Back to news
9 May 2017 | Blog

Developing Community-based Fruit Nursery in High-altitude Areas of Pakistan

Sultan Ishaq, Salar Saeed, Muneeb Ahmad Khan, Bashir Ahmad & Nelufar Raza

1 min Read

70% Complete
Sultan Ishaq with community members posing with high-yield fruit varieties

High-altitude areas are more vulnerable to climate change. Due to steep and unstable terrain agricultural activities in such areas tend to be small-scale. They are also far away from logistic centers and are at high risk of abandonment. In such conditions, these areas may be seen as “disadvantaged” and deprived.

People of Upper Hunza reside in a challenging terrain that is which are remote from urban centers and has harsh climatic conditions. The steep and unstable slopes and soils with decreasing fertility over time are a big challenge to long-term, sustainable crop production. The risk of crop failure in Upper Hunza has increased due to change in climatic conditions such as temperature and precipitation. The increased uncertainties of agricultural production have impacted the livelihoods of vulnerable communities as they are dependent on agro-pastoral systems for their livelihoods. The production of staple crops in the region is facing problems such as increased insect pests and disease outbreaks as also an increased variability in agro-climatic conditions, especially during the critical crop growth stages.

In such climatic and geological conditions viable alternatives to earn livelihoods are needed to reduce the risks of crop failure. One such viable alternative is to develop high-value fruit orchards, because they give premium and sustainable returns and are more resilient to climate change than the traditionally grown cereal crops.

<<READ MORE>>

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related Content

Continue exploring this topic

8 Mar 2019 Gender in Koshi
Masculinism and Feminism: Equality for all

The perpetuation of gender roles is a repetitive, systematic, and recurring behaviour. It perpetuates within the social structure by defining ...

8 Oct 2016 Blog
Rural women find relief with flood early warning system

In the fertile floodplain area of Sarpallo Village Development Committee (VDC), 270 kms east of Kathmandu, life is back to ...

20 Jun 2017 Cryosphere
How wet is the snow?

He pulled the string of the generator one more time, It did not move an inch. Not only was the ...

20 Feb 2019 RMS
Kalchebesi, a Climate Resilient Village in the Making

Empowering Women to Improve Agricultural Practices Building socio-economic resilience is at the core of the RMS concept and gender is an ...

11 Apr 2017 Blog
Waist-High In Wastewater

A colleague and I were discussing the theme for this year’s World Water Day – Wastewater. Immediately my mind conjured ...

1 Oct 2016 Blog
Temperature as a comfort indicator for Delhi’s citizens

The phenomenon of temperature rise in urban centers, has gained attention in the recent decades. Known as the Urban Heat ...

24 Jan 2018 Cryosphere
Fieldwork in the Himalaya

Getting there My heart still skips a beat whenever I recall my first field visit to Rikha Samba Glacier ...

8 Mar 2018 Gender in Koshi
Women and Fieldwork: Reclaiming public spaces and transgressing curfews

Women’s Day brings into focus women situated at various intersections of class, age, caste, race, education, culture, and geographical location. ...