ISLAMABAD: A diverse group of experts has stressed the need for active engagement, ensuring water rights awareness, and harnessing local wisdom and indigenous knowledge for project designs.

The suggestion was made during a groundbreaking consultation on community-led ‘climate-resilient water governance models in Pakistan’. The event was hosted by the International Rescue Committee and the National Disaster Risk Management Fund and aimed to gather expert insights on enhancing resilient water governance systems and policy reforms to tackle the challenges posed by extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, exacerbated by the impacts of climate change.

Experts highlighted the scarcity of skills and technical personnel to promote market-oriented water management and the need for proper data for informed decision-making. They emphasised the importance of documenting lessons from past experiences to inform future strategies and policies, as well as promoting private sector support for value addition in agriculture sectors in hill torrent areas.

They stressed for clear guidelines for engaging semi-urban/urban segments in water governance systems.

Among the attendees were representatives from Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, the Member Planning Commission, the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, ZIZak, USAID’s Higher Education System Strengthening Activity, the Natural Resources Division (NRD), the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), civil society representatives, and others.

Shabnam Baloch, Country Director, International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Mr. Bilal Anwar, CEO of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), facilitated the conversation and emphasised the importance of incorporating the voice of local communities into project designs and policy formulations.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2024