conservation chitral - iucn

ChitralConservation

Strategy

T he designation of geographical entities in this book,and the presentation of the material, do not implythe expression of any opinion whatsoever on the

part of IUCN concerning the legal status of any country,territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning thedelimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Published by: IUCN, Sarhad Programme.

Copyright:© 2004 International Union for Conservation of Nature andNatural Resources, Pakistan and the Government of NorthWest Frontier Province (NWFP).

Chitral – An Integrated Development Vision (ChitralConservation Strategy) was prepared by the Governmentof NWFP(Planning and Development Department) in collaboration with IUCN-The World Conservation Union.

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

Citation is encouraged. Reproduction and/or translation of this publication for educational or other non-commercialpurposes is authorised without prior written permissionfrom IUCN Pakistan, provided the source is fully acknowledged.

Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior writtenpermission from IUCN Pakistan.

The contents and the opinions expressed do not constitute an endorsement by the SDC.

Citation:NWFP and IUCN Pakistan (2004). Chitral – An IntegratedDevelopment Vision (Chitral Conservation Strategy). IUCN Pakistan and NWFP, Karachi, Pakistan. xiv+103 pp.

Editor:Firuza Pastakia

ISBN: 969-8141-58-8

Cover & layout design: Creative Unit (Pvt.) Ltd.

Printed by:xxxx

Available from:IUCN-The World Conservation UnionIUCN PakistanSarhad Programme OfficeHouse No. 109, Sarhad Office RoadDefence Officers ColonyKhyber Road, PeshawarTel: 091-271728/276032Fax: 091-275093

IUCN-CCS Support UnitJudicial Council BuildingChitralTel & Fax: 0933-412079Website: www.ccs.iucnp.org

CHITRAL Conservation Strategy III

PART I

CONTEXT

03 Chapter 1Background

07 Chapter 2Overview of Chitral District

41 Chapter 3Major Past and Present Development Initiatives

PART II

STRATEGY

53 Chapter 4Governance

55 Chapter 5Human ResourceDevelopment and Economic Uplift

63 Chapter 6Development of Municipal Services and Infrastructure

71 Chapter 7Natural Resource Management

PART III

85 Chapter 8Implementing the Strategy

93 Chapter 9Action Plan

97 References

99 SelectBibliography

101 CCS SectorPapers

102 Appendix A

103 Appendix B

1 2 3

V Abbreviations

VII Acknowledgements

IX Executive Summary

XIII Reader’s GuideC o n t e n t s

IMPLEMENTATION

CHITRAL Conservation Strategy V

ADPAnnual DevelopmentProgramme

AKESAga Khan EducationServices

AKHSAga Khan Health Services

AKPBSAga Khan Planning andBuilding Services

AKRSPAga Khan Rural SupportProgramme

CADPChitral Area DevelopmentProject

CBOCommunity-based organisation

CCBCitizen Community Board

CCSChitral ConservationStrategy

CFSDChitral Fund for SustainableDevelopment

DCO District Coordination Officer

DFODivisional Forest Officer

EDOExecutive District Officer

FMBFirst MicroFinance Bank

GoNWFPGovernment of the North-West Frontier Province

GoPGovernment of Pakistan

IFADInternational Fund forAgricultural Development

IUCN The World ConservationUnion

KfWKreditanstalt fürWiederaufbau

NGONon-governmental organisation

NWFPN o r t h - West Frontier Province

PHEDPublic Health EngineeringDepartment

PHPProject for HorticulturalPromotion

PNCSPakistan NationalConservation Strategy

SAPSocial Action Programme

SDCSwiss Agency forDevelopment andCooperation

SHYDOSarhad Hydel DevelopmentOrganization

SPCSSarhad ProvincialConservation Strategy

TMATehsil MunicipalAdministration

UNICEFUnited Nations Children’sFund

WAPDAWater and PowerDevelopment Authority

WWFWorld Wide Fund forNature

A b b r e v i a t i o n s

Credit for the formulation of the Chitral Conservation Strategy (CCS) goes first and foremostto the people of Chitral who flocked to the district, tehsil and village meetings held to elicittheir views and assess their needs. These meetings shaped the strategy and served todetermine its priorities. Our thanks are also due to members of government and non-govern-mental organisations working in the district. A long list of institutions and individuals helped to map out this strategic framework for integrated development at the district level in Chitral. The provincial government’s Planningand Development Department, the former district administration of Chitral, district line department partners, representatives of funded projects, the steering committee and ZillaCouncil CCS Committee played an active role in the development of the strategy.Participants of the multi-stakeholder District Roundtable delineated the broad outlines of theCCS document and monitored its progress.The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and IUCN–The World ConservationUnion provided financial and technical support. All deserve our gratitude for their contribution.

CHITRAL Conservation Strategy VII

A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s

Imposing mountains dominate the landscape of Chitral, forging a rugged terrain that is hometo 162,000 males and 157,000 females. The topography of the area is varied, with 28.5% ofthe region covered in glaciers, snow-clad mountains, bare rock and barren ground, and 62%of the land supporting only pasture with sparse vegetation. The district’s most important productive resource is irrigated farmland totalling 45,017 ha, which feeds and providesemployment to the majority of its people. Critical as a food source as well as a means toaugment farm income are about 700,000 head of livestock (75% goats and sheep). Forestscover 70,045 ha, mainly in Chitral and Drosh tehsils. Of this area, 25,000 ha is suitable forcommercial harvesting. Despite widespread hunting by the local people, the remote mountain valleys of Chitral are home to a considerable variety of wildlife.

CHITRAL Conservation Strategy IX

Executive summary

Executive summary

Major Achievements

The grit of the people, the efforts of provin-cial government departments, and donorassistance channelled through develop-ment initiatives such as the Aga KhanRural Support Programme (AKRSP) andChitral Area Development Project (CADP),have allowed Chitral’s inhabitants to main-tain a precarious toehold on survivaldespite a threefold increase in populationsince 1951. In addition to major roads toGarum Chashma, Gilgit, Mastuj andP e s h a w a r, the district is traversed by 800km of link roads which create access towidely scattered settlements. Meanwhile,voluntary social organisation and the appli-cation of gruelling labour have enabledwater to be conveyed great distances overrocky ground to irrigate farmland.Electricity is available to 67% of house-holds, and piped water to 88% and 41% ofurban and rural households, respectively.Approximately 10% of the population hasaccess to telephones.

Of individuals aged 10 years and above,10% have received primary education,7.5% have studied up to the middle leveland 6.5% have completed matriculation,while 2% each have obtained secondaryand degree-level education. Some 12% of students drop out before completing primary school. Currently 51% of malesand 31% of females between the ages of 5and 24 are engaged in education.

Health care is provided through a districtheadquarters and three tehsil headquar-ters hospitals, as well as three rural healthcentres, 22 basic health units, 22 dispen-saries, three mother and child health cen-tres, and three specialised centres, oneeach for immunisation, leprosy and malaria.

The efforts of local farmers, agriculture andforestry scientists, as well as the AKRSPand CADP, have brought about a consider-able increase in crop yields, as well as a decline in the incidence of livestock disease. Close to 9 million forest treeshave been planted since 1988, althoughtheir survival has not been monitored.

Major Constraints to Further Development Chitral is the only district in all of Pakistanto become cut off from the rest of the coun-try for several months during the winterwhen the Lowari Pass (3,200 m) is blockedwith snow. Winter snow and summer floodsalso disrupt communications within Chitral.

The area’s isolation during the winter castsa shadow on every aspect of daily life,restricting the mobility of labour, disruptingagricultural exports, and interfering withimports of grain, livestock feed and agricul-tural inputs. Deficiencies in the internalcommunications network, combined with ashort working season, impair the quality andreach of health and education services, andhinder development work in general.

Chitral’s most important potential asset ishuman capital. Yet recent statistics showthat some 24,000 men and 40 women from15 to 64 years of age are unemployed(GoP, 1999). Human resource develop-ment is constrained by the fact that expan-sion in certain key sectors has proven difficult. Primary health care, reproductiveeducation, curative medicine, potablewater supply, and quality education andtraining, especially among women, areareas that require urgent attention. In addi-tion, reliable communications both withinthe district, and between Chitral and therest of the country, are essential. Otherconstraining factors include lack of aware-ness among the population and a scarcityof material resources required to initiateremedial measures on an effective scale.

