The Pakistan Expert Group on prevention and control of desertification visited the Institute of Desertification Studies (IDS), Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF) on 21 November 2012. The Expert Group is from National Sustainable Land Management Project of Ministry of Climate Change, including, Mr. Muhammad Khalid Siddiq, National Project Director, Mr. Amjad Tahir Virk, National Coordinator of SLM Project, Mr. Tayyab Shahzad, Director of Land Use Planning, Mr. Miran Jan Kakar, Provincial Project Director.

The Expert Group gained insight of the organizational structure/priority research areas of the IDS/CAF. Dr. Qi Lu, Director of IDS, CAF introduced the technology for prevention and control of desertification in China. The researcher group of IDS attended the technical discussion and exchanged viewpoints with the Pakistan expert group. The Pakistan Expert Group highly appreciated the achievement that China made in terms of prevention and control of desertification, rehabilitation of land degradation, mitigation of the effects of drought and the fight against dust and sandstorm in the country.

 

During the visit, the Expert Group investigated demonstration sites of nature preservation and desert/dryland management and development in Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia and the afforestation and reforestation experimental center in Dengkou, Inner Mongolia. The Expert Group also visited the National Bureau to Combat Desertification, State Forestry Administration, P.R. China, and had in-depth exchange of views with scientists group of GEF-OP12 National Project Management Bureau. The Pakistan scientists had a fruitful visit and are expecting to have further cooperation on scholar exchanges, technology transfer and development between the concerned agencies and institutions of Pakistan and China.

  

Photo 1: Dr. Lu Qi introduces DLDD issues and approaches in China to the Pakistan Expert Group on

Photo 2: Dr. Amjad Virk briefing the research group of IDS on SLM project in Pakistan.

Photo 3: Both Pakistani Expert Group and Chinese researcher group are satisfied with the fruitful visit of Pakistan Expert Group.