Musakhel Resources
Musakhel was given the status of district in 1992, but to date no land use record is available exclusively for the district. According to the Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan 1994-95, only 2.5 percent of the total geographical area is arable of which more than half (58.7%) is left fallow. Although the district is reported to be devoid of forest, the woodlands of Musakhel provide the inhabitants an adequate amount of timber and fuel wood. The data reveal that the net sown area is decreasing significantly, without any obvious reason. This indicates internal inconsistency of data on land use and agriculture.
Land use 1994-95 |
Area (Ha.) |
% of total district area |
|
Total Geographical Area |
572,667 |
100.0 |
|
Area not Reported |
n/a |
n/a |
|
Area Reported |
n/a |
n/a |
|
- Area not available for cultivation |
n/a |
n/a |
|
- Area under forest |
0 |
0 |
|
- Area under permanent pasture |
n/a |
n/a |
|
- Culturable waste |
n/a |
n/a |
|
- Area under water logging/salinity |
n/a |
n/a |
|
- Arable land |
14,434 |
2.5 |
|
Potential area available for cultivation |
- |
- |
|
Source: |
Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan 1994-95 |
||
There are no land use statistics available for Musakhel, even after 5 years of gaining the status of district. The available data seem highly inconsistent. Average annual rainfall ranges between 325-750 mm therefore the district is semi-arid. To have accurate data on the climate, a meteorological station should be established in the district. At present the only environmental threat to the district is of grey pollution.
Fuel wood and dung cakes are used for cooking. As electricity is available to only one town, most of the people use kerosene lamps for lighting. The district has been explored for minerals but presently no mining activity has been reported in the district.
After an overview of the district resources it might be concluded that there is much potential for agricultural development if efforts are directed towards motivation of the farmers and provision of technical inputs. Irrigation water is not a problem as the underground water can be exploited for this purpose. There is a need for development of irrigation as well as water supply schemes and availability of agricultural inputs like fertilisers, seeds, and pesticides on affordable prices.