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Published by: IUCN Pakistan, Sarhad Programme Office.

Copyright:© 2007 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources,Pakistan and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Natural Resource Management for Improved Livelihoods in Northern Pakistanwas prepared by the The World Conservation Union (IUCN), Pakistan.

It was supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Citation is encouraged. Reproduction and/or translation of this publication foreducational or other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior writtenpermission from IUCN Pakistan, provided the source is fully acknowledged.

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Citation:GoNWFP and IUCN Pakistan (2007). Natural Resource Management for ImprovedLivelihoods in Northern Pakistan. IUCN Pakistan, Peshawar, Pakistan. 36 pp.

Author:Inam Ullah Khan

Editor:Dhunmai Cowasjee

ISBN:978-969-8141-91-2

Design:Azhar Saeed, IUCN Pakistan

Printed by:Ferozsons Printers (Pvt) Limited

Available from:IUCN PakistanSarhad Programme OfficeHouse No. 109, Street 2Defence Officers ColonyPeshawar, PakistanTel: 091-5271728/5276032Fax: 091-5275093

The World Conservation Union

Natural Resource Management for Improved Livelihoods in Northern Pakistan

1

Abbreviations 3

Executive Summary 4

Introduction 6

Background to the Projects 7Natural Resource Focus 7Partners 8

The Natural Resource Management-Livelihood Nexus 10

North West Frontier Province 10

Chitral 10Sustainably Managing Non-timber Forest Products: Chilghoza Pine Nuts, Shishi Valley 11Equitably Distributing Increased Irrigation Water, Kiramatabad, Mulkhow Valley 12Encouraging Environment-friendly Mining Practices 14

Abbottabad 14Sustainably Using Natural Assets, Narhotar Village 14

Dera Ismail Khan 15Adopting a Livelihoods Approach to Warm Water Fisheries, River Indus and Thathal Lake 16

Peshawar 16Improving Women's Livelihoods through Mushroom Farming,Union Councils Wadpaga and Kaneeza 17

Northern Areas 17

Ghizer 18Benefiting Communities from Cold Water Fisheries, Gupis Valley 18

Diamer 19Linking Rural Communities and Non-timber Forest Products,Hudur Valley 19

Contents


2

Reflections from the Field 20

Exercising Natural Resource Ownership and Use Rights 20

Increasing Incomes and Improving Livelihoods 22

Involving Women in Natural Resource Management and Livelihood Opportunities 23

Involving the Marginalized and the Poor 24

Influencing Changes in Policy and Legislation 25

Assessing the Sustainability of Natural Resource Use and Management 26

Mushroom Farming 27

Chilghoza Forests 27

Fisheries 28

Water Resources 29

Natural Resources 29

Lessons Learned 30

References 31

Annexure I: Guidelines for Innovative National ResourceManagement/Livelihoods Model Projects 32

Annexure II: Criteria for Identification/Selection of Natural Resource Management/Livelihoods Projects 34

Annexure III: Criteria for Selection of Local Meso-level Partner Organizations 35

Annexure IV: Projects 36

AKRSP Aga Khan Rural Support Programme

D.I. Khan Dera Ismail Khan

IC Intercooperation

IDVs Integrated Development Visions

IPRP Innovation for Poverty Reduction Project

IUCNP The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Pakistan

LGO Local Government Ordinance 2001

NA Northern Areas

NASSD Northern Areas Strategy for Sustainable Development

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

NRM Natural Resource Management

NTFP Non-Timber Forest Products

NWFP North-West Frontier Province

PSNP Programme Support for Northern Pakistan

SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

SERVE Sustainable Education, Rural Infrastructure, Veterinary Care and Environment

SPCS Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy

SRSP Sarhad Rural Support Program

UC Union Council

WCS Wildlife Conservation Society

WWFP World Wide Fund for Nature - Pakistan


3

Abbreviations


4

E xecuted from June 2004 toJune 2007 with supportfrom SDC, PSNP aimed to

support sustainable developmentin the NWFP and NAs by carryingforward institutional mechanismsdeveloped over past phases of theSPCS support projects, applyingthe lessons learnt from developingthe Abbottabad and Chitral districtstrategies to other districts in theNWFP and NAs and sharingexperiences gained fromimplementing these strategies.

With new global trends andpriorities, the context of theprogramme also underwent achange. As a result, the challengefor PSNP was to demonstrate thecontribution of healthy ecosystemsand natural resources on reducingpoverty and improving livelihoodsas well as to forge partnerships atthe local level for taking the workforward.

This led to the initiation of eightNRM-related model projectsimplemented through partners intwo geographical locations: in thedistricts of Abbottabad, Chitral,D.I. Khan and Peshawar in theNWFP and Ghizer and Diamer inthe NAs. These sites were chosento cover northern Pakistan andareas for which conservation

strategies or IDVs were alreadyformulated.

The model projects not onlyattempted to demonstrate the linkbetween poverty and equity witheconomic development andsustainable management of naturalresources but also translate someof the priorities of the IDVs andstrategies into on-groundimplementation to demonstrate thatsustainable management of naturalresources is key to addressingpoverty issues. With partners in thelead, the model projects wereprocess-cum-result-orientedendeavours, focusing on addingvalue to on-going partner initiativesor designing actions to optimizeapproaches used by partners.

To design and implement the modelprojects, PSNP developedguidelines that included criteria forselection of NRM-related initiativesas well as meso-level partnerorganizations. Together with anunderstanding of innovative andsuccessful community-basednatural resource managementprojects carried out to date innorthern Pakistan, the criteria wereused to select areas of intervention.

In order to monitor socio-economic and ecological changes

Executive Summary


5

occurring as a result of theinitiatives, the projects carried outbaselines studies covering socio-economic parameters,demography, natural resourcestatus, tenure, rights, equity andbenefit distribution and usepatterns. To validate the results,assessment studies and jointevaluations were conducted. Thefindings confirmed that mostmodel projects delivered positivetangible results.

Project outcomes can beconveniently divided intoexercising natural resourceownership and use rights,increasing incomes and improvinglivelihoods, providing women withnatural resource management andlivelihood opportunities, involvingthe marginalized and poor,influencing changes in policy andlegislation and assessingsustainability of natural resourceuse and management.

The interventions sensitizedcommunity elders to create spacefor the marginalized and poor byinvolving them in planning andimplementation on the one handand taking decisions in favour ofaddressing equity issues on theother. Similarly, the projects wereable to garner support of policymakers for initiating change,bringing into practice participatory,community-based natural resourcemanagement aimed at conservingnatural resources and improvinglivelihoods.

Given that women constitute asizable portion of the workforce in

rural areas despite theircontribution to household incomesremaining low and involvement inhousehold chores virtually invisible,strategies and interventions toinvolve them in developmentactivities were also devised.

Sustainability issues, both in termsof the natural resource andinitiative, were duly addressed.With trends used as indicatorstowards sustainability, theinterventions demonstrated thatnatural resources neededmanagement in order to providesustainable benefits.

During the process, some veryuseful lessons were learnt thatcan potentially help guide similarinitiatives in different cultural,economic and ecological settings.These lessons suggest that NRMinitiatives can only be sustained in

the presence of linkages betweenpoverty and equity with economicdevelopment and sustainablemanagement of natural resources.Adopting approaches thataddress community needs andhelp them realize conservationbenefits, enhance communityacceptance of externalinterventions, involve allstakeholder groups, includinglocal activists as well as themarginalised and poor, in thedesign, planning, implementation,monitoring and evaluation ofinterventions, adapt formalplanning and management toolsfor village-based institutions andtailor initiatives to match existingmodels of society play a pivotalrole in creating an environment inwhich communities canparticipate proactively in thedevelopment process andsuccessfully implement initiatives.

Community Elders in Hudur Valley, Gilgit


6

I UCN's mission worldwide is toconserve the integrity anddiversity of nature and ensure

that natural resources use isequitable and ecologicallysustainable. In Pakistan, IUCNplayed a key role in preparing anational conservation strategy,three provincial conservationstrategies for the NWFP,Balochistan and Sindh and astrategy for sustainabledevelopment of the NAs. In theNWFP, one of therecommendations of theconservation strategy was todevolve governance, particularly ofthe environment, to administrativelevels such as districts that weredirectly managing and usingnatural resources. Abbottabad andChitral were chosen for thisexperiment and efforts were madeto develop district-levelconservation strategies.

At about the same time, politicalsupport for decentralizationcontinued to grow, culminating inthe approval of LGO 2001. Theordinance called for a vision foreach district. As a sequel to thisdecision, district strategies wereadapted to fulfil the requirementsof a vision and IDVs for Chitral andAbbottabad were formulated. Later,an IDV for D.I. Khan was also

developed. These IDVs were wellreceived by district governmentsand adopted as official documentsfor implementation.

The work in the NWFP, includingthe provincial strategy and districtvisions, were supported from thestart by the SDC that had alsopartially supported work in theNAs. This led to the developmentof PSNP, a broader IUCNprogramme in the north ofPakistan, covering the NWFP andthe NA. PSNP built on the successof the four phases of the SPCS torespond to the changing contextof decentralization and influencepolicies and institutions to supportsustainable use of naturalresources at the local level. Theprogramme also capitalized onexperiences gained in developingthe NASSD.

While continuing to work withprovincial and local governments,the emerging challenge was todemonstrate the contribution well-functioning ecosystems andnatural resources could maketowards poverty reduction andimproving livelihoods. To this end,PSNP set out to build recognitionof the ways in which peopledepend on goods and servicesprovided by natural ecosystems

Introduction


7

for their day-to-day income andtheir long-term well-being.Likewise, the focus shifted frombuilding institutional capacitiesneeded for integratingenvironmental considerations intodevelopment planning to work atthe local level, strengtheningnetworking and relationshipsbetween local governments,communities and developmentorganizations working in the field.PSNP's goal also included creatingfora for collective decision-makingand developing processes toensure equitable and sustainableuse of natural resources.

Background to theProjects

Efforts to demonstrate thatsustainable management of naturalresources can be key toaddressing poverty issues weremade through eight model

projects. Equally, attempts weremade to implement some prioritiesof the provincial and regionalstrategies and IDVs on the ground.

Each project was designedthrough a participatory,consultative approach, applyinglessons learnt to ongoing efforts.Particular emphasis was placed oninvolving women and marginalizedgroups in planning,implementation, monitoring andevaluation. The projects focusedon adding value either to on-goingfield initiatives or approachesbeing used by other developmentorganisations and local institutions.The main thrust was to designpeople-centered projects toenhance human well-being as wellas the natural resource base onwhich it was primarily dependent. Essentially, these replicableprojects were meant to testinterventions supportive of

sustainable natural resourcemanagement to improve rurallivelihoods. But they alsoattempted to identify unwisenatural resource use andmanagement practices to influencedistrict and local institutionstowards more equitable andsustainable systems.

