On Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the Billion Tree Honey (BTH) program aiming to produce 70,000 metric tons of honey that will generate an income of about Rs35-43 billion, providing about 87,000 green jobs.
The launch ceremony for the program was held in Islamabad, as part of the policy initiative of the “’Clean and Green Pakistan”, under the banner of Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (TBTTP).
The plan will oversee the plantation of plants including Kao, Phulai, Ber, Kikar and other bee flora is being encouraged under TBTTP. “It is estimated that about 10,000 beekeepers are using 300,000 colonies for producing 7,500 metric tons of honey annually,” the official statement said, “It is anticipated that marketing of 70,000 metric tons of honey will generate an income of about Rs35-43 billion in the national economy and provide about 87,000 green jobs.”
The BTH initiative is being launched by the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) as a to mitigate the harms of climate change and to promote apiculture in the country. Furthermore, the Ministry of Science and Technology will be certifying the honey produced under the banner of BTH.
Pakistan is the fifth most affected country by climate change effects, and longterm planning is needed to ensure that the future generation has a habitable place to live, said Prime Minister Imran Khan on the occasion.
The program will be concentrated in areas with a higher rate of the population living closer to the poverty line, said the Prime Minister. The people need to be told why planting and protecting trees will benefit them financially, and by reducing climate change effects, he said.