Agricultural activity in Chitral depends on irrigation. Since the overall area under irriga-tion is small, as are individual land holdings,an immediate increase in household farmincome only becomes possible if both theproductivity and profitability of agriculture canbe improved. This in turn requires that meas-ures are taken to bolster the agriculture sector: protecting farmland from soil erosion,preventing the diversion of agricultural landto non-agricultural uses, maintaining irrigation channels and levelling ground formore effective irrigation. The government’s

CHITRAL Conservation StrategyX

Executive summary

current agricultural research and extensionservice must also respond more effectively tothe requirements of local communities.

In the medium and long term, new land willneed to be brought under irrigation—a factnot lost on the people of Chitral themselves.The sector has already received consider-able attention and significant resource out-lays from the A K R S P and CADP. Toincrease the area under irrigation, detailedstudies will be required to determine thepotential of remaining level land to supportagriculture. The adequacy of availablewater resources will also need to be inves-tigated, along with the cost-effectiveness of conveying water to the areas selected for irrigation. In addition, disputes over ownership of land and water will need to beresolved. While the task of irrigating newland is arduous, expensive and time consuming, its critical role in enabling agricultural activity makes irrigation a criticalpart of any plan to alleviate poverty and create employment in the long term.

Livestock rearing is a key component ofC h i t r a l ’s economy, providing food andallowing local communities to supplementtheir income by selling wool and hides.Since husbandry is managed primarily bywomen, income generation schemesaimed specifically at women can be chan-nelled through this sector.

Expansion in this sector is constrained primarily by the shortage of animal feed inthe winter. Animals are kept indoors from lateautumn to early spring, during which timethey are fed crop residues and dry fodder.Feed shortages not only affect the health oflivestock, but also restrict the number of animals a household is able to rear. In latespring and early autumn, herds forage insubtropical and temperate grazing lands cov-ering 57,600 ha, spending the summers inalpine and subalpine grazing lands extend-ing over 316,000 ha. Many of these areasare being rapidly denuded. Other constraintsto the development of husbandry includeparasites, disease and inadequate shelter.

Besides advancements in the farming andlivestock sectors, harnessing Chitral’s

hydroelectric potential will considerablyimprove the quality of life for the majority ofthe population. Work in this direction isalready underway with the small-scaleReshun and Shishi-II hydel projects currently under construction. Upon completion, these schemes will increaseoverall production. Supply to Chitral’s scattered habitations, however, willdepend on the speed with which a distribu-tion grid can be set up. Communities towhom supply cannot be extended cost-e ffectively will need to build their ownmicrohydel power plants, relying on socialorganisation. In addition to subsidies, thesuccess of these initiatives will require theestablishment of a fully equipped work-shop in Chitral where repairs may be carried out, and training for village residents in operation and maintenance.

A matter of critical concern for the peopleof Chitral is reliable access to a year-round supply of potable water. A c c o r d i n gto the 1998 census, 88% of the urbanpopulation of Chitral receives pipedw a t e r. But among rural inhabitants, whocomprise 90% of Chitral’s total popula-tion, only 41% receive water throughpipelines. The rugged terrain of the area,coupled with its severe climate, create amajor obstacle to expanding the supply ofpotable water. During the winter, pipelinesare known to freeze and eventually burst,cutting off supply to large segments of thep o p u l a t i o n .

Renewable resources in Chitral are underheavy pressure from a forestry systemthat does not take into account the needsof the people. Meanwhile, fodder scarcityand domestic energy requirements con-tribute to the denudation of watershedsand grazing lands.

Ecotourism is a valuable potential asset forChitral, bringing in its wake a number ofsynergistic improvements in other sectors.Development issues that are important inand of themselves—facilitating access;improving health care; increasing the sup-ply of potable water; protecting the envi-ronment; upgrading areas of ecologicalinterest, such as forests, alpine grazing

CHITRAL Conservation Strategy XI

lands and biodiversity areas; and conserv-ing cultural heritage—are also likely tomake the area a more attractive touristdestination.

Removing Constraints

For the inhabitants of Chitral, to eke out aliving is a challenge fraught with diff i c u l t yat every turn. Generating meaningfuldevelopment in the area will require thesustained involvement of both the govern-ment and the people. The ChitralConservation Strategy (CCS) endorses a bottom-up approach to developmentplanning and expects local communities tomake their contribution at every step of theprocess, from planning and design to operation and maintenance. To helpfinance such initiatives, the CCS envisions

the launching of a Chitral Fund forSustainable Development. At the sametime, however, major investment will berequired from the federal and provincialgovernments in sectors that are the state’sresponsibility: providing infrastructure facilities for governance, communications,education, health, potable water, sanitationand electricity.

The time frame for implementation of theCCS is 10 years. A review is to be conducted after the first five years, at whichstage the strategy may be amended by theZilla Council. The CCS will come into effectupon approval by the Zilla Council. TheZilla Nazim will lead implementation andmonitor progress, with the assistance of theDistrict Coordination Officer and the districtFinance and Planning Office.

Executive summary

CHITRAL Conservation StrategyXII

CHITRAL Conservation Strategy XIII

The Chitral Conservation Strategy (CCS) takes stock of the area’s resources andinvestigates ways in which to sustainably increase their productivity. Developedunder a District Roundtable comprising local residents and government functionar-ies, the strategy formulation process was facilitated by the CCS Unit of IUCN–TheWorld Conservation Union. Views of participants at district, tehsil and village consul-tations determined the content of this strategy. Additional information required forits preparation was obtained from specially commissioned sector papers, and fromthe concerned government and non-government agencies.

Chapter 1 sets the stage for the development of the CCS, providing brief overviews of theinternational context in which area-specific conservation strategies have been prepared inPakistan and the consultation process that led to the formulation of a strategy for Chitral.Chapter 2 contains a sector-by-sector survey of the district, covering physical geography,demographics, climate, employment, natural resources, infrastructure and public-sector services, as well as social organisation, cultural heritage and tourism. The structure of thenew local government system, introduced following the promulgation of the North-WestFrontier Province Local Government Ordinance 2001, is also described. Chapter 3 outlinesmajor development projects undertaken in the past, along with programmes currentlyin operation. Together, these chapters provide the context in which the CCS has been formulated.

The strategy itself is developed in chapters 4 to 7. Here, individual sectors discussed in theoverview are grouped thematically into four chapters: governance, human resource development, municipal services and infrastructure, and natural resource management.Each chapter is devoted to a single theme and, where necessary, individual sectors are discussed separately. Issues affecting each sector are analysed and a strategy proposed forimprovements in that sector.

The last two chapters focus on translating the CCS proposals into action. Chapter 8 discusses implementation mechanisms and suggests ways in which scarce resources can beutilised more efficiently. Chapter 9 synthesises the strategy into an easy-to-reference table,listing 38 initiatives grouped according to time frame, along with the actors expected to beinvolved in execution.

R e a d e r’s guide

Part 1Context

CHITRAL Conservation Strategy 3

C h a p t e r

Background

1

1.1Chitral Conservation Strategy

Since the merger of the former state ofChitral with Pakistan in 1969, sizeableresources have been expended by bothgovernment and donor agencies for thedevelopment of the district. Growth hasnevertheless failed to keep pace with thep e o p l e ’s needs or reflect their risingexpectations. At the same time, the sustainability of gains achieved has notbeen ensured.

The Chitral Conservation Strategy (CCS)searches for ways in which to foster thesustainable development of Chitral’s meagre resource base. The strategy aimsto identify the capacity of the people, and toincrease their income by enhancing pro-ductivity and optimising the use of naturalresources. In the light of past experience,the CCS attempts to find new institutionalarrangements through which local commu-nities, supported by the government, canbecome the prime engine for development.

1.2Genesis of the CCS

International concern for sustainable devel-opment emerged following the launch in1980 of the World Conservation Strategy:Living Resource Conservation forSustainable Development, prepared byIUCN–The World Conservation Union with

the assistance of the United NationsEnvironment Programme, the World WideFund for Nature and other agencies (IUCN,1980). Modelled on this international conservation document, a number of countries began to prepare their own natural resource conservation strategieswith IUCN assistance.