Natural Resource Focus

The model projects built onlessons learnt from past andcurrent initiatives. As such, allinnovative, successful community-based NRM projects carried out todate in northern Pakistan wereidentified and assessed. Inaddition, organizations involved indeveloping NRM projects meant toimpact positively on rurallivelihoods were approached fortheir understanding of localapproaches to sustainableresource use. Initiatives were thenselected based on guidelines (seeAnnexure I) and a criteria (seeAnnexure II) based on relevance toenvironmental conservation,potential for sustainablemanagement of the critical naturalresource and livelihoodimprovement of local communities,especially disadvantaged groupsand women, community stake andreplicability.

This resulted in five focus areas:utilization of natural assets: forestsand chilghoza pine nutswater resources and use rightswater resources and livelihoodsenvironment-friendly miningmushroom farming

Meeting of community members in Khalti, Gilgit


8

Partners

Carried out in partnership withother organizations, the projectsaimed to benefit from the strengthof partners in communitymobilization and training, fosteringgender and equity concerns,promoting sustainability of theresource base, addressingownership and usufruct,forwarding input for policydiscussions and legislation,monitoring project impacts on thelivelihoods of local communitiesand knowledge managementthrough documenting and sharingexperiences and learning.

Partners were selected usingspecific criteria (Annexure III),including their credibility in theproject area, values onenvironment, development, socialjustice, gender, equity,governance and sustainability and'fit' within the implementingorganization's ethos andphilosophy. It was mandatory forthe partner organization todemonstrate clear strategicorientation and organizationalstructure, relevant experience inimplementing developmentprojects in a cost efficient,effective manner through in-houseor engaging external expertise.Apart from having soundmonitoring and reporting systems,the partner had to be innovative,learning- oriented with thecapacity to document and shareexperiences. IUCN finally chose amix of partners: civil societyorganizations that are wellestablished in the NWFP and NAs

and smaller institutions that couldbe encouraged to work inenvironment-poverty alleviationprogrammes.

Once the initiatives and partnerorganizations were selected, IUCNheld joint meetings with them todevelop the projects, define rolesand assign financialresponsibilities. To simplify theprocess, a standard project formatwas developed with terms ofpartnership defined on a case-to-case basis. To monitor the socio-economic and ecological changesresulting from the initiatives, theprojects initiated baselines studiescovering socio-economicparameters, demography, naturalresource status, tenure, rights,equity and benefit distribution anduse patterns. To validate theresults of the projects, assessmentstudies and joint evaluations wereconducted.

As envisioned, partnerorganizations took the lead inmotivating and working withcommunities to raise awarenesson the contribution of naturalresources to livelihoods andpoverty alleviation, the need toimprove environmental conditions,access and benefit sharing withmarginalized groups, particularlywomen, and encourage enterprisedevelopment and businessapproaches. IUCN providedtechnical assistance and financialsupport, conducted baselinestudies on natural resources,socio-economic conditions anduse rights, monitored progress,documented the process and

disseminated the knowledgegained. In short, the partners wereresponsible for implementing theprojects while IUCN providedvalue-added to their efforts inorder to build institutional capacityfor replicating the interventions.

The partner organizations were:

Aga Khan Rural SupportProgrammeEstablished by the Aga KhanFoundation in 1982, AKRSP is acommunity-based developmentorganization that has experience ofworking in northern Pakistan in thefield of integrated ruraldevelopment. By organizing localhuman, physical and financialresources, AKRSP enables ruralcommunities to fulfil developmentneeds through self-help andeventually self-reliance. AKRSPworks in all five districts of the NAsand in Chitral District, NWFP, inpursuit of its mission of fosteringgrassroots development.

IntercooperationIC is a Swiss foundation engagedin development and internationalcooperation since 1982. Thefoundation's primary aim is toalleviate poverty in rural areasthrough pro-poor approaches andworking with committed partners.IC Pakistan is an active member ofthe IC global network and believesin empowering partners to accessand manage human and financialresources. The IC-sponsored'Innovation for Poverty ReductionProject' (IPRP) is working todemonstrate that livelihoods ofpoor communities can be


9

improved by innovative, market-oriented diversification in NRM, inthis case through the sustainableuse of NTFPs. In Shishi Valley,Chitral, IPRP is working withcommunities harvesting andmarketing chilghoza pine nuts.

Chitral Mine Owners AssociationThe Frontier Mine OwnersAssociation (FOMA) seeks to bringall relevant stakeholders on oneplatform to develop and promotethe mining sector and createemployment opportunities in theregion. The Chitral Mine OwnersAssociation, a chapter of FOMA,was established in 2001 withmembers drawn from the entiredistrict.

Sarhad Rural Support ProgramEstablished in 1989 in the NWFP,the SRSP is an NGO with alivelihood-based approach to ruraldevelopment. SRSP works as acatalyst organization, providingcommunities with technical andmaterial support and socialguidance to realize latent abilities.Organizational capacities includecommunity development,participatory infrastructure, genderand development, education,micro-finance, micro-enterpriseand NRM. Over time, SRSP hasbeen supported by various donors,including the World Bank-fundedPakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund,Canadian InternationalDevelopment Agency, UKDepartment for InternationalDevelopment, Swiss Agency forDevelopment and Cooperation andUS Agency for InternationalDevelopment.

Sustainable Education, RuralInfrastructure, Veterinary Careand EnvironmentPopularly known as SERVE, theD.I. Khan-based NGO beganoperations in 1998 with a focus onaddressing poverty issues throughmobilization, socio-political andpolitical change. SERVEcontributes to this vision bysupporting and working withcommunity-based organizations onsocio-economic developmentinitiatives that can potentiallyempower marginalized groups andin turn reduce poverty.

Sungi Development FoundationSungi Development Foundationwas established in 1989 to workat the grassroots level in what wasthen Hazara Division in the NWFP.With the principal aim ofpromoting good governance,democratization and povertyalleviation, Sungi focuses onempowering marginalizedcommunities through integrationinto mainstream developmentprocesses, advocacy forenhanced livelihoods and rights aswell as national-level policy andinstitutional changes for pro-poordevelopment. Sungi's fieldwork iscarried out in select parts of theNWFP, Punjab and Azad Jammuand Kashmir.

Wildlife Conservation SocietySince 1895, WCS has workedfrom its Bronx Zoo headquarters inNew York City, USA, to inspirecare for nature, provide leadershipin environmental education andhelp sustain global biologicaldiversity. With over 100 years of

experience and expertise in field-based conservation, WCS is todayworking in 53 nations acrossAfrica, Asia, Latin America andNorth America for theconservation of wild landscapesthat are home to a vast variety ofspecies. WCS activities in northernPakistan include strengtheningmanagement systems, improvingcollaboration betweencommunities, government andother relevant stakeholders,creation of community resourceconservation and socialdevelopment organizations andsub-committees to act as entrypoints for potential managementconservation and developmentventures through interestedstakeholders, wildlife research andsurveys and communityconservation education.

World Wide Fund for Nature - Pakistan With country headquarters inLahore, six regional offices inKarachi, Islamabad, Peshawar,Gilgit, Quetta and Muzaffarabadand project offices in Chitral, Zhob,Nathiagali, Swat, Sonmiani, Jiwani,Khabeki (Salt Range) and GahkuchGhizer, WWFP works for theconservation of natural resourcesthrough active participation oflocal communities. Since 1990,WWFP is involved in theconservation and protection ofnature and natural resources in theHimalayas, Karakorum and HinduKush mountain ranges bypreserving genetic, species andecosystem diversity and ensuringsustainable use of renewablenatural resources.


10

T he projects (Annexure IV)were initiated in NorthernPakistan in areas for which

IDVs or provincial/regionalconservation strategies werealready prepared. This covered thedistricts of Abbottabad, Chitraland D.I. Khan in the NWFP andGhizer and Diamer in the NAs.

North West Frontier Province

Chitral

The largest district in the NWFP,Chitral covers 14,850 sq km with apopulation density ofapproximately 21 people per sqkm. The district is bound on thenorth and west by Afghanistan(specifically the provinces ofWakhan, Badakhshan andNooristan), on the south by thedistricts of Upper Dir and Swatand the east by the NAs.

Topographically, the area isextremely rugged andmountainous with several deep,narrow valleys. The Hindu KushMountains in the area have 40peaks exceeding 6,000 m inheight, including Tirichmir, thehighest peak in the range. Chitralis also the most isolated district inthe province, accessible only

through mountain passes that areall over 3,500 m (only the Lowariand Shandur are motorable) or byair. For four to five months in thewinter, the district is completelycut off from the rest of the country.

The climate in general is drytemperate, ranging from sub-humidin the lower parts of the districtthat receive between 500 and1,000 mm of rain annually to coldarid in the upper parts, particularlythe high mountains that get lessthan 125 mm of rain in the year.

The Chitral IDV includes severalrecommendations to improvemanagement and use of naturalresources. All are based on issuesraised by people duringconsultations undertaken todevelop the vision and theirsubsequent prioritizing. The highestpriority is the need to bringadditional land under irrigationbased on the potential of the levelland still available to supportagriculture. This, in turn, isdependant on sufficient water beingavailable to irrigate the additionalland and the cost-effectiveness ofconveying water to areas selectedfor cultivation. A corollary to thispriority is that disputes over landownership and water rights need tobe resolved as they would form a

The Natural Resource Management-Livelihood Nexus


11

critical part of any plan to increasehousehold incomes.

Similar importance needs to beaccorded to creating employmentopportunities and poverty alleviationin the long term. Another priorityhighlighted by the IDV is thesustainable management ofrenewable resources such asforests, including NTFPs such aschilgoza pine nuts, to delivermultiple goods and services to meetthe needs of people. Finally, Chitral'smineral deposits could provide bothemployment and financial resourcesfor the district, provided thatinfrastructure is improved,investment and partnershipsbetween the private-sector andcommunities are fostered andenvironment-friendly miningmeasures are adopted. Accordingly,the projects undertaken in Chitralcovered the areas of forestry, watersupply and mining.

Sustainably Managing Non-timber Forest Products:Chilghoza Pine Nuts, ShishiValleyChilghoza pine is native to thesubcontinent and natural to Chitralin the Hindu Kush Range, parts ofDir Kohistan, South Waziristan andthe Suleiman Range of Balochistan.The tree also grows in the WesternHimalayas on each side of the Pak-India border. In the NAs, it is foundin Diamer and parts of Nagar Valleyin Gilgit district.

Chilghoza pine can be found inShishi, a large side valley in thesouthern part of Chitral with severalvillages scattered over an area of

about 58,940 ha. The Shishi Valleyis drained by the Shishi River,flowing north-east to south-westwhich convergences with theChitral River near Drosh. The tree isfound scattered among oak anddeodar forests or as pure stands ondrier, hotter aspects.

Shishi Valley is inhabited by fourethnic groups: Chitralis, Pathans,Gujars and Persian-speakingpeople in the village of Madaglasht.In the 10 villages in the projectarea, which lies in the upper middlepart of the valley, slightly more thanhalf the people are Chitralis (54%)with the remaining divided betweenGujars (26%) and Pathans (20%).Birgah, Daam, Kalaas and Ziaratare Chitrali-dominated villages,while Balpanj is purely Pathan.Bayak and Bela are dominated bythe Askaris, Kawaash and Kotekwith small groups of Gujars.

