at specific sectors. Abbottabad State of the Environment and Development vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY bbottabad district is home to an estimated 928,000 individuals, with the vast majority living in rural areas. Although just 18.6% of the district’s A residents currently make their home in the cities, deepening poverty is leading to increasing urbanisation. Spread over 178,401 ha of predominantly mountainous terrain, population density in the district is high, at 466 persons per km2. Forests cover an area of 39,395 ha, or a little over 20% of the district, accounting for 5.4% of the total forest resources of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). The majority of Abbottabad’s forested area is today so severely denuded that only 29% of forests support a density greater than 50%. Meanwhile, the gap between use and regenerative capacity continues to widen. Overall, some 48% of land in the district is under agriculture and land use intensity is high. Agriculture is the mainstay of the district’s economy but the sector operates at a subsis- tence level. Of the 63,000 ha under cultivation, only 11% is irrigated. The remaining 56,000 ha of farmland depends exclusively on rain. As a result, per-hectare yields are low, and local demand for cereal crops such as maize and wheat viii Abbottabad State of the Environment and Development Executive Summary