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Creating Resilient Agricultural Systems for Vulnerable Communities (CRASVC)

Duration: 2025 –2027

Location: Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral

Donor: Embassy of Denmark in Islamabad (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Implementing Partners: Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan (AKFP), Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP)

Project Description: The project is a climate resilience initiative designed to strengthen agricultural livelihoods and enhance adaptive capacity in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral—regions increasingly affected by climate-induced hazards such as floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), erratic rainfall and water scarcity.

AKRSP leads community-level implementation through its established network of Village Organisations (VOs), Women’s Organisations (WOs) and Local Support Organisations (LSOs).

CRASVC promotes climate-smart agriculture (CSA), sustainable natural resource management and livelihood diversification by improving access to climate-resilient inputs, technologies and practices. The project introduces innovative approaches such as vertical farming, regenerative agriculture and the cultivation of high-value crops, with a particular focus on women-led passive solar greenhouses to support year-round production, improve household nutrition and increase household incomes.

To address water-related challenges, the project undertakes community-based water assessments and pilots efficient irrigation solutions, including drip irrigation systems, improved channel lining and solar-powered water-lifting technologies. These interventions are complemented by capacity-building initiatives such as Farmer Field Schools (FFSs), Training of Facilitators (ToFs) and demonstration plots to encourage the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices.

The project also promotes green entrepreneurship and local innovation through micro-grants, ideation boot camps and targeted technical support for women- and youth-led enterprises in agriculture, water management and renewable energy.

By strengthening local institutions and fostering community ownership, CRASVC supports sustainable natural resource management and the long-term adoption of climate-smart practices. Overall, the project contributes to improved food security, increased household incomes, enhanced water-use efficiency and greater climate resilience among mountain communities.

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