Land ownership is different in eachvillage. In Askaari, Bayak and Bela, ownership is disputed andunder litigation. In Balpanj, a fewhouseholds have purchased theland while the rest are tenantspaying a meagre amount to leasethe land. As such, they havebecome de facto owners: theactual owners would have to go tocourt to raise the rent or get theland vacated. In the Chitrali-speaking villages, land ownershipis clear but settlers are at adisadvantage due to restrictedaccess to forests and in turn totimber, fuelwood and NTFPs such as pine nuts. In Kotek,villagers have settled ownership by purchasing land from theowners. Overall, 65 percent ofhouseholds are landholders, 27 percent are tenants and theremaining 8 percent are landless.

Chilghoza Pine cone


12

In Shishi, landholdings are small -an average of 0.23 ha perhousehold - and have lowproductivity. The same is true forlivestock owing to poor quality,underfed stock. A large area of thevalley is under rangelands that aredegraded. Similarly, the forests areunder tremendous pressure fromlogging (for timber and fuelwood)and grazing. The infrastructure toois in poor condition and education,health and extension services areinadequate. Though labour isavailable, employment opportunitiesare restricted as only a few have theskills required to be hired.

Close to a subsistence level ofliving, households depend on avariety of income-generating onand off-farm activities, with thelatter being more common. Over 56percent of the income is fromlabour (local, within the district andservices), 19 percent from forestresources (sale of timber, fuelwood,mushrooms and chilghoza butexcluding forest labour), only 17percent from agriculture (crops,walnuts, fodder and livestock) and8 percent from business.

The total forest area in the valley is14,774 ha, with protected foreststotalling 10,575 ha. The remaining4,199 ha is forest-owned andmanaged by communities orindividuals. The area covered bychilghoza trees is estimated to be163 ha within the designated forest.Since chilghoza trees also growamong oak forests, it can be safelyassumed that an equal area iscovered there, raising the total to326 ha.

In the past, chilghoza cones werepicked for domestic consumptiononly. Around 2000 or 2001, tradersfrom Bannu started purchasing

pine nuts. Consequently, thedemand for nuts as well as itsprice increased substantiallyleading to unsustainableharvesting. Pickers cut offbranches or even whole trees toget easier access to the cones,jeopardizing future productivityand tree stands in some areas.Moreover, there were seriousaccidents every year, as conecollecting is a hazardous activitywith the pickers having to climbtrees. Also, climbing trees meantthat harvesting was carried out byonly a few households roughlyestimated at less that 31 percent.Women were not involved as conecollection was an exclusively maleactivity.

The IC Foundation's IPRP wasworking in Shishi Valley onchilghoza management since 2003,focusing mainly on communityorganization, harvesting techniquesand safety measures (low cost toolsand tree climbing training), andmarketing (separating nuts fromcones and selling at Bannu). Giventhe need to add value to the on-going initiative, IPRP and IUCNagreed to work jointly todemonstrate the potential ofsustainable management as ameans of maintaining or improvingthe production potential ofchilghoza pines in the valley. Effortswere made to increase incomesthrough further value addition to theprocessing and marketing aspectsof the trade and securing accessrights to natural resources fordisadvantaged groups, includingwomen, in a bid to address povertyand gender aspects.

IPRP focussed on raisingawareness among communities onthe economic and ecological valueof chilghoza pine and building

capacities of local communityorganisations in value addition andentrepreneurship through improvedharvesting, processing and directmarketing of pine nuts. Womenwere involved in the trade throughthe processing process, includingextraction of nuts from cones,extraction of kernels from the nuts,and polishing, grading and packingof kernels. PSNP's interest was inresource mapping by documentingprevailing socio-economicconditions, customary andstatutory rights to naturalresources and the status of thenatural resource base andprevailing management conditions.

Equitably Distributing IncreasedIrrigation Water, Kiramatabad,Mulkhow ValleyMulkhow, a remote valley innorthern Chitral, is located in therain shadow zone, receiving scantrainfall in summer and precipitationmostly in the form of snow duringwinter. The project covered theKiramatabad area and five villagesin the valley: Chatandok, Pasun,Kundar, Raigas and Samagole. Thevillages are located next to themain road through the Mulkhowvalley, about 15 km from Booni, thetehsil headquarters, and around 85km from Chitral town.

Historically, the area is waterdeficient. As a result, even though itfalls under the double croppingzone, single crop production is thepractice. In the spring, glacial meltprovides adequate irrigation water.However, in summer, only limitedspring water is available and isinsufficient to reach the tail end ofthe irrigation system in lower partsof the villages. Besides the lack ofirrigation water, the area ischaracterized by limited cultivablelandholdings, poor physical

infrastructure, a low literacy rate,unorganized communities andnegligible opportunities for off-farmor self employment.

An average landholding is around 9chakawarums1 or 0.97 ha, of whichonly two-thirds is cultivatedbecause of water scarcity.Livestock and cereal crops remainthe mainstay while fruit andvegetable production is insignificantdue to lack of irrigation water. Thewater deficit has also led to lowcropping intensity and productionthat lead to below par farmincomes: in Mulkhow, the overallannual income from farm sources isabout 28,000 rupees compared to57,787 rupees for the district.

Agriculture is the main source oflivelihood for more than 90 percentof the households but off-farmincomes contribute over 70 percentof household incomes. This isthrough public or private sectoremployment, self-employment orcasual/daily wage labour. The lack

of education restricts opportunities.Only a few are employed by thepublic or private sector. Similarly, asmall proportion is self-employed,mostly comprising those runningretail shops or vehicle/tractorowners.

Women are considered equalpartners in all farming activities andinfluence men's decisions on landallocation for different crops andchoice of seed varieties andfertilizers. Livestock management,like elsewhere in Chitral, is a femaleresponsibility. Women also engagein off-farm activities to supplementhousehold income. They produceshu, the traditional Chitrali woolenfabric, which is either marketed orused by the family. In mosthouseholds, women also makesheep wool rugs and practiceembroidery that is sold for cash.Still, women's control overresources remains low. Mencontinue to be in charge of capital,both cash and kind, and decide itsuse even if it has been earned by

women. Women have the right ofinheritance to land and property but are traditionally deprived oftheir share.

In Mulkhow, the water distributionsystem and water rights areinstitutionalised. In general, water isdistributed according tolandholding size rather than tofamilies. However, in some cases,certain families have specific rightsover water resources. In Samagole,water is distributed equally amongall households regardless oflandholding size.

Against this backdrop, the projectfocused on developing a reservoirto improve water availability insummer and upgrading the waterdistribution system in the fivevillages. Once additional water wasavailable, the first priority was toirrigate existing cultivated landfollowed by bringing additionalcultivable land under irrigation.Mechanisms for the equitabledistribution of water within thecommunity, includingdisadvantaged groups and women,were also put in place.

The SRSP was working in Chitralsince 2002 on physicalinfrastructure improvement,including communication, landdevelopment and irrigation.Assessing the potential to addressissues of poverty and livelihoods byincreasing supply of irrigation waterin the target area, PSNP and SRSPentered into a partnership andlaunched this demonstration.PSNP's intervention was to addvalue to an SRSP-supportedinitiative. The project itself, buildinga water reservoir, was not originalbut it was innovative in two

1.Local land measure equivalent to 2.14 kanals or 0.108 ha.


13

Water reservoir in Mulkhow, Chitral


14

respects. First, the projectmonitoring put in place was noveland important for SRSP's futureinitiatives to improve rurallivelihoods. Second, the project'sefforts to document the distributionsystem and traditional water rightsand in turn develop a moreequitable water distribution systemwere unique.

Encouraging Environment-friendly Mining PracticesWith over 20 economicallyvaluable minerals found in Chitral,the district is rich in mineralresources. These includegemstones such as aquamarine,ruby and jasper, metallic minerals,including iron, copper and gold,and non-metallic minerals such asmarble, granite, serpentine,quartzite and slate. Of particularinterest are the high quality marbleand granite deposits. Marble canbe found in three major beltsextending from Broghil in the northto Arandu in the south. Largedeposits of granite also exist in the district.

Despite the presence of high-quality marble deposits and therecent increase in the number ofmines and processing units, marbleextraction and processing is at arudimentary stage in Chitral. Out-dated mining techniques continueto be used leading to high wastageand small, irregularly shapedblocks that reduce yields ofdimension stones. The processingindustry also uses inefficient, out-dated technology for finishing.Further, though pollution is not aproblem at present, mining canpotentially have many adverse

environmental impacts, particularlyon fragile mountain environments,as well as scenic landscapes.

This initiative built the capacities ofmine and processing unit owners toextract and process economicallyviable stones in a safe manner,while reducing waste andincreasing the supply potential ofmines. The project also assisted inimproving the quality of finishedproducts, facilitating access tocapital for introducing moderntechnology and increasinghousehold incomes from theresource.

The AKRSP has actively engagedwith the mining sector in Chitralsince 2000 by facilitating mineralexploration, laboratory testing ofminerals for quality and assistingwith the development of marketlinkages. For its part, PSNPfocussed on identifying safe,environment-friendly miningtechniques through initiatives suchas pollution control, waste rockdisposal and facilitated the upkeepof Chitral's natural beauty,important from a tourismperspective. The potential of stonehandicrafts for improving livelihoodoptions of disadvantaged groupsand women was also explored. Theproject involved the private sectorthrough the Chitral Mine OwnersAssociation.

Abbottabad

Abbottabad district is named afterJames Abbott, Hazara's firstDeputy Commissioner. The districtis spread over an area of 1,967 sqkm, with predominantly scenic,

though, rugged, mountainousterrain. The district's location at thebase of the Himalayas allows thearea to enjoy temperate weather. Ofthe total area, forests cover 20.3percent while 35 percent2 isagricultural land. The remainingconsists of rangeland, shrub landand sparse vegetation. The districtis heavily rain dependent, with only0.4 percent of total area designatedas irrigated land, compared to 11.1percent in the NWFP and 14.7percent for settled districts in theprovince.

The Abbottabad IDV clearlyacknowledges that forest resourcesplay a critically important role in theeconomic life of the district and thatnatural resource conservation andwise use could go a long way inmitigating poverty, particularly inareas with a large rural populationand in economies that aredominated by agriculture. The IDVsuggests developing social forestryto boost forest-based livelihoods,increase fuelwood supply andprotect natural forests and theenvironment. The vision suggestsdevising a consensual frameworkthat facilitates the activeinvolvement of local communities inforest management. One of theoptions is to formalize forestentitlements and ensure continuityof policy aimed of protectingcommunity interests.

Sustainably Using Natural Assets,Narhotar VillageNarhotar Village, in Lora UnionCouncil, lies to the south-west ofAbbottabad with an estimatedpopulation of 2,619 people3,comprising 1,208 males and

2. Government of NWFP and IUCN, 2004. Abbottabad - An Integrated Development Vision. Peshawar and Karachi: GoNWFP andIUCN Pakistan.

3. 1998 census figures subsequently updated in 2003-04 by the Bureau of Statistics. OR Estimates for 2003-04 based on 1998Census figures.

