The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development ICIMOD organized a conference on “Mountain Specific Innovative Solutions for potential scaling up in Pakistan” in collaboration with Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), held at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad. The conference aimed to improve understanding of mountain-specific vulnerabilities and pliability building in milieu of climate and socio-economic changes. It has suggested tactical actions for mainstreaming and ascending groundbreaking solutions.
Chairman, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Dr. Yusuf Zafar extensively highlighted current status agricultural industry, its challenges in Pakistan and offered way-forward for accomplishment of agricultural goals. Dr. Yusuf Zafar said that over the past few decades, Hindu Kush Himalayan region undergoing transformative change, particularly human movement, and integration of local economies and obstinate problems progressively expanded rural livings and disregarded use of natural resources. He further said that climate change has put emphasis on these changes, generating new challenges increasing the vulnerability of the region. It also opens up unpredicted opportunities and climate change affecting availability of water for domestic and agricultural uses as a result infuriating risks of natural hazards.
Ms. Margaret Adamson, Australian High Commission, a guest speaker said that ICIMOD and other organizations’ assessment specify that mountains more prone to climate change and communities in Hindu Kush Himalaya, and remotely are susceptible to climate change effects. He explained that there is increased frequency and duration of extreme climatic events, natural disaster, flash floods, landslides and accelerating soil erosion and irrigation infrastructures are equally at risk as a result of water induced disasters.
Mr. Fazal Abbas Maken said that Strategic actions are required for mainstreaming and scaling up of innovative solutions in mountain areas. Therefore, resilience of mountain communities is a need of the day which cross-thematic integration and interdisciplinary approaches to understand the context and achieve resilience outcomes across its three dimensions of recovery, improved adaptive capacity and transformative change.
Mr. Bernard Francos, Head of Cooperation and Minister-Counselor, European Union Delegation to Pakistan in his address highlighted that the conference plans to feature the developing effects of environmental change, debilitating the wellbeing, survival, and flexibility of mountain groups that require a prompt and more extensive range of environmental change adjustment systems and activities to be incorporated into territorial calamity chance decreases strategies. He additionally included that this meeting will be a wellspring of inspiration for more youthful specialists to additionally direct logical research towards recognizing most economical adjustments methodologies for Gilgit Baltistan.