Local occupations and livelihoods

Like the majority of districts in KP, land in Haripur and Swabi Districts is mainly used
for agricultural purposes on both small and large scale for domestic and commercial
purposes. A vast majority of survey respondents when asked for their main occupation
identified farming. They explained that farming was their main source of income for
sending children to school and looking after their families.
The main occupation of the inhabitants of the Swabi district is agriculture production and
livestock rearing; mostly people are landless tenant. A few educated people are engaged
in Government/private service. Unemployment, lack of potable water, basic health and
education facilities, electricity and roads are development challenges for Swabi District.
In Haripur District, agriculture is also the main occupation of inhabitants. The proportion
of people with employment is higher due to the existence of the telecommunication
industry as well as the Hazara Fertilizer Factory. People are also serving in the armed
forces.
Environmental and Social Assessment of Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project
Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority 5-84
Although farming is highly practiced in the AoI, farmers face challenges. Because
families practice subsistence agriculture on small plots of land, often the yields are not
enough to feed the family until the next harvest leading to food shortages in homes. This
has been attributed to the lack of rain, tools, and poor farming methods, prolonged
droughts, pests and diseases. Since agriculture is the source of income, food and general
livelihood for these rural farmers, sometimes they are faced with situations where they
have to sell part of their produce to cater for emerging basic needs such as access to
health facilities, payment of school fees or rent. In many cases they sell their produce at
very low prices because the market is not readily available. Middlemen exploit them
when they are desperate to sell.
The majority of the people in the AoI are working in nearby cities, Gadoon industrial
estate, Karachi and abroad as there is little agricultural land available within hamlets and
the right bank colony. Small businesses, shop keeping, private or government services are
the other occupations of the people in the project area.
Income and poverty
Under the prevailing socio-economic conditions in the districts, income of an average
household is very low. However, a small number of the social survey respondents with
family members living abroad had a large income. According to the survey, the majority
of the people in the Project, belong to the low income group. Average monthly income
ranges between Rs.8000 to PKR.10000, so the majority are living below the poverty line.
Livestock as an economic commodity
Livestock is the symbol of prestige and additional source of income for farming
community besides providing milk, ghee and meat. Among milk animals, cattle and
sheep are higher in quantity in Swabi District, while buffalo and goats are higher in
Haripur District. Among loader animal’s, donkeys are mostly used, while horses and
mules to a much lesser extent. Poultry keeping is also common.
Industry
The industrial estate situated at Gadoon in Swabi District was established in 1988.
However, with withdrawal of incentives available in the industrial estate, a large number
of buildings have been abandoned. The main industries are cement, cigarette, tanneries
and flour mills. There is no important industry in the Project AoI.
In Haripur District, Hattian Industrial Estate was established in 1985. Industrialization
has mostly brought positive changes in the socio-economic conditions of the district
including establishment of a large number of chemical businesses, cotton, fiber, textiles,
telephone companies, and brick plants
Haripur District is comparatively more industrialized than other districts of KP province.
There are many big industrial units here like Telephone Industries of Pakistan, National
Radio Telecommunication Corporation, Hazara fertilizers, Razzaq Blanket Industry, Ali
Hussain Poultry, Khwaja Children Home, Pak-China fertilizers, Tarbela Cotton Mills etc.
Furthermore, the Hattar Industrial Estate situated in Kot Najibullah was established in
1985–1986 on a total area of 1,032 acres (4.18 km²) of land. There are around 117
operational unit that are mainly composed of food and beverage, textile, crockery, paper
printing, chemical, cement, publishing, chemical, rubber and leather products. In
addition, the district provides good quality fruit and vegetables not only to Peshawar but
also to Islamabad and Punjab.
Environmental and Social Assessment of Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project
Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority 5-85
A large number of industrial units manufacturing cements, textile, engineering goods and
glass, and mostly located along G.T road, existed in Attock. In addition, Kamra
Aeronautical complex and Sunjwal ordinance factories are also located in the district and
have provided employment opportunities to the local residents besides providing defense
equipments, services and ammunition to the Pakistan Army and Air Force.
Credit availability and banking facilities
Credit plays a role in the lives of poor and lower middle class families in project area.
There are two major source of credit, institutional and non-institutional. The availability
of institutional credit is very limited in the project area mainly due to lack of knowledge
and secondly high rate of interest charged on loans. The main sources of non-institutional
credit are shop keepers, relatives and well-off families in the settlements. These loans are
mainly used for domestic and social needs such as marriages, birth ceremony, deaths,
health and education.
Banking services are available in Tarbela Dam colonies on the left bank for WAPDA
employees. The residents of surrounding areas have to go to Topi and Ghazi for banking
services. However, sufficient banking facilities are available at these places.
5.4.5 Socioeconomic Conditions of Surveyed Households
Livelihood Sources
It is useful to study the household’s economic pattern, ultimately facilitate in better
planning and execution