1,411 females living in 437households with an average familysize of 6.2 people per household.Ethnically, 70 percent of thepopulation is Dhund, popularlyknown as Abbassis, 10 percentSyeds, 5 percent Awans, 5 percentGujars, 5 percent Karal orChaudhry and the remaining 5percent from marginal groups andcraftsmen.

The available revenue recordsreflect that the total village area is1,306 acres, of which 347 acresare cultivated, 258 acres compriseforests, 600 acres remains coveredby shrubs and grasses and 101acres is mahdooda land.4 Thismeans only 26.6 percent of villageland is cultivated while the rest isused as grassland. In addition, aguzara forest covering 125 acresfalls within the Narhoter villagecatchment. The landholdings aresmall - about 3 acres perhousehold - with per capita landbeing 0.5 acres. As the irrigationsystem was swept away by floodsin 1992, agriculture is limited to theproduction of barani or rain-fedcrops such as wheat, maize andmustard. Vegetable production isdependant on water availability.

Land tenure is based on status ofindividual households and families,with different types of stakeholders,land owners, non-owners and thegovernment being recognised.Generally, most households arelandowners. The various rights andconcessions (both legal andtraditional) can be confirmed fromthe Wajib-ul-Arz5 for Narhotarvillage. Both land owners and non-owners have property rights and

traditional use rights to grazing,grass cutting and collection of drywood for fuel from the villageshamilat-e-deh6. According to theWajib-ul-Arz, only ancestral ownersof land are entitled to a share ofland from further distribution ofshamilat-e-deh, precluding thosewho are landowners throughpurchase or other means in thevillage. Individual or householdpossession or acquisition of landearmarked for community needs orreligious purposes is prohibited.

Only 20 percent of households aretotally dependant on agriculture.The remaining 80 percentsupplement their household incomewith off-farm employment. It isestimated that agriculturecontributes 60 percent of totalhousehold income, with cropscontributing 40 percent, livestock40 percent and forestry 20 percent.

Sungi began work on sustainablemanagement of natural resourceswith active community participationin Narhotar in 2003. Cognizant ofthe natural resource potential inNarhotar, PSNP joined hands withSungi and launched a smallinitiative to demonstrate thatequitable and sustainable utilizationof natural assets could improve thelivelihoods of villagers, includingwomen and marginalized groups.PSNP added value to the processby facilitating working relationsbetween village communityorganisations and government lineagencies, notably the agricultureand forest departments.Participatory forest managementwas also encouraged by discussingoptions and identifying better

coordination mechanisms thatcould assist in meeting community needs.

The project focused onstrengthening existing communityorganization for sustainable use ofnatural resources, initiating thedevelopment of a forestmanagement system that wouldnot only prove beneficial to localcommunities but also encourageforest sustainability and increaseagricultural production. Variousactivities were combined to raiseawareness and interest of thecommunity in forest management,including clarity on rights regardingtenure and use of naturalresources that were alreadydocumented in governmentrevenue records.

Dera Ismail Khan

Dera Ismail Khan is the southern-most district of the NWFP. To thenorth, the district shares boundarieswith Tank and Lakki Marwat. In thewest is South Waziristan Agency,with the Indus River on the east.The district is spread over an areaof 7,326 sq km and is situated 580feet above sea level. The 1998census recorded a population of853,000 people with over three-quarters or 82.25 living in ruralareas.

The major part of the districtconsists of the daman or slopingpiedmont plain that extends downinto the Dera Ghazi Khan district ofthe Punjab. The western part isintersected by numerous hilltorrents, which flow from the slopesof the hills of Suleiman Range,

4. Mahdooda land is area set aside by the Forest Department for the conservation of trees, where the breaking of land by the ownerfor cultivation is not allowed.

5. Local term for land revenue record.6. Common property belonging to the village.


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bringing water with heavy silt.Canals irrigate 30 percent of thearea while the remaining 70 percentis spate irrigated by seasonal hilltorrents fed by monsoon and winterrains. Agriculture and livestockrearing dominate the economy.

That said, the fisheries sector isalso important, with more than 60percent of the NWFP's fishproduction coming from D.I. Khan.Freshwater catch comes fromseveral waterbodies in the district,including the Indus River andconnected lakes on the easternboundary of D.I. Khan, irrigationcanals and waterlogged areas.Fishing leases and licenses for thewhole stretch of the river and lakesare auctioned annually tocommercial contractors andregulated under the West PakistanFisheries Ordinance 1961 and theNorth West Frontier ProvinceFisheries Rules 1976. There aremany challenges facing themanagement of freshwaterfisheries, ranging from economic,political and technical to social.Management of inland fisheriesfrom a fish stock protection,production and sustainablelivelihoods perspective has still tobecome a focus of public sectorcustodians or private sectorbeneficiaries.

The D.I. Khan IDV endeavours toprovide a coherent and long-termsustainable development vision forthe district, integrating bothenvironmental and socio-economicissues. The IDV takes stock of thepotential for fisheries to improvelivelihoods, owing to favourableaquatic, ecological and climaticconditions. In the same vein, thedocument also reflects on some ofthe major constraints impeding thedevelopment of fish resources. As

such, it suggests that D. I. Khan'scapture/culture fisheries andaquaculture potential besystematically studied with a viewto developing these resources ascomponents of a diversifiedeconomy.

Adopting a Livelihoods Approachto Warm Water Fisheries, RiverIndus and Thathal LakeThe livelihood sources of the threegroups are quite different. TheThathals' main source of income isagriculture and livestock, thoughsome are also employed as dailylabourers. The Sindhis, who haveskills in fisheries management andartisanal trades such as buildingboats and weaving nets, dependon fisheries and work mainly aslabour for the fish contractors. The most disadvantaged of thethree groups, the Kihals aredependant on seasonal agriculturalwork and basket weaving/ropemaking. They have also resorted tobegging.

Women's economic contributionpatterns indicate that among theKihals, they contribute equally tothe household economy, whereasamong the Sindhis and Thathals,men dominate.

Under the Fisheries Rules 1976,river fisheries are leased out tocommercial contractors. Localcommunities living alongside theriver do not enjoy fishing rights. Infact, the only benefit accessible tolocal communities is occasionalemployment on daily wages by fishcontractors.

As departmental capabilities andinfrastructure to enforce rulesremains inadequate, unsustainableharvesting is taking place. Illegalcatch methods, including the use

of explosives, poisonouschemicals and electrocution, arebeing used. The result has beensmaller fish catch, disturbedspecies composition and threat of local extinction of some species.

Implemented by SustainableEducation, Rural Infrastructure,Veterinary Care and Environment,the project in D.I. Khan was taskedwith promoting community-basedfish resource conservation andmanagement practices to improvelivelihoods of poor communities,including the Kihals. The projectalso identified reforms in policyand legislation in consultation withall stakeholders, includingtraditional fishermen.

Peshawar

Peshawar district lies in the middleof the NWFP with Peshawar, thecapital city of both the province andthe district, situated near theeastern end of the Khyber Pass.Peshawar is literally the frontier cityof Central Asia and historically apart of the Silk Route.Age-old traditions continue toprevail in the district, restrictingwomen to the confines of thehome. This reduces the potential ofwomen to contribute productivelyto household income besideslimiting their role in decision-makingat the household level.

The SPCS acknowledges theimportance of women and theircontribution to household incomesin particular and the economy ingeneral. For development to besustainable the principles ofequitable access to naturalresources as well as theireconomic benefits must accrue toboth genders, the document


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asserts. To improve the livelihoodsand living standard of communitiesin such a way that both men andwomen reap benefits, the SPCSstrongly recommends that womenbe specifically involved indevelopment efforts. This is notonly because they are sociallydisadvantaged but also due to thefact that many developmentinitiatives will only succeed withtheir meaningful involvement.

Keeping the cultural context inview, the need was to identify smallventures that would enable ruralwomen, especially belonging tolandless and small-farmer families,to contribute to family income. Thiswould enhance their social statusand involvement in householddecision-making.

Improving Women's Livelihoodsthrough Mushroom Farming,Union Councils Wadpaga andKaneezaUnion Councils Wadpaga andKaneeza are respectively locatedabout 12 km to the east ofPeshawar and 20 km to the northof the city. The union councils

reflect two distinct cultural andlinguistic contexts: Wadpaga isHindko speaking area while Pushtodominates in Kaneeza.

In both areas, women observestrict purdah. As a result, they aregenerally precluded from outdooractivities except post-harvesthandling of agricultural produceand livestock management. Theliteracy rate is low and womenhave little exposure to income-generating activities other thanembroidery and sewing. Culturalbarriers provide little space forsmall family-owned enterpriseswhere women can play aproductive role in raisinghousehold incomes.

Pivoted on these ground realities,the project focused on mushroomfarming as an activity that wouldallow women in rural areas to beinvolved in development,increasing women's and householdincome without substantiallyincreasing their workload orrankling cultural sensibilities. Thefocus was on poor families in thevillages and every effort was madeto involve men in the process topave the way for women'sinvolvement. SRSP wasresponsible for the initiative. For itspart, IUCN provided SRSP theopportunity to work in an NRM-based project and revive their NRMprogramme. Besides, IUCN alsogave technical support in genderand NRM approaches.

Northern Areas

The NAs comprise six districts:Gilgit, Ghizer, Skardu, Ghanche,Astore and Diamer. Geographically,Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor is tothe north-west, the Xinjiang UyghurAutonomous Region of China to the

north-east, Indian-administeredKashmir to the south-east, AzadJammu and Kashmir to the south-east and the NWFP to the west.The region is home to some of theworld's highest mountain ranges,including the Karakorum and thewestern Himalayas. The PamirMountains are to the north and theHindu Kush lies to the west.Amongst the highest mountains areGodwin-Austen (K2) and NangaParbat.

Over the last several decades, thenatural resources base of the NAshave come under increasing stressas a result of a growing humanpopulation and the opening of theKarakorum Highway. At the sametime, the authorities are well awarethat increased developmentinterventions are seriouslyimpacting the fragile environment,especially aquatic systems.

The natural forests of the NAs areamong the most important in thecountry and are found in thesouth-western portion of the areain Diamir district, the southern partof Gilgit district, the Punial area ofdistrict Ghizar and a few pocketsof Baltistan district. Legally-designated forests cover 281,000ha while scrub forests cover anestimated 381,200 ha, togethercovering over 9 percent of theNAs. Forests protect thewatershed of the Indus River,support a rich array of biodiversity, are a source of foragefor the livestock population andcontribute to the national supplyof softwoods and the local supplyof timber and fuelwood. Inaddition, forests supply a range ofNTFPs, including medicinal plants, spices, nuts, honey,mushrooms and plants such assea buckthorn.

A woman worker handles freshlypicked mushrooms in Wadpaga UnionCouncil, Peshawar


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Cold water fisheries are also foundin the rivers of the NAs witharound 28 fish species, includingexotic trout. Trout culture began inthe NAs in 1908 when brown troutseed was first introduced fromKashmir and bred in a smallhatchery in Gilgit. Later, fingerlingswere released into riversthroughout the NA, includingGhizer River in Ghizer Valley.

