CHAKOTHI (Kashmir English): The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has started an Olive Plantation Drive to distribute five lakh olive trees throughout the region as a major piece of agricultural progress and economic empowerment. Through this campaign the local olive production will increase significantly while farmers expect to receive multiple crores of profit.
Students together with teachers and educational institutions play an active role in supporting the plantation initiative. The department started olive cultivation training which has taught both academia and youth about practical olive farming knowledge and understanding of its manufacturing potential.
The Nazim Agriculture Extension officer Amna Rafi disclosed this information to audience members at two educational facilities situated in Chakothi. Addressing the participants, she highlighted that the government is offering olive saplings to farmers at a quarter of the actual cost. This subsidy is to ensure that more people can benefit from this project and contribute to making it a success, she expressed.
The event also featured addresses from Deputy District Education Officer Abdul Ghafoor Abbasi, Deputy Director Syed Murtaza Gilani, Principal Raja Abdul Qayyum of Captain Sarwar Shaheed School Chakothi, Qari Abdul Rahim, Chief Organiser of Pakistan Zindabad, and Basic Need Organiser Qasim Bashir Mughal. Throughout their speeches the speakers emphasized the significance of tree planting along with highlighting the dual environmental and economic advantages of olive tree cultivation.
Students and teachers and officials from the Agriculture Department joined forces at the school premises to plant olive saplings as part of a symbolic tree plantation activity after the speech event. The participation was marked by enthusiasm and a strong sense of purpose.
A separate event was also organised at the Girls’ High School in Chakothi, where female students actively took part in learning about and participating in olive tree plantation.
Through this initiative the government demonstrates its dedication to agricultural reform and commitment to community participation and youth involvement for sustainable development. The olive plantation initiative functions as a sustainable business operation which benefits Azad Kashmir’s fiscal and ecological frameworks simultaneously.