Formulation of the Pakistan NationalConservation Strategy (PNCS) got under-way in 1987. Approved by the FederalCabinet in 1992, the PNCS recommendsthe implementation of 14 programmes:■ maintaining soils in croplands,■ increasing irrigation efficiency,■ protecting watersheds,■ supporting forestry and plantations,■ restoring rangelands and improving

livestock,■ protecting water bodies and sustaining

fisheries,■ conserving biodiversity,■ increasing energy efficiency,■ developing and deploying renewables,■ preventing/abating pollution,■ managing urban wastes,■ supporting institutions for common

resources,■ integrating population and environmental

programmes, and ■ preserving the cultural heritage (GoP

and IUCN, 1992).

In 1996, the North West Frontier Province(NWFP) approved the Sarhad ProvincialConservation Strategy (SPCS) whichfocuses implementation of the PNCS ondevelopment concerns specific to theNWFP. The SPCS action plan identifies thefollowing priority areas:■ governance and capacity development;■ poverty alleviation and population;■ non-governmental organisations;■ communication and education;■ urban environments and sustainable

cities;■ sustainable industrial development;■ natural resource management;■ biological diversity, parks and protected

areas; and ■ cultural heritage and sustainable tourism

(GoNWFP and IUCN, 1996).

Implemented by the provincial government’sPlanning and Development Department, theSPCS is the principal strategic environmen-tal framework for the NWFP.

The province-wide public consultationprocess leading up to the formulation of theSPCS identified governance as a sector thatrequired improvement. Decentralisation of

CHITRAL Conservation Strategy4

Background

The CCS attempts to find new

institutional arrangements through

which local communities, supported

by the government, can become the

prime engine for development.

planning and decision making from theprovincial to district level emerged as animportant prerequisite for improved gover-nance. In the SPCS, the provincial govern-ment makes a commitment to test the con-cept of district-level strategic planning. SPCSsupport projects include two such initiatives,one each in Chitral and Abbottabad districts.

The CCS is funded by the Swiss Agency forDevelopment and Cooperation. In January1997, a CCS Unit was established within theIUCN to assist in the strategy formulationprocess. Preparation of the CCS was spear-headed by the then Deputy CommissionerChitral and the District Roundtable, a multi-stakeholder advisory body. The process,facilitated by the CCS Unit, involved publicmeetings at district, tehsil and village level.

1.3Public Perception

Atotal of 48 public consultations were held:one at district, 11 at tehsil and 36 at the village level. Women and minority commu-nities were consulted in separate meetings.Environmental issues were mentionedeither directly or indirectly at all tehsil meet-ings. Concern over environmental degrada-tion was voiced frequently, and participantsdemonstrated a keen awareness of issues

such as the depletion of natural resourcesand the destruction of biodiversity.

The people of Chitral viewed these consul-tations as the first serious attempt evermade by the provincial government to solicit their views on development. Whileappreciating the role of the Aga Khan RuralSupport Programme (AKRSP) and ChitralArea Development Project in fostering self-reliance and social organisation, they insisted that Chitral’s development concernscould only be tackled effectively if the government were to become fully involved inthe process as well. Local residents were ofthe view that community participation couldhelp stem the misuse of development funds,and ensure maximum transparency in theexecution of social sector programmes anddevelopment projects. The participatoryapproach adopted in formulating the CCSwas also endorsed.

During these consultations, participantshighlighted more than 20 areas of concern,some of which have been grouped togetherfor the purpose of this strategy. The follow-ing are 10 major issues brought up duringthe consultation process, ranked accordingto the number of times a topic was raisedand the number of meetings in which it wasdiscussed:


Background

A CCS Roundtable in progress

1

1. irrigation; 2. potable water;3. communications and infrastructure;4. agriculture, floods and land erosion; 5. hydel power and alternate fuel sources;6. deforestation;7. education;8. sanitation, drainage and sewerage;9. poverty reduction and employment; and10. cultural heritage and tourism.

Based on these priorities, sector-specificpapers were commissioned on the follow-ing topics:■ irrigation;■ access to clean drinking water;■ infrastructure;■ agriculture;■ energy;■ forests, grazing lands and watersheds;■ biodiversity, parks and protected areas;■ human resource development;■ sanitation and solid waste disposal;■ microenterprise development; and■ cultural heritage and ecotourism.

Drawing on the detailed studies undertakenin the CCS sector papers, guidelines pro-vided by the District Roundtable and views

expressed by participants at public consul-tations, a draft strategy was prepared inDecember 1999. This draft took intoaccount interviews with the AKRSP ChiefExecutive Officer, and various heads of|line departments and non-governmentalorganisations, as well as the deliberationsof the June 1999 workshop on institutionalreform organised by the Planning andDevelopment Department in Peshawar.

In January 2002, the draft strategy wasupdated to reflect changes in the structureof local government following the promul-gation of the NWFP Local GovernmentOrdinance 2001. At this stage, the comments of two special referees(Professor Israr and Miraj Ud Din) whoreviewed the first draft were incorporated,the District Coordination Officer andExecutive District Officers of various gov-ernment departments were consulted, andadditional material was gleaned from aspecial study (Cyan, 2001).

The final draft, prepared in July 2002,responds to five critical reviews of theJanuary draft by heads of partner organisa-tions.


Background

The CCS public consultation process


C h a p t e r

Overview of Chitral District

2

2.1PhysiographySurrounded by some of the tallest moun-tains in the world, Chitral is Pakistan’snorthern-most district, situated just acrossthe border from Afghanistan. The valley isbounded on the north-west by theHindukush mountains, on the north-east bythe Karakoram and on the south by theHindu Raj range. With more than 40 peaksover 6,100 m packed in an area of 14,850km2, altitudes in this rugged terrain rangefrom 1,094 m at Arandu to 7,726 m atTirichmir. Land access beyond the valley isrestricted to a few passes, all situatedabove 3,500 m.

The Chitral valley and some 30 subsidiaryvalleys are drained by the Chitral river,which is known by different names alongvarious stretches, and its tributaries.Originating in the Chiantar glacier, the riverenters Afghanistan at Arandu. Chitral’s

main valley is 354 km long and varies inwidth from 4,800 m at some locations tobarely 180 m, while the side valleys areeven narrower. Fan deposits may be foundin open spaces along both the main andside valleys. Villages and cultivated areasare for the most part confined to these alluvial deposits which occur at the mouthsof streams and hill torrents.

2.2People

The area that is now Chitral has beeninhabited for at least 4,000 years. Its people belong to over a dozen different cul-tures and speak more than 14 languages.As a result of its unique location and historical links with Central Asia and Europe,the material and non-material culture ofChitral bears traces of Greek, Iranian,Mongolian, Tatar and Turk influences.

According to the 1998 census, Chitral’spopulation stands at 318,689 (162,082males and 156,607 females). These statis-tics show that the population hasincreased at an average rate of 2.5%annually since the 1981 census, asopposed to 3.3% growth during the period1972–81 (Figure 1). Close to 90% of thepopulation resides in 463 rural settle-ments, ranging in size from 20 to 3,573inhabitants (Figure 2). Nearly 75% of thesehabitations are small, with a maximumpopulation of 800 (Figure 3). Chitral townis the only urban settlement in the district,with a population of 20,622.



FIGURE 1 Population growth,1951-2002

1 0 6 11 3

1 5 9

2 0 9

3 1 9 3 2 7 3 3 53 4 4 3 5 3

E = estimated population Source: Government of Pakistan, 1999.

1951 1961 1972 1981 1998 1999(E) 2000(E) 2001(E) 2002(E)

4 0 0

3 5 0

3 0 0

2 5 0

2 0 0

1 5 0

1 0 0

5 0

0A Nomad with his child

2.3Poverty

Compared to the rest of the country, the peo-ple of Chitral are poor. Asocio-economic studyof 220 households (110 each from single- and double- cropping zones) distri-buted throughout the Aga Khan Rural Support

Programme (AKRSP) project area revealsthat average per capita income stands at Rs9,543 at current factor cost and Rs 4,939 at1991 constant factor cost (AKRSP, 1997).This figure is about half the average per capi-ta income for Pakistan as a whole. Moreover,36% of households live below the poverty lineof Rs 6,165 per capita, determined by a base-line survey carried out in the area in 1998,while 11% live below the halved poverty line.The Gini coefficient for the households sam-pled is 0.36 (on a scale of 0 to 1, the formervalue indicating perfect equality and the latter



A panoramic view of suburbs of Chitral Town

2

FIGURE 2 Chitral district urban/rural population ratio

■ 90 % Rural

■ 10% Urban

Source: Government of Pakistan, 1999.