The NASSD recognizes the vitalrole of forests of the area and therole of NTFPs in improvinglivelihoods and poverty reduction.Similarly, cold water fisheries areviewed not only as a means ofimproving food security in a regionthat is beginning to import foodbut also as a means ofsupplementing householdincomes. The NASSD particularlymentions women and the need forawareness raising, education andcapacity building.

Ghizer

Ghizer district shares its westernboundary with the Chitral district

of the NWFP. The district coversan area of 12,324 sq km with apopulation of 120,200 people, ofwhich 51percent are women.Ghizer is one of the poorestdistricts in the NAs in terms offood security, infrastructure,economic opportunity and trainedhuman resources. However, it isgifted with rich water resources, inthe form of flowing rivers, streams,springs, ponds and natural lakes,offering opportunities fordevelopment of capture andculture fisheries and aquaculture.

Benefiting Communities fromCold Water Fisheries, Gupis ValleyThe village of Khalti is located in theGupis valley of Ghizer district at analtitude of 7,000 ft above sea level.The village comprises five smallhamlets: Aliabad, Bushating,Ghamez, Khalti and Khutum.Reaching the village requirestravelling a distance of 136 km fromGilgit which amounts to a 180-minute drive. The main Gilgit-Chitralroad passes through two hamlets,benefiting them with all sorts oftransportation facilities.

At 1.15 acres, a household'saverage cultivated landholding issmall. Moreover, the area falls in asingle cropping zone. Thislandholding size is half that ofadjoining villages as people lostlarge swathes of land after a recentthunderstorm flood causedlandslides, dammed Ghizer Riverand created a permanent lake. Themountainous terrain means thatlittle additional land is available forcultivation.

Fish from the Ghizer River and newlake are available but currently defacto rather than de jure. The 1999amendment to the Northern AreasFisheries Act 1975 grants rights tocommunities to manage localfisheries but it has yet to beadopted and practiced. The resultis that communities have no senseof ownership, do not seethemselves as stakeholders andregard fisheries to be under thegovernment's purview.

Most of the population isdependant on off-farmemployment: government service(31%), private sector (8%) andbusiness (2%), agriculture (24%)and work as skilled (9%) andunskilled (12%) labour.7 Theremaining are pursuing theireducation. In Khalti, the share ofoff-farm employment in householdincome is 60 percent. About 27percent of households can beconsidered poor and 17%ultrapoor.8 More than half thewomen in the village are notinvolved in any economic activityand are therefore unable tocontribute significantly tohousehold income. As theireconomic contribution remains low,their overall position in thehousehold and community isinsignificant at best.Picturesque view of the Trout Project area in Khalti, Gilgit


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The project established a replicablemodel of sustainable harvestingand management of cold watertrout fish for poverty alleviation ofrural communities, including themarginalized and women of theKhalti community in particular andGhizer in general. AKRSP wasresponsible for the intervention.

Diamer

Diamer district, with Chilas as thedistrict headquarters, is thegateway to the NAs. Compared toother districts of the NAs, Diamer isconsidered less developed. Thedistrict is bounded by Astoredistrict in the east, Kohistan andMansehra in the south, Ghizer inthe north and north-west and Gilgitin the north and north-east.

Linking Rural Communities andNon-timber Forest Products,Hudur ValleyHudur Valley is situated in theheart of Diamer district and is richin natural resources. In fact, it isconsidered one of the richestvalleys for timber and chilghozanut production. The localpopulation has complete access tothe natural forests that provideabundant timber, fuelwood,valuable medicinal plants andchilghoza pine nuts. Owing to thewealth of natural resources, thelocal population have relativelyhigh income levels.

Comprising 30 villages with apopulation of 6,509 males and3,277 females in 575 households9,Hudur is socially and economicallydivided into two groups based onone major determinant: ownershipof natural resources, especiallyforests and NTFPs. The earlysettlers or malikaan10 are the actualowners of resources and have alluse rights. The late settlers orghair malikaan have no right to usethe natural resources withoutconsent of the owners. About 40percent of the households areghair malikaan and have beengranted limited concessions forthe collection of fuelwood,livestock grazing and the collectionand sale of NTFPs such aschilghoza pine nuts andmushrooms.

Over 40 percent of the populationof Hudur Valley is involved inagriculture with farm incomesbased on crops and vegetables,livestock and forestry resources.The valley falls in a single croppingarea due to the cold and shortcultivation season in the upperreaches of the valley. This resultsin fodder scarcity which in turnencourages the rearing of smallruminant, mainly sheep, becauseof their comparatively moderatefodder requirement. Sheep arealso the main source of wool thatis used for local winter clothing.Some larger livestock are kept for

milk production with most familieskeeping up to four animals tobalance production with fodderconsumption.

Another large group of people areemployed as skilled or unskilledlabour, the second largestoccupation in the valley. Publicand private sector employment isin the shape of jobs in governmentprimary schools and dispensariesor in retail trade.

The culture and traditions of theHudur Valley being rigid, womenare normally confined to the home.Consequently, they are completelydependent on men for the mostbasic requirements to makinghousehold decisions or availingeducation and health facilities.

This project benefited from theexperiences of the Shishi Valleychilghoza initiative. IUCN, theWWFP and the WCS joined handsto initiate a community-basedchilghoza pine conservation andmanagement project. The mainobjective was to demonstrate thepotential of chilghoza pine forimproving the livelihood of ruralcommunities, includingdisadvantaged groups, andensuring the sustainability of theresource.

7. Khan, Maqsood, 2006. Socio-Economic Baseline Survey Report, Sustainable Management and Harvesting of Trout Fish Resourcesfor Poverty Reduction in Freshwaters of Gupis Area in District Ghizer, Northern Areas, June 2006. Peshawar: IUCN.

8. Ibid. The poverty line is defined as a per capita income of less than Rs. 10,543 for the year 2006 and the poorest/ultra-poorhouseholds are those who are half-way below this poverty line i.e. Rs. 5,272.

9. Unknown, May 2007. Socio-economic Baseline Survey of Hudur Valley. Gilgit: IUCN.10.Malikaan and ghair malikaan are local words.


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T he key objective of theseprojects was to link naturalresource management to

improving household incomes andlivelihoods, particularly of themarginalised, very poor andwomen. The findings can begrouped into a number of areas:

l Exercising natural resourceownership and use rights

l Increasing incomes andimproving livelihoods

l Involving women in NRM andlivelihood opportunities

l Including the marginalized andpoor

l Influencing changes in policyand legislation

l Assessing the sustainability ofnatural resource use andmanagement

Exercising NaturalResource Ownershipand Use Rights

Natural resources refer to thenatural capital people can accesssuch as soil, water, forests,rangelands, wildlife, fisheries and

other biodiversity. It is clear thataccess and use of naturalresources is based mainly on landownership and associated rights.However, these vary according tothe context and are often de factorather than de jure. Clear landtenure and use rights along witheffective, efficient managementregimes and regulatory systemscan form the basis for equitableand sustainable use of naturalresources in village catchments.

Though land tenure may vary,equitable decision-makingstructures for the use of naturalresources can significantlyinfluence decisions, oftenbenefiting the poor. Examples fromthe chilghoza pine nuts project inShishi Valley, Chitral, and HudurValley, Diamer, testify to the factthat community-basedorganizations (CBOs) can createspace for more equitable accessand benefit sharing withincommunities, particularly amongthe poor and women. Earlier, forinstance, labour from outside thecommunity was hired to collectcones. Sensitising CBOs and rightowners to the impact of thispractice on the poor and womenin the community led to a bar onexternal hiring. Instead, the

Reflections from the Field


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community decided to hire labourfrom local women-headedhouseholds, ensuring theybenefited economically from theprocess. Such households coverednot only widows and theirdependants but also those whosemale members were employeddown country or abroad. Thiscreated space for women who hadno role in decision-making earlier.

Harvesting periods were also fixedby CBOs and widely publicisedthrough announcements frommosques, providing equalopportunity to everyone involved inthe trade. This clarity in exercisinguse rights to natural resources andequitable distribution of benefitsamong those involved in thechilghoza pine nut trade resulted insafeguarding social coherence inthe communities. The measurealso reduced, if not resolved,conflicts arising due to perceivedloss of control by landowners anddisadvantaged groups alike.

In Chitral, community managementof the Shishi forest and its NTFPs,including chilghoza pine nuts, isbeing piloted. Moreover, a forestmanagement plan has beendeveloped by the communities andforest department with supportfrom IUCN. Once approved, theplan will be the first of its kindfocusing on chilghoza pine,opening the door for developingmanagement plans for otherNTFPs. Awareness raising andvalue addition to the trade havealso led to unforeseen benefits:efforts are underway to conserveand protect chilghoza forests. Forhis part, the District Forest Officerhas prohibited the transport ofsawdust used as cooking andheating fuel in the valley to other

parts of the district to controllogging for fuelwood.

In Kiramatabad, Mulkhow Valley,the CBO instituted a managementsystem allowing the poor in thecommunity an equitable share ofadditional irrigation water from thenew reservoir. For a start, thewhole village participated inrecording the traditional waterdistribution system to avoiddifferences of opinion in the future.Using this customary arrangementas a base, an equitable andsustainable water distributionscheme that had unanimousapproval from all stakeholders wasdeveloped to ensure smoothsupply of water on a turn-by-turnbasis to each household. For thefirst time, poor families wereincluded in the decision-makingprocess.

Further, maintenance, distributionand audit committees were set upand assumed responsiblity for themaintenance of the reservoir,equitable allocation of additionalwater and regular inspections. Themembers of the committees wereselected through a transparent,open at a meeting that drewparticipants from all households,including the poor. The processhas ensured that the poor in thecommunity have a voice andparticipate in decision-making thatimpacts their lives.

For Thathal, D.I. Khan, decision-making at a different level wasrequired to effect change inusufructs related to waterbodiesand fisheries. District levelinstitutions had to be convinced tointervene on effective, equitablepolicy and legislation at theprovincial level. Locally, an

important milestone was the first-ever dialogue betweendisadvantaged communities suchas the Kihals, Sindhis and Thathalsand district-level policy makers onwater resources and fisheries. Thisraised awareness about of thedisadvantages of commercialfishing for the poor among policy makers.

Awareness of legal provisions fornatural resource management anduse can benefit communities inlocal decision-making withgovernment development agencies.Abbottabad district and Narhotarvillage were part of Hazara whenthe first land settlement took placein 1872. Though forests werereserved for government ownershipand management, sizable swathesof forest land close to villages wereset aside to meet the bona fidedomestic needs of localcommunities. These forests weredesignated as guzara and theirownership was vested in localpeople, either as individual property,jointly owned through familyownership or as village shamilat.Over time, however,misinterpretations about theseforests and their tenure,management and use became wellentrenched. Similar confusionprevailed about water resourcesand their use. In Narhotar, a surveyto document tenure, access anduse rights concluded that the villagehad ownership titles to 14 perennialsprings and streams. Thisknowledge helped the communitysecure rights to use the waterpoints for irrigation of additionalland based on the Wajib-ul-Arz forthe village. They also had specificlegal rights to the guzara forest.This helped in accessing the guzaraforest set aside for subsistence use.


