Germany to fund afforestation project

Islamabad : The Federal Republic of Germany has committed 20 million euros funding for the second phase of the Billion Tree Afforestation Support Project in Pakistan.

The agreement was signed by Director of the German Development Bank KfW Esther Gravenkotter and Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Dr. Kazim Niaz following approval from economic affairs minister Ahad Cheema.

According to officials, the initiative is a key component of the German-Pakistan Climate and Energy Initiative launched at COP26, with the German government actively aiding Pakistan’s efforts to mitigate climate risks through the Pak-German Climate and Energy Partnership (PGCEP). With this latest funding, total German support for BTASP has reached €33.5 million, building on the €13.5 million already allocated for the project's first phase, which is currently underway in collaboration with the KP Climate Change, Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department. The BTASP aims to protect and sustainably manage forests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by planting 10,000 hectares of new trees, enhancing the capacity of Forest Departments, and developing a Management Information System. Also, the project will engage local communities as vital stakeholders in forest conservation and support nature-based livelihoods to help alleviate poverty.