FIGURE 3 Distribution of rural habitations by population

8 4

1 6 3

1 3 4

6 6

1 6

Population


<200 200-499 500-999 1,000-1,999 2,000-4,999

1 8 0

1 6 0

1 4 0

1 2 0

1 0 0

8 0

6 0

4 0

2 0

0

perfect inequality). Thus poverty is distributedmore evenly in Chitral, compared to the rest ofPakistan with a Gini coefficient of 0.40.

Contributing to poverty in the area is the agedistribution of the population (Figure 4).C h i t r a l ’s inhabitants are predominantlyyoung, with the majority below the age of 19years. As a result, the size of the workforceis limited, which in turn restricts the capacityof local communities to generate resources.Between the ages of 20 and 50, meanwhile,women make up more than half of the population. However, women in Chitral donot participate equally in economic a c t i v i t y, further constraining socio-economicdevelopment in the area.

2.4Climate

2.4.1 Rainfall

Since Chitral is surrounded by mountains, itdoes not receive the monsoon rains. Meanrainfall in Drosh and Chitral towns (LowerChitral) is approximately 650 mm and 500 mm,

r e s p e c t i v e l y, occurring mainly in the spring andwinter (Table 1). Summer and autumn are dry,with the area receiving barely 10–25 mm ofrain per month. In Upper Chitral, annual precipitation is as low as 200 mm, receivedmostly as snow in the higher elevations.

2.4.2 Temperature

Mean maximum and minimum monthlytemperatures in Chitral and Drosh are



FIGURE 4 Population by age group, 1998


0-4 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60 +

7 0 , 0 0 0

6 0 , 0 0 0

5 0 , 0 0 0

4 0 , 0 0 0

3 0 , 0 0 0

2 0 , 0 0 0

1 0 , 0 0 0

■ Total

■ Male

■ Female

Age Group (years)

FIGURE 5 Mean maximum and minimum temperature in Chitral

Month

Source: Pakistan Meteorological Department, 1998.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

4 0

3 5

3 0

2 5

2 0

1 5

1 0

5

0

- 5

911

1 6

22

2 7

35

3736

32

25

1 8

1 2

03

8

1 4

2021

1 9

1 2

85

0- 1

Maximum temperature ■ Minimum temperature

TABLE Mean rainfall in Drosh and Chitral1Month Drosh Chitral

Total Share of Average Total Share of Average(mm) annual (mm) (mm) annual (mm)

rainfall (%) rainfall (%)

Jan-Feb 162 25 81 94 18 47

Mar-Apr 245 37 123 278 54 139

May 61 9 61 41 8 41

June-Nov 150 23 25 62 12 10

December 40 6 40 44 8 44

Total 658 519


shown in Table 2 and Figures 5 and 6. As is the case with rainfall, no temperature records are maintained forUpper Chitral.

2.5Land Cover

According to the 2001 land cover map ofChitral District developed by the CCSSupport Unit of IUCN–The Wo r l dConservation Union using satelliteimages, the percentage of total land areaunder various cover classes is shown inFigure 7.

2.6Gender

Chitral is one of the country’s mostdeprived areas and massive resources willbe required to improve the livelihood of itspeople. It is essential that these inputs areapplied precisely and sensitively to meetthe requirements of men as well as women.

Traditionally, women have enjoyed a highstatus in Chitrali society. Old proverbs like“Khowistan aurat abad” (“the land of Kho isprosperous owing to the ability and skills ofits women”) and “har chamoto tan hunar”(“each finger has a skill”) are a clear reflec-tion of this fact. Financial and resource utilisation discipline, known as madiri, isconsidered to be the exclusive domain ofwomen. Historically, women have inheritedproperty and managed large estates.During the reign of Chitral’s former rulers,the Mehtars, the women of the ruling family played a significant role in statecraft.

Chitrali society is comprised of two distinctsocial and cultural groups, the Kalash andthe Khow, each with its own norms and tra-



FIGURE 6 Mean maximum andminimum temperature in Drosh

Month


Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

4 0

3 5

3 0

2 5

2 0

1 5

1 0

5

0

7

1 0

1 5

21

28

3436

35

32

2 6

1 9

11

2

6

1 2

1 9

23 23

20

1 5

1 05

10

Maximum temperature ■ Minimum temperature

TABLE 2 Mean maximum and minimum temperature inDrosh and Chitral (°C)*

FIGURE 7 Land cover and land use

Source: CCS Support Unit, IUCN.

■ 3% Agriculture

■ 4.7% Forest

■ 1.2% Shrubs and bushes■ 62% Rangeland with sparse vegetation

■ 4.1% Rock

■ 24.39% Glaciers and snow

■ 0.46% Riverbeds

■ 0.02% Lakes■ 0.13% Main habitation

Month Drosh Chitral

Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum

January 7 0 9 -1

February 10 1 11 0

March 15 5 16 5

April 21 10 22 8

May 28 15 27 12

June 34 20 35 19

July 36 23 37 21

August 35 23 36 20

September 32 19 32 14

October 26 12 25 8

November 19 6 18 3

December 11 2 12 0

* Temperatures rounded to the nearest degree.Source: Pakistan Meteorological Department, 1998.

2

ditions governing gender roles. An analysisof their lifestyles serves as a useful indicatorof the state of gender equity in the region.

2.6.1 Kalash

The Kalash are confined to three valleys insouthern Chitral and, to this day, liveaccording to ancient traditions. The womendo not observe pardah (the veil), workmostly on family farmland, and do not gen-erally participate in decision making relatedto inheritance and other family matters.

2.6.2 Khow

The Khow population is predominant in thedistrict. In Khow areas, pardah is strictlyobserved. Although the mobility of womenhere is for the most part restricted, theyengage in farm-related activities. Kitchengardens, dairy products, and the produc-tion of silk and woollen handicrafts are theexclusive domain of women. Under Muslimfamily law, which the Khow follow, womenare permitted to inherit property.

2.6.3 Women and Work

Across Chitral, the gender division of labouris evident in every sphere of activity. Men

and women are for the most part expectedto adhere to gender-specific roles that havebeen developed over generations.O c c a s i o n a l l y, a departure from tradition isforced by a dramatic change in social, economic or ecological circumstances.

2.6.4 Changes in TraditionalGender Roles

In response to changing socio-economicrealities, traditional gender roles are begin-ning to change (Tables 3 and 4). With thedeparture of men from the fields in order topursue education or employment, womenare left with the responsibility of managingfarmland. Relatively affluent householdsare able to employ labour and herewomen take on managerial roles. In families that cannot afford to employl a b o u r, women perform many of thesetasks themselves.



Kalash children

TABLE 4 Changes in traditionalgender roles among the Khow

Gender Traditional roles Emerging roles

Female Cooking, knitting, Small-scale spinning, embroidery, business, farm child rearing, kitchen management in gardening, poultry, addition to livestock husbandry traditional roles,

herding by elder women to spare children foreducation

Male Farming, weaving, Business and herding, carpentry, trade, employment, masonry, music, farming, cottage dancing, sports industry

Source: Hemani and Warrington, 1996.

TABLE 3 Changes in traditionalgender roles among the Kalash

Gender Traditional roles Emerging roles

Female Farming, embroidery, Increasing child rearing, music, education dancing is likely to

change traditional roles

Male Hunting, herding, Employment in spinning, knitting, business and carpentry, masonry trade, weaving weaving, farming and farming

Source: Hemani and Warrington, 1996.

As education opens up new avenues ofemployment for both men and women,some traditional practices are being aban-doned. For instance, in households wheremen are employed off-farm, grazing is noweither entrusted to Gujars or the number oflivestock kept is reduced, depending on thecircumstances of each household.Increasing female education, meanwhile,has raised the workload of women whostay at home, since school-going girls areexempt from household and farmingchores.

With the assistance of rural support pro-grammes, women in Chitral have alsobegun to participate in microenterpriseactivities, setting up shops in towns and villages. These shops are managed individually as well as collectively throughwomen’s organisations.