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Another positive outcome was aconsensus within the village onsustainable forest management.The villagers approached theForest Department to initiate theprocess of joint forestmanagement in the area throughthe development of a managementplan and the selection of amanagement committee. To takethis process forward, communitymembers unanimously agreed tonominate two individuals tonegotiate with government. Onceformally established, this initiativewill be the first of its kind in theGaliat area, opening the windowfor other such ventures.

Another example is from Khalti inGhizer where awareness of legalprovisions and willingness toengage in discussions set thestage for addressing the needsand interests of communities as

well as the line department andadministration. This led to flexibilityin the interpretation of policy andlegislation and provided space forindividual income generation bysale of fish caught under anglinglicenses and communitymanagement and use through ashare in income from fish licenseson the provision that thecommunity is involved in fisheriesconservation. These changes wereensured through notificationsissued by the FisheriesDepartment and the NAsAdministration. This was the firstinstance for the NAs, theadministration at the regional levelas well as the department at thelocal level of coming forward withan unprecedented commitmenttowards community-basedmanagement of natural resourcesand stewardship in the fisheries sector.

Increasing Incomes andImproving Livelihoods

Mountain communities canincrease their household incomesby value-addition to currentpractices and will actively supportdevelopments which offer similaropportunities. Chitral's ShishiValley has a largely traditionaleconomy with households,comprising landowners andtenants who earned low incomesin comparison with the rest of thedistrict. With a shortage ofcultivable land, local communitiescould not survive by agriculturealone and practiced a mixed agro-silvo-pastoral subsistence living,making use of the diversity ofnatural resources in the valley.Non-timber forest products andchilghoza nuts in particularcontribute towards cash incomesand local subsistence.

A roasting machine for chilghoza nuts in Shishi Valley, Chitral


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As a result, there was keen interestwithin the community ininterventions that led to increasedhousehold incomes. They easilyadopted measures to improve pre-and post-harvest management ofchilghoza nuts and tools thatimproved safety of pickers duringharvest operations. Householdswere ready to learn skills neededfor small enterprises, marketingthrough cooperatives and links withexternal markets. The communitiesmanaged to successfully adapt toadding value to chilghoza nutcollection and marketing. Theresult: harvesting figures showedrelative improvement from the 2003level, number of householdsinvolved in chilghoza collectionincreased by 30 percent andaverage income per household by20 percent, of which 35 percentwas from chilghoza nuts.

When the Shishi model wasreplicated in Hudur, Diamer, itcontributed significantly to addingvalue to the chilghoza nut marketas local communities startedselling nuts instead of wholecones, earning comparativelybetter returns. In 2006, each familyearned approximately 50,000 to100,000 rupees from the initiative.The additional income allowedfamilies to purchase goods forimproving their livelihood, includingvehicles, farm implements,machinery, land and livestock, thelast understood as a sign of wealthin the area. Some families thatcould not afford an education fortheir children earlier have nowstarted sending their children todown country schools. Borrowingmoney, a common practise amongthe poor, was also less prevalent.

For mountain communities, aninvestment in new technology

helps increase incomes andimprove livelihood. This becameevident in Kiramatabad, Mulkhow,where the construction of thewater reservoir resulted in 30percent additional irrigation waterbecoming available during thewater-stressed summer period.This allowed households to bringmore area under cultivation,increase production per acre ofexisting cultivable land and startdouble cropping. An additionalbenefit was the saving whichwould otherwise have been spenton purchasing wheat and straw.

In Khalti, Ghizer, the new lakeoffered fishing opportunities andrenewed interest in cold waterfisheries. Under the NorthernAreas Fisheries Act 1975, the saleof trout fish is prohibited. But afterdialogue between the Khalticommunity and districtadministration, the latter hasallowed the harvest and sale of aspecific number of trout by anglerson an experimental basis. Themaximum number of fish that maybe caught at any time has beenspecified to prevent overharvesting. As a result ofnetworking and increasedexposure, several communitymembers of both sexes have beenmotivated to re-engage inaquaculture while eight new farmsare in the process of beingestablished. Other livelihoodsoptions being explored includetourism and trout sport fishingcompetitions that would allowsidelines businesses such as saleof angling equipment, local fooditems and handicrafts to flourish.

In D.I. Khan, Thathal, the capacityof communities to improvelivelihoods was enhanced bytraining in fish storage and

processing and poultry andlivestock management. To improvetheir life skills and diversifylivelihood options, thecommunities were linked with theprovincial Literacy for All Projectwhich opened three adult literacycentres in the Kihal area.

Involving Women inNatural ResourceManagement andLivelihood Opportunities

More often than not, environment-related roles of women gounacknowledged. Women usenatural resources in the collectionof water for household needs,farming, fishing and collectingfood, fuelwood and NTFPs.However, they are constrained bylimited access to renewable energysources, lack of property rightsand education. Women'scontribution to NRM has to beacknowledged or they will remainmarginalized from valuablephysical resources such asirrigation water or forest productsand human assets, includingtraining and credit benefits. This isnot only an equity issue but alsoone of efficiency and effectiveness.Without the participation ofwomen, sustainable developmentinitiatives are clearly less effective.

In Khalti, the NAs Administrationtook the bold step of employingtwo women as guards, paving theway for women entering non-traditional occupations. Moreover,training sessions were heldexclusively for women in unusualactivities such as value-added fishprocessing and preparing specialtrout dishes.

In Shishi, women activists from thevillages of Pathan and Gujar were


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trained in improved cone collectiontechniques and post-harvestvalue-added work such asseparating chilghoza nuts fromkernels, grading, roasting andpacking. Though this activityadded to their workload, it wasseasonal and lasted for a shorttime. The benefits were bothtangible and intangible: womenearned extra income, wereinvolved in training and shown toplay a productive role in adding tohousehold income.

In Narhotar, Savera Tanzeem BariaKhawateen, a women's communityorganization was already in place.The organization was included inefforts to enhance agriculturalproduction, improve access toproductive services and addressthe issue of water shortage,through training in vegetablefarming, access to vegetable andcrop seed varieties, compostformation for domestic agriculturaluse and repair and rehabilitation ofirrigation channels. With theintroduction of kitchen gardening,access to seed facilities andtraining, women grew a variety ofseasonal vegetables such asradish, potatoes, chillies, spinach,garlic, peas, tomatoes, onions andcarrots on 35 plots measuring halfa kanal each. This eliminated theirdependency on external markets,afforded them a decision-makingrole on when to buy and sellproduce and confidence tomanage home-based naturalresources.

Women were also involved in thesetting up a village water supply

system and implementing watermanagement practices. Practically,the availability of irrigation waterfor kitchen gardening anddomestic use meant a reduction inthe household workload byobviating the need to walk longdistances to fetch water fromneighbouring villages or dependingon water carriers or rainwater forirrigating crops.

In Kiramatabad, Mulkhow, womenwere involved through women-onlyorganizations, formed withrepresentation from all households.As in Narhotar, about 35 womenwere trained in vegetableproduction and, with theavailability of additional water,could grow vegetables not only fordomestic needs but also for sale,contributing to householdincomes. One spin-off of theadditional water was that it wasused to grow fodder crops nearhomes, reducing the time andeffort otherwise spent by womenon collecting feed for livestock.

In Thathal, the route to women'sinvolvement in capacity buildingactivities was through thecooperation of male members ofthe communities. Once the menwere convinced of women'spotential to contribute tohousehold incomes, a vocationalcentre for the Kihal and Thathalwomen was established in thevillage. As a result, the womenhave access to training, providingthem with the skills to generateincome. Thirty-two women wereenrolled in the adult literacyprogramme set up by the Literacy

for All Project. The most dramaticand visible change is that thewomen and children of the Kihalcommunity have stopped begging.

In Hudur Valley, though womenwere involved in picking cones andseparating and sorting nuts in theirhomes, they could neither beapproached directly nor participatein trainings. To redress thismarginalization, the men weresensitized to the value of women'sinvolvement which resulted inthem expressing an interest ininvolving women in capacitybuilding initiatives.

Involving the Marginalizedand the Poor

Groups within communities canbecome marginalised on the basisof limited land ownership and userights, ethnicity and culture. Thepoor can include marginal peoplebut poverty can be defined bymany factors, including access tonatural, produced, human, socialand political capital.11

In Northern Pakistan, each villagehas well-defined hillsidecatchments to which villagers haveaccess according to landownership and traditional rightsdefined at the local level. Accessto chilghoza pine trees is based ontraditional rights to guzara forestsand wastelands. Both Tenants andthe landless collect chilghozacones according to communitydecisions while settlers havelimited access within theboundaries of village catchments.In privately-owned forests,

11.UK Department for International Development. Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets.http://www.livelihoods.org/info/info_guidancesheets.html#6. Natural capital: land, water, forests, marine and wild resources;produced capital: physical infrastructure, tools and technology and credit; human capital: health, nutrition, education, knowledgeand skills; social capital: networks and connections, the benefits of patterns of association; and political capital: power orpowerlessness.


25

proprietors enjoy the first right tocollection. The landless, on theother hand, are allowed to collectleftover cones. Since coneharvesting is difficult andlaborious, it is mostly the poor whoare involved in the task.

In Hudur Valley, Diamer, the poorhad limited access to chilghozapines which impacted theirincomes and livelihoods. Oncesensitized to the predicament ofthe poor, the community took anumber of steps to include thesegroups in decision-making andsharing benefits from the chilghozatrade. These includedrepresentation in village chilghoza-related committees, improvingaccess to the resource by settingharvesting periods based on thematurity of the cones as well asharvesting tools, involvement intrainings on worker safety andvalue-added productiontechniques such as roasting andcollective marketing down country.

In Thathal, the Kihals were themost marginalized and deprivedmembers of the local communities.In a bid to improve their situation,the Kihals were organized intogroups and then introduced tostakeholders such as localpoliticians and government staff,providing them with a level playingfield to discuss issues regardingaccess to fish resources. Thisresulted in building theirconfidence and capacity tonegotiate access rights. Anotherspin-off was that duringinteractions with the districtgovernment the Kihal communityleaders raised the issue of theneed for land for housing. For hispart, the district nazim approachedthe Revenue Department to initiatemeasures to identify suitable

government land for housing andsubmit a case for approval to theprovincial government.

Influencing Changes inPolicy and Legislation

Sustainable management ofnatural assets cannot be ensuredwithout enabling legal andadministrative mechanisms.Accordingly, lacunae in policy,legislation and governance wereidentified and steps taken towardsinitiating change needed tosupport participatory managementfor sustainable resource use andlivelihood improvement.

In Shishi Valley, it was through theinvolvement of government staff inthe field that gaps in legislationwere identified and efforts made toplug them. Both the awarenessraising campaign and directcontact with the communitieshelped the NWFP ForestDepartment staff appreciate thefact that the current rulesgoverning NTFPs in general andchilghoza nuts in particular werenot equitable. This resulted in thereview and redraft of operationalrules for chilghoza forestmanagement being drafted thatare currently under review.

