Enhancing Climate Resilience and Sustainable Ecosystems

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is implementing the project “Enhancing Climate Resilience and Sustainable Ecosystems” in the Swat and Buner districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This 18‑month initiative aims to reduce climate vulnerability by mainstreaming ecosystem-based adaptation into district-level planning and governance frameworks.

Central to the project is the formulation and institutionalization of Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs), aligned with Pakistan’s National Climate Adaptation Plan (NCAP), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project adopts a systems-strengthening approach that integrates capacity building for provincial and district government institutions with structured community engagement and targeted awareness-raising on EbA principles.

In parallel, the initiative promotes climate-resilient and ecosystem-sensitive agricultural value chains, with a strong emphasis on sustainable and blended financing mechanisms and private sector engagement. The establishment and strengthening of Women and Farmer Enterprise Groups are key components, supporting climate-resilient livelihoods, green entrepreneurship, and inclusive local economic development.

Implemented in accordance with IUCN’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), the project is expected to directly benefit approximately 84,000 people. It is designed to generate a scalable and catalytic model for integrating ecosystem-based adaptation into local development processes and climate action planning.

Project Status

Outcome: Communities adopt Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs) and have access to sustainable livelihood opportunities.

• Implementation efforts focused on establishing institutional arrangements and initiating processes required for the development of climate adaptation planning mechanisms, including LAPAs.
• The project established strong engagement with district administrations, government line departments, and relevant stakeholders to facilitate the future development adoption of LAPAs and ecosystem-based adaptation approaches. Stakeholder mapping and consultation processes have created the basis for collaborative climate planning and sustainable livelihood interventions.
• Although outcome-level indicators are expected to be achieved in the later stages of project implementation, the groundwork established to date has made a significant contribution towards achieving the intended outcome.

Output 1: Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs) Developed and Implemented

The project made substantial progress in initiating activities required for the development of district-level LAPAs.

a. Stakeholder Mapping and Influence Analysis

• A comprehensive stakeholder mapping exercise was successfully completed in both districts. The exercise identified key government line departments, civil society organizations, community representatives, private sector actors, and development partners relevant to climate adaptation planning.
• The stakeholder analysis further assessed institutional influence, interests, capacities, and potential contributions to LAPA development and implementation.

b. Development of Resource Assessment Tool

• A comprehensive assessment tool was developed to facilitate the systematic mapping of available natural resources, financial allocations, ADP resources, and sectoral investments relevant to climate adaptation.

c. Government Coordination and Engagement

• A total of 19 coordination meetings (09 in Buner, 10 in Swat) were conducted with district administrations and relevant government line departments across both districts, including representatives from: District Administration, Forest Department, Agriculture Engineering & Research Department, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Water & Sanitation Company (WSSC), Livestock Department, Planning and Development Department, District Disaster Management Authorities, Local Government Department, Education Department, & Environmental Protection Agency representatives. These meetings enhanced stakeholder awareness regarding project objectives and established institutional ownership for future implementation activities.

d. Preparatory Activities

• Preparatory activities were initiated to support resource assessments, climate risk assessments, the development of LAPA development processes, the formation of DCCs, and the development of consultant ToRs.

Output 2: Strengthened Agriculture Value Chains through Private Sector Engagement

Preparatory activities for value chain strengthening interventions commenced, focusing on establishing institutional partnerships, developing assessment methodologies, identifying key stakeholders, and laying the groundwork for climate-resilient market systems development.

Project Achievements

1. Engagement with Farmer Organizations: The project initiated engagement with local civil society organizations (CSOs), including Muslim Hands, Sarhad Rural Support Program (SRSP), HELVETAS Pakistan, and LASOONA Relief and Development Organization, as well as farmer groups established under previous development initiatives, including organizations supported through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rural Economic Transformation Project (KPRETP) interventions. These engagements facilitated the preliminary identification of target farmers, women’s economic groups, and farmer enterprises that may participate in upcoming climate-smart agriculture and sustainable livelihood activities.
2. Initial Planning for Value Chain Analysis: Initial mapping of financial service providers and government-supported financing programmes was undertaken to identify existing credit mechanisms and enterprise financing options for smallholder farmers, women entrepreneurs, and youth. This groundwork will directly inform the value chain assessment and financial inclusion components planned for the next phase of implementation.
3. Coordination and Partnerships: Strong coordination mechanisms were established through proactive engagement with key stakeholders, including the district administrations of Swat and Buner, district-level departments including Agriculture Research, Livestock, Forest, Education, and Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), civil society organizations, and community representatives. These consultations strengthened collaboration with relevant government departments, enhanced institutional ownership of project interventions, and facilitated the sharing of information on district priorities, ongoing agricultural initiatives, and opportunities for complementarity with existing programmes. This collaborative approach has fostered strong institutional support and laid the foundation for the effective implementation of forthcoming value chain assessments, private sector engagement, and market systems strengthening activities.