2.7Agriculture

The people of Chitral have traditionallypractised subsistence agriculture focusedon grain production and livestock rearing.Their diet of cereals and dairy products is

supplemented with fruits and nuts, grownas single trees in marginal land on fieldboundaries.

2.7.1 Farming

Chitral’s rugged terrain limits the amount ofland that may be brought under cultivation,while freezing temperatures over about halfits area prevent the production of morethan one crop a year. Some 22,552 ha wascultivated in 1999–2000 (AgriculturalStatistics Wing, 2001). Approximately halfof this land is located in the single-croppingzone comprising Lotkuh, Mastuj, Mulkhowand Torkhow tehsils. The remainder lies inthe double-cropping zone of Chitral andDrosh tehsils. The net area under cultiva-tion is 20,999 ha with 6,187 ha sown morethan once, bringing the total cultivated areato 27,186 ha.

With annual evapotranspiration at morethan 2,500 mm, agriculture depends on irri-gation. This is demonstrated by the factthat in 1999–2000, the per-hectare yield ofrain-fed wheat was one fifth that of wheatgrown on irrigated land. Not surprisingly, amere 1.6% of the cropped area was under



Traditional farming being practiced

2

rain-fed agriculture (340 ha wheat, 94 hamoong and maash pulses) during the sameperiod. Irrigation is carried out by means ofwater channels, one fourth of which havebeen constructed by the government andthe remainder by local communities.

Agricultural production is dominated bycereals which are sown over 82% of thecropped area and yield 47,796 t of foodgrain. An additional 30,000 t of wheat isbrought in from outside the region eachyear in order to meet local needs.

2 . 7 . 1 . 1 Land Holdings and Tenure

With a 1998 population of 42,533 house-holds and a cultivated area of 22,552 ha,average land holdings stand at 0.53 ha(GoP, 1999; Agricultural Statistics Wing,2001). Close to 80% of all holdings aresmall, ranging in size from 0.2 to 2.0 ha,while 15% range from 2 to 4 ha and 4%from 4 to 6 ha. A mere 1% of holdingsexceeds 6 ha. For the 220 households itsampled, the AKRSP estimates a reductionin the size of average holdings from 0.66ha in 1991 to 0.46 ha in 1997, owing to thefailure of new land development to keeppace with population growth (AKRSP,1997). This may well be the case for thewhole of Chitral.

2.7.1.2 Ecological Zones andFarming

In Chitral the following ecological zoneshave been identified: i. subhumid zone (1,150–3,900 m);

includes low-lying parts of Chitralbetween Arandu and Madaklasht, aswell as the Golain valley; annual rainfall500–1,000 mm;

ii. subarid zone (1,500–4,900 m); includesthe area between the Kesu and Kuh valleys up to Barenis; 300–600 mm ofrainfall;

iii. dry zone (1,650–3,800 m); includes thewhole of the Lotkuh–Ojor region as wellas the lower areas of Upper Chitral; 250mm to less than 500 mm of rain; and

iv. arid high mountains (above 3,800 m);no settlements; summer pastures are

used for grazing; less than 125 mm ofrain annually.

Each of the above zones may in turn bedivided according to patterns of agriculturalproduction and climatological characteris-tics:(a) areas dependent mainly on crops; may

be further divided into single- and double-crop areas;

(b) areas with a mixed economy; single-crop areas depending partly on cropsand partly on livestock; and

(c) areas dependent mainly on livestock.

2.7.1.3 Cereal Crops

C h i t r a l ’s cereal production comparesfavourably with the rest of the North-WestFrontier Province (NWFP). The maize yield(2,790 kg/ha) is the highest in the province,while rice production (2,399 kg/ha) ranksthird and barley (1,513 kg/ha) ranks sixth.C h i t r a l ’s wheat yield (1,956 kg/ha), h o w e v e r, ranks fourteenth for irrigatedwheat (Agricultural Statistics Wing, 2001).Cereal crops grown during 1999–2000, thearea under cultivation and crop yields areshown in Table 5.

2.7.1.4 Fodder Crops

Livestock rearing is an essential componentof Chitral’s subsistence economy. Milk andmeat are a valuable food source, and animal dung helps to maintain the physicalstructure of the soil, while wool, hair andhides serve as raw materials for cottagei n d u s t r y. Despite its importance, the live-stock husbandry sector is seriously con-strained by a shortage of animal feed, espe-cially during the late winter and early spring.This period of scarcity sets a ceiling on the



TABLE 5 Cereal production, 1 9 9 9 - 2 0 0 0

Crop Area under Yield (t)cultivation (ha)

Wheat 9,050 17,176

Maize 6,337 17,681

Barley 4,168 6,306

Rice 2,720 6,524

Source: Agricultural Statistics Wing, 2001.

number of animals each household is ableto rear, since livestock survival through theharsh winter depends on the amount ofcrop residues and fodder crops the house-hold has been able to store. Compared tocrop residues, fodder crops are more palat-able, easier to digest and richer in protein.

For the year 1999–2000, fodder was plantedover 5.5% of the cropped area, producing17,300 t of r a b b i (spring) and k h a r i f(autumn) crops—about half the averageper-hectare yield for the NWFP as a whole(Agricultural Statistics Wing, 2001). T h eA K R S P socio-economic study, however,indicates a dramatic shift in cropping pat-terns, from 7% of cropped area under fodderin 1991 to 23% in 1997 (AKRSP, 1997). T h i shas taken place largely at the cost of wheatcultivation, which declined from 55% ofcropped area in 1991 to 41% in 1997.

2.7.1.5 Fruits and Vegetables

The commercial fruit, nut and vegetable cul-tivation sector is in its infancy. Fruit is grownover 519 ha, yielding 4,541 t annually.Apples and apricots are the main fruit cropsand yields compare favourably with average yields for the whole of the NWFP.Almond, grape, peach, persimmon andpomegranate is also grown in small areas,

and here Chitral’s yields are far higher thanaverage yields in the rest of the province.Potatoes are grown over 480 ha, onionsand chillies over 52 ha, other vegetablesover 1,702 ha and pulses over 430 ha.Except for potatoes, however, yields forother vegetables and pulses are consider-ably below the average for the NWFP.

Each of the 220 households sampled bythe AKRSP grew an average of 78 fruittrees in 1991. By 1997, this figure fell to 63.Mulberry declined from 15 to 3 trees andapricot from 38 to 31, while the number ofapple trees increased from 11 to 17. Thenumber of other trees—almond, peach,pear, pomegranate and walnut—remainedconstant at 12. The increase in apple culti-vation seen here may well be a reflection ofthe efforts made by the AKRSP, ChitralArea Development Project (CADP) andProject for Horticultural Promotion (PHP).

2.7.1.6 Gender Roles in Fruit andVegetable Production

Vegetable cultivation and marketing is pri-marily the responsibility of women, whorarely interact with traders directly and areassisted by their male relatives. In fruit andgrain production, work is divided. Men carrymanure from livestock sheds to the fields



Traditional harvesting

2

where the women spread it. Men ploughand level the land, and harvest crops.Women make sheaves of the harvest, sep-arate maize cobs from stover and cleangrain. While the various tasks involved infruit collection are shared between menand women, the latter are solely responsi-ble for processing the harvest, includingdrying fruit, shelling nuts and removing kernels. Whether in cereal production orfruit and vegetable cultivation, weeding iscarried out by women. This arduous work,taking up most of the day during the grow-ing reason, is essential to ensure adequateyields. Some weed varieties are also usedas animal feed, while others are cookedand consumed by the people.

2.7.1.7 Horticultural Researchand Development Work in Progress

The arid and semi-arid climate of Chitral isideally suited to horticulture, since it inhibitsthe proliferation of crop diseases. In areascapable of sustaining plant growth, temper-

atures are conducive to fruit and vegetablecultivation. The three winter months provide the “chilling conditions [necessary]for all deciduous fruits, followed by warmspring and hot summer, which combinedwith high light intensities prevailing at thesehigh altitudes with minimal cloud cover . . .produce near ideal conditions for the culture of deciduous fruit crops and summer vegetables” (Doolan, 1996).