Similarly, gaps in legislation aroundcommunity management of localfisheries were identified in D.I.Khan after dialogue with the localcommunities. Benchmark studiesidentified that fisheries were beingseriously degraded due to overfishing by commercial contractorswith few or no benefits accruing tolocal people. This led to theinitiation of dialogue with thedistrict government on the needfor change, with policy makersoriented to the importance of the

resource vis-à-vis livelihoodsthrough meetings with the threerelevant communities: the Kihals,Thathals and Sindhis. The effortproved useful. The district nazimmade a commitment to help thecommunities access waterresources and conserve fish stock.A District Fish ProtectionCommittee was established withthe mandate to review the existingFisheries Act and to formulate aset of recommendations forcommunity participation infisheries management as well asprovisions to regulate fish catch.The recommendations, under theseal of the district nazim, weresubmitted to the NWFP ChiefMinister's Office for action.

The issue of community-basedfisheries conservation andmanagement arose in Khalti inGhizer District, convincing the NAsAdministration to review existingfishery policy and law and identifylegal provisions for communitymanagement and benefit-sharing.If such provisions were missing,amendments were to besuggested. According to theNorthern Areas Fisheries Act 1975,all natural waters are state ownedand marketing fish, particularlytrout species, caught from thesewaters is prohibited. Legally, thecommunities could not fishcommercially for trout or sell theircatch. The review recommendedchanges in the Fisheries rules,allowing half the license fee to beshared with communities involvedin fisheries conservation.

Similarly, anglers were not allowedto sell trout in the market,depriving them of an alternatesource of income. The review alsorecommended allowing the sale oftrout caught under an angling


26

license. The NA Administration hasagreed, in principle, to theproposed changes in and hasallowed local anglers to markettrout. This has not only benefitedthe local communities in terms ofincome but has also enhancedtheir motivation and commitmenttowards conservation. However,the agreement has still to be givenlegal cover.

In Chitral, efforts to promoteenvironment-friendly mining andprocessing practices led to areview of the environmentalimpacts of the sector in turnleading to proposals for policychange and a set ofrecommendations on remedialmeasures presented to the districtgovernment. In light of therecommendations, the districtgovernment has created amonitoring cell that providesinformation on modern mining

tools and techniques and links tomine product markets. Mineowners in Chitral were linked tothe Small and Medium EnterpriseDevelopment Authority (SMEDA),the Export Promotion Bureau(EPB) and the US Agency forInternational DevelopmentStrategic Working Group onMarble and Granite. The resultshave been:● SMEDA's Aik Hunar, Aik Nagar.

Tne Village, One Productprogramme, similar toinitiatives inThailand and Japanwill focus on marble productsin Chitral. SMEDA has alsoreceived approval from thefederal Ministry of Industries,Production and SpecialInitiatives for a MarbleHandicraft Training Centre atChitral and a proposal for aRegional BusinessCoordination Centre in thedistrict is under consideration.

● The EPB has proposed aHandicraft and Mosaic TileMaking Training Centre in thedistrict.

● In recognition of the enormouspotential of marble mining inChitral, the Strategic WorkingGroup on Marble and Granitehas recommended the districtas one of eight sites for amodel quarry to be establishedat a cost of 35 million rupees.

Assessing theSustainability of NaturalResource Use andManagement

The sustainability of both theresource and intervention wasassessed. Trends were taken asindicators towards sustainability asthe initiatives were for too brief-lived to produce concrete figures.However, they have set the stagefor demonstrating that to benefit

Bird»s eye view of Chitral


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from a resource, sustainable careneeds to be taken and that too ina sustainable manner.

Mushroom Farming

Mushroom farming is dependenton the availability of spawn andmarketing opportunities. InWadpaga and Kaneeza unioncouncils, Peshawar, steps weretaken to reduce risks from thestart. Women cultivators werelinked with the AgriculturalResearch Institute at Tarnab,Peshawar, and an agreement forregular supply of spawn wassigned. Strong links with localrestaurants and other marketplaces were forged and collectivemarketing, rather than individualsale, enabled women to negotiatebetter prices, encouraging regularproduction in line with marketdemand.

Chilghoza Forests

There are a number of issuesaround chilghoza forests, withlocal people divided in theiropinions over voluntary trade-offsversus use. Pragmatic and realisticsteps need to be taken to addressthe issue of resource sustainabilityand the livelihoods it supports insettings where:● Chilghoza tree cover is

declining due to intensivecutting for fuelwood.

● A high demand and attractiveprices for pine nuts in nationaland international markets hasled communities to employunsustainable harvestingmethods such as cutting wholebranches and harvestingimmature cones to save timeand labour.

● Natural regeneration is seriouslyaffected not only due to branch

cutting and the collection ofimmature cones but also fromlogging, overgrazing, soilerosion and land slides.

In Shishi Valley, increasedawareness helped communitiesrealize the multiple benefits ofchilghoza pine and work towardsconserving the forests. As such,they were willing to invest inmodern forestry management toolsand techniques and nut collectionpractices to increase theirlivelihoods. They agreed to:● Maintain mother trees and

retain cones on each tree tosustain natural regeneration.

● Conserve large tree crowns byavoiding excessive branchlopping during cone collection.

● Reduce the incidence ofinjuries to green trees by onlyallowing local villagers toharvest cones.

Indiscriminate logging of chilghoza pine trees in Hudur Valley, Gilgit


28

● Minimize instances of pre-mature cone picking byagreeing on a harvest calendarand implementing it throughcollective decision-making atthe village level.

● Use proper tools for conecollection.

● Establish conservationcommittees to implementcommunity rules.

● Ban cutting of green branchesand chilghoza trees andimpose a fine of 3,000 rupeesand 10,000 rupees,respectively, to ensurecompliance.

In 2004, five people died and 12were seriously injured during conecollection. However, safetytraining and appropriateharvesting tools improved thesituation with no falls or casualtiesreported in 2005 and 2006.

In Hudur Valley, the traditionalforest management system wasadapted to support regeneration ofdegraded chilghoza stands. In theolder forest management regime,the jastero or community elderswere responsible for a forest. Theelders managed the forest throughthe zaitu system instituted throughvillage wardens or a sub-committee responsible forimplementation of their decisionsor even a local forest conservationand management committee,comprising elders from eachmalikaan family of the area. Thissystem was unable to address theissue of poverty as almost 45percent of the populationcomprised ghair malikaan familieswith limited access to chilghozapines. As a result, the communitieswere motivated to revise theirsystem by transforming the zaituinto a conservation committee

responsible for monitoring theimplementation of decisionsrelated to forestry while a valley-based organization, which consistsof all the jastero and influentials,became the highest level decision-making body. However, all groupsincluding ghair malikaans are nowrepresented in both committees.

Fisheries

If the fisheries sector is tocontribute to improving livelihoods,fish stock in Thathal Lake and theIndus River in D.I. Khan needed torecover from over harvesting. Thecommunities, with support fromthe Fisheries Department, havestarted monitoring harvestinglevels and stopped fishingbetween May and August, thebreeding season. Moreover,contractors have been motivatedto restock the lake with fingerlings.

Angling competition in Khalti, Gilgit


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The Khalti community in Ghizerdistrict and the government arecarefully planning andimplementing joint actions for therecovery of trout and theimprovement of its habitat. Asense of ownership andresponsibility has motivated thecommunity to take decisions infavour of managing the resource.For example, women whopreviously used to wash theirclothes alongside the lake havediscontinued the practise to avoidpolluting the water withdetergents. Two male and twofemale watchers have also beenappointed to patrol the area,making noteworthy strides inchecking and controlling illegalfishing practices such as the useof explosives to catch fish. TheNAs Forest Department hascontributed by restocking the lakewith 7,000 trout fingerlings.

The result has been that local anglers as well as outsiderswho recently visited the area have reported that both catch andfish size has increasedconsiderably, indicating a trendtowards improvement. Indicatorsof sustainability of the resourceand initiative can be seen through:● Restocking of river.● Measures for people-centred

policy and legislativeframeworks.

● Developing partnerships forconservation.

● Highlighting and demonstratingthe potential of conservationfor improving livelihood.

Water Resources

In Kiramatabad, the benefits werethe result of water storage and a

new water distribution system.For sustainability, it was importantto monitor the effect of the newsystem on different stakeholders,ensuring that none were worseoff. As a preemptive step, thecommunities instituted measuresto prevent water loss and recoversome of the costs, in cash orkind, for reinvestment andmaintenance. This was effectedthrough the establishment of avillage fund, with householdsmonthly contributions. Widowsand the very poor have beenexempted from thesecontributions.

The upshot of this arrangement isthat adjoining villages aremotivated to approach variousdevelopment organizations toreplicate the scheme in their area.While the initiative of constructingreservoirs in water scarce areaswas strongly endorsed by partnercommunities, the issue of

equitable water distribution willremain a tricky matter. Waterharvesting projects should bemindful of perpetuating existinginequities as the success of similarinitiatives will depend on how communities address the issue of distributing additional water.

Natural Resources

In Narhotar, the initiative has led toconsultative and cross-sectoraldiscussions on managing natureresources issues, creating a senseof ownership and commitmentwithin the community and ensuringcontinuity and efficacy. A certaindegree of economic diversificationhas taken place, especially inagriculture and forestry.Participatory orientation has also led to the incorporation of the needs of local communitiesinto development priorities for the area.

Preparing for winters in Khalti, Gilgit


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T he adoption of a pragmaticstrategy for linking povertyand equity with economic

development and sustainablemanagement of natural resourcesacts as a cornerstone to safeguardthe sustainability of an initiative. Anapproach that addresses communityneeds and presents a prognosis ofpositive economic changes expectedthrough the intervention can helpcommunities appreciate the benefitsof conservation, encouragingproactive participation in the processand in turn assisting in the successof the initiative.

In conservative societies, it isadvisable to engage in sensitizationactivities to enhance receptivitytowards external interventions,creating an environment conduciveto successful implementation.Moreover, the involvement of theentire community in the design,planning, implementation, monitoringand evaluation of an initiative is likelyto dissolve barriers between socio-economic groups, particularly themarginalised and the poor.ownership by all groups, whilesimultaneously promoting equity. Italso reduces impressions aboutinterventions as a 'foreign agenda'with ulterior motives towards culturaland religious norms.

The identification and engagement oflocal activists can help influence andeducate local communities andenhance their access to the benefitsof sustainable development.

The adaptation of formal planningand management tools for village-based institutions can add value tooutputs, enhancing efficiency andeffectiveness. Tailoring new systemsto match existing communitydynamics also improves chances ofthe initiative's success. In fact, ifinterventions do not match existingmodels, glitches may occur inimplementation and long-termsustainability of interventions.

It is equally important to institute aneffective communication andinformation sharing system in multi-party initiatives to avoidmisunderstandings arising fromdifferent messages being conveyedto communities by the variouspartners.

Also, appropriate tools and trainingopportunities need to be available forcommunities if safety measures areintroduced as part of theinterventions.

