Rome: – Pakistan received major international recognition as its flagship initiative “Reversing Deforestation and Degradation in High Conservation Value Chilgoza Pine Forests” was honored as one of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration World Restoration Flagships at FAO headquarters in Rome, during FAO’s 80th Anniversary and the World Food Forum.
Implemented between 2018 and 2025 under The Restoration Initiative, the project represents a strong collaboration between the Government of Pakistan – Ministry of Climate Change, Provincial Forest Departments, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The work focuses on conserving and restoring Pakistan’s unique Chilgoza pine forests across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah, Advisor to the Prime Minister, highlighted that the initiative restored 3,800 hectares of degraded forest land, developed sustainable forest management plans for 69,000 hectares, and planted over one million Chilgoza pine seedlings. More than 30,000 households directly benefited through training, tools, and innovative technologies.
He underscored that these achievements were delivered in some of the most remote and ecologically sensitive mountain regions, where access challenges and harsh environments demand strong collaboration with local communities. The success fully reflects the power of community-led restoration to protect biodiversity while enabling dignified livelihood opportunities.
Dr. Shah noted that the Government of Pakistan has already begun scaling up this integrated restoration approach in other fragile ecosystems through domestic public financing, demonstrating long-term commitment and strong sustainability beyond project cycles.
“We are grateful for this global recognition and the partnerships that made this achievement possible,” he said. “Pakistan remains dedicated to expanding this model to safeguard our natural heritage and secure a greener, more resilient future for our people.”
During his mission to FAO, the Advisor also held a high-level meeting with the FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, to further strengthen collaboration in agriculture transformation, ecosystem restoration, and rural development.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