Although the area currently under fruit andvegetable cultivation is small, the region’scomparative advantage in fruit and off -season vegetable production has beenthe focus of a number of research anddevelopment initiatives. The principalengine for this work has been the PHP,with cooperation from the A K R S P and theN W F P g o v e r n m e n t ’s now defunct Fruitand Vegetable Development Board. T h eP H P, however, has wound up its opera-tions in Chitral.

To make a successful transition from sub-sistence-oriented cereal crops to the culti-vation of high-value fruit and off - s e a s o nvegetables will require that efficient trans-portation and marketing facilities are madeavailable. Progress in this direction hasbeen uneven. The construction of a roadbetween Chitral and Booni that is naviga-ble by truck, and lifting the ban on agricul-tural exports have been steps in the rightdirection. However, an all-weather year-round truckable road link to the rest of thecountry is required if the full potential ofhigh-value agricultural production is to bet a p p e d .

2.7.2 Livestock

The combined livestock population ofChitral in 1996 was estimated at 173,262head of cattle, 188,822 sheep and335,782 goats, while domestic poultrynumbered 590,022. In addition, anunknown number of animals belonging toAfghan refugees is also found in the area.Households keep livestock in small herdsof 4 to 10, depending on the household’scapacity to store crop residues, fodderand hay to feed animals during the winterand spring months. Chitrali cattle are not



Carding wool

robust, weighing only 150–200 kg, andgenerally frail owing to poor nutrition.Cows are kept for milk, calves for milk let-down and oxen for draught purposes.The peak milk yield is 5 litres a day, all ofwhich is consumed by the household.This is partly because production is comparatively low but also because of theabsence of village-level marketing facili-ties for the surplus. Goats are kept formeat, milk and hides. In Chitral, sheep’smilk is thought to be injurious to thehealth. Sheep are kept primarily for wool,which is woven into a fabric known as s h u(called p a t t i in Urdu). Wool worth approx-imately Rs 47 is converted into fabric valued at Rs 325, with most of this valueadded by skilled women. Cash derivedfrom the sale of s h u during the late winteris a crucial part of household income.Ownership of the industry provideswomen with self-esteem as well as realeconomic benefits.

2.7.2.1 Major Constraints toLivestock Husbandry

Livestock productivity is constrained by anumber of factors, including feed short-ages, inadequate veterinary cover, poorgenetic potential and poorly developedmarketing facilities. Malnourished animalsproduce low yields and are more suscepti-ble to parasites and disease. Besides theobvious financial losses resulting from fataldiseases, chronic disease induces debilityand lowers productivity. Nutritional defi-ciency also prevents livestock from attain-ing its full genetic potential, while inade-quate veterinary cover hampers diseasecontrol. The overall health and geneticpotential of livestock may be enhanced bymeans of adequate nutrition, suitable shelter and the control of disease and parasites. Improved marketing facilities,meanwhile, will enhance profits which inturn could serve as an incentive to increaseproduction.

2.7.2.2 Current Activities inLivestock Husbandry

Current activities in the husbandry sectorunder government and AKRSP initiatives

include vaccination and treatment pro-grammes; artificial insemination facilities;and training for village veterinary workers,doctors and technicians in prevention,diagnosis and treatment of common live-stock diseases. In addition, the AKRSP isattempting to introduce commercial poultryfarming to the area.

2.7.2.3 Gender Roles inLivestock Husbandry

Except for the Kalash, who entrust the careof their goats to men, livestock and poultrymanagement is the domain of women. Thisincludes feeding and health care as well asprocessing animal products.

2.7.3 Income From Agriculture

According to the A K R S P, an averagehousehold derives 58% of its income fromon-farm sources and the remainder fromo ff-farm activities (AKRSP, 1997). T h eproportion of a household’s off - f a r mincome is directly related to its incomebracket, with poorer households earning agreater share of their total income fromon-farm sources (Figure 8). On average,45% of household farm income is derivedfrom cereal, fruit and vegetable produc-tion, and 32% from livestock rearing.While households from all income brack-ets earn about the same proportion oftheir farm income from cereals, fruit andvegetables, richer households earn agreater share of their farm income fromlivestock (Figure 9).



FIGURE 8 On-farm and off-farmincome as a percentage of total household income

Income Bracket

Source: AKRSP, 1997.

Bottom Lowermiddle Middle Upper middle Top 20% 20% 20% 20% 20%

9 0

8 0

7 0

6 0

5 0

4 0

3 0

2 0

1 0

0

6 3

8 2

7 2

60

5 4

4 64 0

3 7

2 8

1 8

Off-farm income % ■ On-farm income %

2

2.7.4 Off-farm Employment

Few households can subsist entirely ontheir small land holdings. As a result, boysand men from many families work off-farmin Chitral town or down-country during thewinter. They leave in October, after thegrain harvest has been threshed, and fire-wood and fodder collected, returning inApril or May in time for the sowing season.During their absence, traditional maleresponsibilities, such as clearing snow fromroof tops and livestock sheds, managingland and attending to social obligations, areassumed by the women.

In several families, some members are per-manently employed off-farm, working inPakistan’s urban centres or overseas. Thetrend towards increasing off-farm employ-ment has caused the gender distribution ofagricultural labour to shift dramatically.

More affluent households employ labour toperform tasks formerly carried out by themen. In less affluent families, women takeon additional responsibilities.

2.8Forests

2.8.1 Area and Tree Stocks

According to the land cover map of the dis-trict, Chitral’s wooded area extends over70,045 ha. Of this, oak (Quercus baloot)woodlands cover 24,300 ha (Mukhtar andRehman, 1999). Meanwhile, the standingvolume of round wood is estimated at 13million m3 (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau[KfW], 2000).

Coniferous forests extend from Lowari toGolain Gol, some 23 km north of Chitraltown. The distribution of coniferous forestsin the district and the standing volume ofvarious species are shown in Tables 6 and7. Oak forests grow in the same areas atlower elevations. Degraded broadleavedforests stand in parts of Upper Chitral,which is extremely denuded. Remnants of



FIGURE 9 Household income froma g r o f o r e s t r y, livestock andfarming as a percentage of total farm income

Income Bracket

Source: AKRSP, 1997.

Bottom Lowermiddle Middle Upper middle Top 20% 20% 20% 20% 20%

6 0

5 0

4 0

3 0

2 0

1 0

0

4 54 4

3 63 9 4 0 3 9

4 54 5

4 8

4 3

1 21 41 5

1 72 0

Agro forestry ■ Livestock Crops, vegetable and fruits

TABLE 6 Distribution of coniferousforests (ha)

Range Commercial N o n - c o m m e r c i a l Total

Chitral (Ay u n ) 3,688 8,592 12,280

Drosh (North) 4,964 5,723 10,687

Drosh (South) 16,809 22,298 39,107

Total 25,461 36,613 62,074

Source: Forest Department, 1997.

TABLE Area and standing volume of coniferous forests7Selection working circle Protection working circle

Species Area Volume Volume/ha Area Volume Volume/ha(ha) (m3) (m3) (ha) (m3) (m3)

Deodar 17,152 1,399,746 82 7,359 208,675 28(Cedrus deodara)

Kail (Pinus 1,698 114,630 68 247 17,089 69wallichiana)

Fir (Abies pindrow) 4,368 715,936 164 1,637 106,732 65Spruce (Piceasmithiana)

Chilghoza 1,193 54,866 46 1,674 8,179 5(Pinus gerardiana)

Blanks – – – 1,189 – –

Total 24,411 2,285,178 94 12,106 340,675 28

Source: Grosenic, Phillips and Pleines, 1991.

juniper forests are scattered across UpperChitral all the way to the Laspur valley.Protection from illegal felling is the respon-sibility of the Forest Department, whichalso regulates the removal of trees for localneeds and commercial purposes.

2.8.2 Timber Harvesting

Some 25,000 ha of forest is suff i c i e n t l ydense to sustain timber harvesting, contain-ing 2.5 million trees with a standing timbervolume of 3.1 million m3. Of this quantity,only 0.75% is harvested each year. T h enumber of trees that may be cut annually isdetermined according to the following formula: estimate annual growth and deductthe volume of trees that will die or be stolen;after these deductions, keep back moretrees from cutting so that the remaining cropmay become denser, reaching the desireddensity in 100 years (Ayaz, 1964).