Lessons Learned


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References

Haq, Ehsanul, February 2006. Socio-economic Conditions and Institutional Mechanismfor Water Distribution in Kiramatabad, Mulkhow, District Chitral. Chitral: IUCN

Khan, Maqsood, June 2006. Socio-economic Baseline Survey Report. SustainableManagement and Harvesting of Trout Fish Resources for Poverty Reduction inFreshwaters of Gupis Area in District Ghizer, Northern Areas. Gilgit: IUCN

Malik, Nazir Ahmed, June 2006. Baseline Survey Report of Village Narhotar, UnionCouncil Lora, District Abbottabad. Peshawar: IUCN

Riaz, Mohammad, n.d. Geological Evaluation of Marble as Resource Base In IdentifiedAreas of Chitral. Chitral: AKRSP

Ahmed, Rizwan, n.d. Baseline Survey on the Potential of Mushroom Farming forImproving Livelihoods of Women and Marginalised Groups in Two Select UnionCouncils of Peshawar. Peshawar: IUCN

Ahmed Maqsood, May 2006. Socio-economic Baseline Survey of Hudur Valley. Gilgit: IUCN

Haq Rafiul, September 2006. Baseline Study on Socio-economic Conditions and FishResource Assessment in D.I. Khan. Peshawar: IUCN

Yusuf, Muhammad, September 2005. Baseline Survey of the PSNP-IPRP ModelProject on Poverty Reduction and Livelihoods Improvement through SustainableManagement of Chilghoza Pines in Shishi Valley, Chitral. Peshawar: IUCN

Yusuf, Muhammad, August 2006. Baseline on Socio-economic Conditions of the LocalCommunity and Environmental Challenges from Marble Mining and Status of Pollution.Peshawar: IUCN

Yusuf, Muhammad, February 2007. Support Tenure System that Secure Access to theChilghoza Resource by Poor People of Shishi Valley, Chitral. Peshawar: IUCN

Zaman, Saeeduz, n.d. A Report on Land Tenure and Ownership in Village Narhotar,Union Council Lora, District Abbottabad. Abbottabad: IUCN

Zaman, Saeeduz, May 2006. Study on Exploration of the Potential of Management ofNon-Timber Forest Products in Narhotar Village, Union Council Lora, DistrictAbbottabad. Abbottabad: Sungi


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P rogramme Support for Northern Pakistan (PSNP) would like toengage in innovative model projects where poor communities can bethe main beneficiaries of sustainable natural resource management,

in close collaboration with select partners from government, civil society andthe private sector.

This paper catalogues some guidelines on the selection of topics andimplementation modalities, especially the role of PSNP in these projects.

PSNP seeks to:

● Address sustainable natural resource management and livelihood issuesof poor communities, including marginalized groups and women

● Be demand-driven● Remain innovative and effect tangible benefits for local stakeholder

communities● Work in partnership with implementing agencies rather than as the main

implementer of projects● Develop model projects with a potential for replication in a broader

format and area● Operate on limited budget and human resources

In addition:

● Definition of Natural Resource Management: NRM has to be understoodin a broad sense, including agriculture, a clean and healthy environmentand scenic landscapes.

● Identification of topics: These were demand-driven and includedpriorities expressed by local communities in the process of IDVformulation and strategies for sustainable development, IUCN nationaland regional priorities with potential for synergy among differentprogrammes, project ideas generated in the earlier stage of PSNPplanning and issues of special interest of partner organizations.

● Selection of field sites and communities: These were selected keeping inmind the interest of communities and partner organizations together withconsiderations of good demonstration potential such as accessibility forselected topics and availability of socio-economic databases, forexample in Union Council Salhad, Abbottabad and Union Council Kuh,Chitral.

● Share of responsibility between PSNP and partner organizations: Thedistribution of roles between PSNP and partner organizations wasdetermined on a case-to-case in the Terms of Partnership.

Annexure I: Guidelines for Innovative Natural ResourceManagement/Livelihoods Model Projects


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Possible tasks for Programme Support for Northern Pakistan● Compiling relevant experiences, including techniques and approaches, in the selected topic● Conducting baseline studies, if required● Studying community rights, including government legislation and customary rights, of respective natural resources● Supporting the formulation of project documents● Facilitating linkages among institutions.● Supporting institutions assume key functions with a multi-stakeholder approach● Supporting devolution of government functions and fiscal devolution● Training of partners● Mobilization of specialized expertise through IUCN or external consultants● Maintaining limited role in implementation.● Monitoring changes in living conditions of beneficiary communities● Special monitoring of impact on disadvantaged groups and woman● Providing input for policy formulation and legislation based on field experiences● Documentation and knowledge sharing● Capitalizing on PSNP strengths ● Ensuring merger of NRM with poverty and livelihood● Accessing cutting edge knowledge● Providing expertise in policy and legislation and strategy development● Convening relevant people from different backgrounds on common platform● Networking with people and institutions from government, civil society and the private sector● Participating in policy dialogue● Forming interdisciplinary teams● Facilitating entry points

Tasks for Partner Organizations

● Participating in project planning● Assuming primary responsibility in project implementation ● Monitoring and reporting project progress

Financial Resources

● Financial contribution to partners for implementation of model projects has to be defined on a case-to-case basis● Additional funds to be sought from partners, beneficiaries (in kind) and other sources, if required

Human Resources of Programme Support for Northern Pakistan

● It is important to be realistic in defining the share of responsibilities between PSNP and partner organizations● The main focus of PSNP staff for the years to come will be on model projects● Engage PSNP's internal expertise, where needed and available● Engage qualified consultants for specific tasks


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Criteria Rating RankingLow Medium High

1 2 3 4 5 Rating x Ranking

Relevant to environmental conservation, and/or potential for sustainable management of critical natural resource base 5x

Potential for livelihoods improvement for local communities (tangible benefits) 5x

Potential for livelihoods improvement specially for disadvantaged groups and woman 5x

Responding to an important need (demand) expressed by the local population 4x

Innovative project with potential for replication in a broader area 4x

Availability and interest of appropriate partners for implementation, IUCNP member as potential partner 4x

Comparative advantage for IUCN and partner organization 4x

Capacity for IUCN and partner organization to mobilize the necessary expertise (cutting edge technology and approach) 4x

Potential for mobilizing the needed financial resources from partner organizations, PSNP, local funds and other sources, potential for sustainability after project ends 4x

Legal security, allowing participation in decision making and benefit sharing by involved communities or potential for improvement of policy and legal framework 3x

Potential for field-testing of new conducive policies and legislation 3x

Potential for involvement of devolved institutions according to their key role and in a transparent manner (Governance) 3x

Potential for involvement of the private sector 2x

Potential for identification of project sites with special comparative advantages (where socio economic studies have been done, accessibility etc.) 2x

Interesting learning field for IUCN and partners about NRM and poverty/livelihoods nexus

Relevance for IUCNP and Region, potential for synergy with country programme and regional initiatives of IUCN 2x

Interesting field for exchange of experiences and knowledge management 2x

Supportive for the consolidation of IUCN reputation 1x

Total points:

Annex II: Criteria for the Identification/selection ofNRM/Livelihoods Projects


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Annex III: Criteria for the Selection of Local Meso-levelPartner Organizations

Criteria Relevant specially for

CSOs Gov. Org Private Sector

Renowned organization with good working record in the area X

1. Shared values with IUCN regarding environment, development, social justice, gender, equity, governance, sustainability etc. X X

No religious or political bias X X X

2. Official registration as per the legal requirements of the Government of Pakistan X X

Functional policy making and executive body X

3. Clear strategic orientation and organizational structure. Proposed project fits within the mission/mandate of the organization X X X

4. Capacity to implement the proposed project in a cost efficient and effective way X X X

5. Professional expertise in the field of collaboration or capacity to mobilize the needed expertise X X X

6. Capacity to mobilize funds for the implementation of the proposed project X X X

7. Good coordination and networking capacity including with government agencies (Multi-Partnership approach) X X

8. Capacity to provide input for policy discussions X X X

9. Sound monitoring and reporting systems, capacity to document and share experiences and learningX X x

10. Reliable and transparent accounting and auditing procedures X x

11. Innovative and learning oriented (system and initiatives for staff learning) X X X


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To demonstrate the potential of chilghoza pinemanagement for improving the livelihoods for ruralcommunities including disadvantaged groups andwomen, while at the same time ensuring thesustainability of the resource base.

To make optimum use of he scarce water resourcesand ensure mechanisms of equity in distribution ofwater amongst the community members includingdisadvantaged groups and women for reducingpoverty and improving livelihoods.

To promote and introduce environment-friendly,minimum waste and safe mining/quarrying by buildingthe capacities of the mine owners, investors, workersand others involved in or dependant on stonequarrying in Chitral district for making optimal use ofthe mineral dimensional stone resources (marble,granite, serpentine, slate) and enhancing sustainablelivelihoods.

To demonstrate the equitable and sustainableutilization of natural assets for improving thelivelihoods of villagers including women andmarginalised groups.

To establish a replicable model for sustainablemanagement of river-based fish resource for povertyalleviation of rural community groups includingmarginalised and women of part of river Indus in D.I.Khan.

To demonstrate the potential of mushroom farming asa tool for improving the livelihoods of women andmarginalised groups in rural communities and togenerate knowledge about culturally compatiblesustainable income generation opportunities forwomen based on natural resources.

To demonstrate a community-based conservation andsustainable use model in managing trout fish infreshwater resources; to create economic and incomegeneration opportunities for marginalised groupsincluding women and the ultra-poor through enhancinglocal skills; and enhancing the local knowledge baseabout trout fish conservation and community-basednature tourism experiences in Ghizer district andsharing the knowledge with the global community.

To demonstrate the potential of chilghoza pine forimproving the livelihoods of rural communitiesincluding disadvantaged groups while at the sametime ensuring the sustainability of the resource base.

Annex IV: Projects

Poverty Reduction and LivelihoodsImprovement through SustainableManagement of Chilghoza Pines inShishi Valley, Chitral

Storage and Equitable Distributionof Water Resources for ImprovedRural Livelihoods in Kiramatabad,Mulkhow Valley, Northern Chitral

Environment-friendly and SafeMarble and Granite Mining forSustained Livelihoods in Chitral

Equitable and SustainableUtilization of Natural Assets inNarothar Village, Abbottabad

Sustainable Management of RiverBased Fish Resources for PovertyAlleviation in D.I. Khan

Promotion of Mushroom FarmingEnterprise Amongst Rural Women ofPeshawar District

Sustainable Management andHarvesting of Trout Fish Resourcesfor Poverty Reduction inFreshwaters of Gupis Area inDistrict Ghizer, Northern Areas

Community-based Chilghoza PineConservation and Management forIncome Generation in Hudur Valley,District Diamer, Northern Areas

Intercooperation-Innovation forPoverty Reduction Project

Sarhad Rural Support Program

Aga Khan Rural Support Programme,Chitral Chapter of the Frontier MineOwners Association

Sungi, Forest and AgricultureDepartments

Sustainable Education, RuralInfrastructure, Veterinary Care andEnvironment, district-level staff of theFisheries Department

Sarhad Rural Support Program

Aga Khan Rural Support Programme,Northern Areas Fisheries Department,local communities

World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan,Wildlife Conservation Society, localcommunities

Project & Location Objective Partner

Documents

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