Commercial forest area is divided intoequiproductive harvesting units. Fromeach, within the prescribed timeframe andin accordance with an approved manage-ment plan, mature trees at breast height(1.37 m above ground level) and with adiameter of 71 cm or more are harvestedup to the limit of prescribed yield, as per silvicultural requirements. If necessary,sub-mature trees are also removed alongwith dead, dying and diseased trees.

The forest management plan currently inforce permits the removal of 15,576 m3 o ftimber annually. Of this, 4,248 m3 is issuedeach year on permits to area residents forthe purpose of construction. Rightsholdersare granted access to forests to collect fire-wood, lop oak branches for fodder, grazeanimals, and gather mushrooms and medic-inal plants. Data are not available on thevolume of timber removed by rightsholders.Until the ban on commercial harvesting,imposed in 1997 by the NWFP g o v e r n m e n tand in force to this day, an estimated 11 , 3 2 8m3 of timber was sold annually.

In theory, this forest management plan isthought to be sustainable. By limiting theannual cut, it is assumed that forestresources will not be exhausted but will

rather increase in density, eventually attain-ing an optimal level. Another assumption isthat the space vacated by felled maturetrees will be quickly filled by seedlings andsaplings from natural seed fall. However, thecycle of natural regeneration is disrupted inareas where the forest floor is under heavypressure from continuous grazing.

2.8.3 Distribution of Timber toMeet the Needs of LocalRightsholders

No formal timber markets operate inChitral. Rightsholders meet their timberrequirements by obtaining permits from theForest Department and cutting trees free ofcharge, in accordance with the provisionsof the NWFP Management of ProtectedForests Rules 1975. It is up to the RangeForest Officer to verify the applicants’entitlement and need, and to recommenddeserving cases to the Divisional ForestOfficer (DFO). On receipt of the DFO’sapproval, permits are issued to individualsto cut a specific number of trees from thenearest forest, provided it contains a suffi-cient number of mature trees. Timber grant-ed in this manner cannot be sold or giftedto a third party, or taken out of the villagelimits, and may only be used for construc-tion. The recipient is also required to plantfive new trees and tend to the saplings. Thelocation where saplings are to be plantedand the duration for which they must betended are both determined by the ForestOfficer. No data is available on the survivalrate of saplings planted in this manner. Anybreach of these rules is punishable withimprisonment for up to two years and/or amaximum fine of Rs 50,000.

2.8.4 Rightsholders’ Share in theSale Proceeds of Timber

Rightsholders in Chitral’s commercialforests are entitled to 60% of the incomederived from the sale of timber, with theremaining revenue going to the govern-ment. Between 1988 and 1997, the amountpaid each year by the Forest Department tothe Deputy Commissioner for onward dis-bursement is shown in Table 8. (Followingthe promulgation of the NWFP L o c a l



2

Government Ordinance 2001, under whichthe post of Deputy Commissioner has beenabolished, this disbursement is now madethrough the District Officer Revenue andEstate, Chitral.) These figures are mislead-ing, however, since most rightsholders havesold their rights to a handful of forest contractors. As a result, payments arepassed on to contractors. Partly for this reason, and because mature trees arefelled in any particular area only once every20 years, it is difficult to estimate the economic benefits of timber harvesting forthe local people. It is likely that the bulk ofthe profits accrues to forest contractors. An in-depth investigation is needed to deter-mine the extent to which commercial timberharvesting benefits local communities.

2.8.5 Problems With theEquitable Distribution ofthe People’s Share

Until 1969, the forests of Chitral wereowned by Chitral state. The local peoplewere only permitted to use the forests tograze animals, and collect firewood andfodder. After the merger of Chitral state withPakistan, ownership of these forestspassed to the provincial government. In1976, the NWFP government allotted torightsholders a 60% share in the proceedsfrom the sale of timber. Following this deci-sion, a scramble ensued to establish titlesto such shares. In the absence of land settlement and records of ownership rights,

numerous disputes arose. The people ofUpper Chitral lodged claims to ownershipof forest land. In Lower Chitral, disputesexist to this day between members of theformer ruling family, notables and peopleresiding around the forests. According tothe views expressed during public consul-tations held for the preparation of theChitral Conservation Strategy (CCS), influ-ential segments of society receive the bulkof the benefits intended for the people.Partly for this reason, poorer residents living around the forests resort to illegalfelling and sell this timber surreptitiously.

2.8.6 Income to the Government

From its share of the income derived fromthe sale of timber prior to 1976, the govern-ment spent 32% on forest protection, 9% ona fforestation, and 5% on maintenance ofbuildings, roads and paths, saving 54%. In1976, the NWFP Cabinet under the chair-manship of the then Prime Minister ofPakistan decided that the government’sshare of the proceeds would be spent onthe maintenance and development offorests. From 1972–73 to 1997–98 the gov-ernment earned Rs 319 million from theforests of Chitral, spent Rs 147 million onprotection and held back Rs 172 million.

2.8.7 Forest DevelopmentInitiatives

From 1987 to 1997, the government’s ForestDevelopment Corporation spent a sum of Rs29 million on forest nurseries, aff o r e s t a t i o nand soil conservation. An IntegratedA fforestation Scheme for Wa t e r s h e dPlanting has been under implementationsince July 1994 at an expected cost of Rs47.7 million until June 1999. Other projectsaimed at forest development include IncomeGenerating Projects for Refugees fromAfghanistan II and III (funded by the UnitedNations High Commission for Refugees), theC A D P (supported by the International Fundfor Agricultural Development) and the gov-e r n m e n t ’s Annual Development Programme(ADP). In addition to these initiatives, theA K R S P has taken a commendable step bymaking forest tree planting an essential component of all new irrigation projects


TABLE 8 Local people’s share in the sale proceeds of timber

Year Amount(million rupees)

1988 12.54

1989 23.44

1990 30.17

1991 32.36

1992 53.24

1993 30.61

1994 19.71

1995 93.71

1996 90.40

1997 46.33

Source: Khattak, G. M. 1998. Forest, Grazing Lands and Watersheds. CCS sector paper.


undertaken by rural communities underA K R S P physical infrastructure ventures.

The results of such efforts remain unclear,since no surveys have been carried out todetermine the survival rate of planted trees.In the case of planting by organised localcommunities on irrigated land, survival isthought to be good. However, in theabsence of community participation, survival on rain-fed land is likely to be poor.

2.8.8 Gender Roles in Forestry

Men collect firewood and timber from highpastures and remote forests, while womencollect scraps of wood and thorny shrubswhen they take livestock to graze in areassurrounding village lands.

2.8.9 Responsibility

Responsibility for the protection and man-agement of forests in Chitral rests with theDFO Chitral, assisted by Range ForestOfficers and ancillary forest protection per-sonnel in each of the Chitral (Ayun), Drosh(North), and Drosh (South) forest ranges.The forestry sector has not been devolvedunder the new local government system,and remains under the jurisdiction of theprovincial government. Although stationedin Chitral, the DFO reports to the provincialadministrative hierarchy.

Responsibility for the agriculture sector,meanwhile, has been devolved to the dis-trict level. Under the new system, farmforestry personnel working under theExecutive District Officer (EDO) Agricultureare to assist in tree planting on agriculturalland. Their responsibilities also include thepromotion of forest tree nurseries, soil con-servation and watershed management.

2.9Agroforestry

Households sampled by the AKRSP in1997 owned an average of 772 farm foresttrees each, down from 828 in 1991. InUpper Chitral, poplar and willow are pre-ferred by about 56% of households, andRussian olive and robinia by 44%. In lower

Chitral, ailanthus is preferred by 44%,robinia by 25%, chinar and sea buckthornby 20% and mulberry by 11% of house-holds. According to the same survey, anaverage household earns roughly 16% ofits farm income from farm forestry, withhouseholds in the lowest income bracketearning a greater proportion from farmforestry (20%) compared to those in thehighest income bracket (12%).

2.10Grazing land

According to the 2001 land cover map ofthe district developed by the IUCN-CCSSupport Unit Chitral, rangelands withsparse vegetation cover 919,636 ha.H o w e v e r, the KfW categorises grazingland into three main classes. According tothis inventory, grazing land covers some373,600 ha, comprising 269,400 ha ofalpine and subalpine scrub, 46,600 ha ofalpine pastures, and 57,600 ha of low-yieldsubtropical and temperate grazing land.The entire area under forests (70,045 ha)is also grazed. Grazing lands in Chitral arethe degradation stages of forest typesshown in Table 9.



Livestock grazing in upper Chitral

2

2.10.1 Grazing System

Farm animals spend the winter in sheds,feeding on wheat and millet straw, maizestover, dried alfalfa and clover, and grasshay. These supplies of stored fodder runout towards the early spring. Animals weaken or die during this period unlessowners are able to buy feed either fromwithin the village or from other villages. Theonly exception to this pattern are goatsbelonging to the Kalash, which graze outdoors throughout the year.

When the snow melts, animals are taken tograze on the vegetation that has begun tosprout on village land. Herds graduallywork their way up to low-elevation grazinglands. By about mid-June, animals belong-ing to villages entitled to graze in subalpineand alpine grazing lands begin movingtowards these areas.

In high-elevation grazing lands, goats andsheep are accompanied at all times, to pro-

vide protection from predators. They aremilked, and dairy products are prepared.Bulls and cows not in milk are left unattend-ed, and a male from the household journeysto the grazing lands at regular intervals tocheck on them and offer them salt.

Since livestock rearing forms only a part ofthe farm economy, entire families cannotleave with their animals to spend the sum-mer in high-elevation grazing lands. Wherethe household is large, a few men along withtheir close female relatives may accompanylivestock, leaving the rest of the family totend to the crops. Households that areunable to spare any of their members for theentire summer entrust their livestock to oth-ers (Sections 2.10.1.1– 2.10.1.4 below).

2.10.1.1 Nomadic Herdsmen

The nomadic livestock owners, originally settled in Chitral at the invitation of its formerrulers. During the summer entire Gujarhouseholds, and occasionally the men



TABLE Types of grazing land9Type Elevation Main species Comments

Moist alpine pastures Above 3,500 m Astragalus, Corydalis, Occurring on floors of Oxytropis, Polygonum, U-shaped valleys with Potentilla, Primula, deep loamy soils receiving Saxifraga glacial melt water

Subalpine birch 3,500–3,800 m Birch, willow, juniper Scattered shrubs

Moist deciduous 2500 –3500 m Birch, honeysuckle,alpine scrub juniper, wild rose

Berberis, Ephedra,Heracleum, Prunus,Rhamnus, Ribes

Dry temperate 1,835–3,500 m Artemisia, Capparis, These grazing lands have coniferous scrub Delphinium, stunted replaced destroyed dry

Fraxinus xanthoxyloides, fir and dry deodar forestsHaloxylon, Hyoscyamusniger, Rheum, Tamararix

Dry oak (Quercus 1,200–1,800 m Dry oak, wild almond, Heavily lopped dry oak baloot) scrub willow; scattered shrubs struggling for survival

with ground vegetationcomprising Artemisia,Caragana, Cotoneaster,Cymbopogon, Daphne,Ephedra, Heteropogon,Lonicera, Periploca,Plectranthus, Rumex,Sophora, Spiraea

Source: KfW, 2000.

alone, take to high-elevation grazing landswith their own livestock as well as animalsbelonging to others. Besides grazing the animals and providing protection from predators, they milk the goats and prepareb u t t e r, g h e e (clarified butter), cheese andbuttermilk. A portion of this produce isreturned to the owners while the remainder iseither consumed or sold. The herdsmen arepaid for their services mostly in kind, withcommodities such as flour, tea and sugar.Their main source of cash income is from thesale of the g h e e they are allowed to retain.

2.10.1.2 Pazhals

Pazhals are local men or boys who work asshepherds in high-elevation grazing lands.They provide protection from predators, milkgoats and prepare dairy products. If they areaccompanied by a female member of theirhousehold, she takes over some of thesetasks. They are paid in cash per head of live-stock or in the form of commodities such asf l o u r, wheat, salt, sugar, soap and shoes. Inmost cases, they are expected to surrenderall the g h e e they make to the owners.

2.10.1.3 Sothsiri System

This is an arrangement whereby severalhouseholds pool their livestock. The animalsare then grazed in rotation for specific periods of time by one or two men from eachof the households.

2.10.1.4 Mestoo

Mestoos, or traditional housekeepers, areelderly women who spend the summer inhigh-elevation grazing lands with their ownlivestock as well as animals belonging to fouror five other households. These women areaccompanied by a male relative who grazesthe livestock and protects the animals frompredators. Mestoos generally receive flour,tea, sugar and soap in payment, and areallowed to retain part of the g h e e they make.

2.10.2 Gender Division of Labour in Grazing Lands

The gender division of labour in grazinglands varies from village to village, and

often even from household to household.In village lands and low-elevation grazinglands, men are responsible for goats andsheep, and women for cattle. As a rule,young women do not travel alone to high-elevation grazing lands and are accompa-nied by either a close male relative or elderly women. Grazing is generally theresponsibility of the men, although in some cases women carry out this task.When women are present, milking anddairy products are almost always theirr e s p o n s i b i l i t y. The Kalash are the excep-tion since, for religious reasons, theirwomen are not permitted to milk goats.Women are also responsible for feedinglivestock during the winter and treatingsick animals.

2.10.3 Responsibility forSustainable Management ofGrazing Lands

The sustainable management of grazinglands is a challenge even under the mostfavourable of circumstances. UnderC h i t r a l ’s harsh climatic, ecological andsocio-economic conditions, however, thistask is all the more difficult. As such, it isperhaps not surprising that little by way ofsustainable management has been accom-plished so far.

Watershed and range management is theresponsibility of the Forest Department, andis one of its functions at the provincial level.Meanwhile the EDO A g r i c u l t u r e ’s functionsinclude soil conservation and watershedmanagement. The EDO is also responsiblefor the livestock sector, which is of course acritical component of any meaningful attemptat grazing land management. As such, graz-ing land management may be treated as afunction devolved by the Forest Departmentto the EDO A g r i c u l t u r e .

Large-scale, cost-effective grazing landmanagement can only be carried out withthe participation of local communities. Forthis reason, devolution of grazing landmanagement to the district level is essen-tial. Promoting community participation inmanagement projects is the responsibilityof the district government.



2

2.11Biodiversity

Nestled between the Hindukush and HinduRaj mountains, the Chitral valley providesideal growing conditions for at least 64endemic plant species. Chitral’s flora is sim-ilar to that of Central Asia, and comprisesforest types listed in Table 9. The fauna,meanwhile, resembles that of the We s t e r nPalaearctic Faunal Region, with a slight oriental mix from the south. Wide variationsin altitude, from 1,094 m at Arandu in thesouth to 7,726 m at Tirichmir in the north,compensate for the arid climate, making thearea an ideal habitat for a variety of plantsand animals. Chitral also serves as a corridor for the seasonal migration of birds.

2.11.1 Mammals

The number of mammal species recordedin Chitral to date is 45, which accounts forabout half of all mammals recorded in theNWFP as a whole. Wild animals typicallyfound in the region include the Himalayanibex, markhor, Pallas’ cat, Royle’s pika,stoat and wolf, as well as two species ofbat. Chitral is also home to a number ofendangered species (Table 10).

2.11.2 Birds

So far, 195 species of resident and migra-tory birds have been recorded in Chitral,several of them endangered (Table 11). T h echukar (rock partridge), Himalayan snow-cock, lammergeier, monal pheasant andsnow partridge are resident species. Birdsof prey, particularly the peregrine falcon andsaker falcon, inhabit the northern reachesof the valley and are vulnerable to trappingfor trade, while the oriental turtle dove andChinese dove are favoured game birds.

Several species of waterfowl, some of whichare endangered, migrate along the Chitralriver in the autumn and spring, providinghunting opportunities to local residents. Anumber of raptors and aquatic birds passthrough the valley in the course of theirmigration between breeding grounds inSiberia and Central Asia, and winteringareas in southern Pakistan and India. T h e



TABLE 10 Endangered mammalspecies recorded inC h i t r a l

Common Name Scientific Name

Common Red Fox Vulpes vulpes

Brown Bear Ursus arctos

Asiatic or Himalayan Ursus thibetanusBlack Bear

Stone Marten Martes foina

Yellow-throated Marten Martes flavigula

Himalayan Palm Civet Paguma larvata

Stoat or Ermine Mustela erminea

Common Otter Lutra lutra

Stiped Hyaena Hyaena hyaena

Pallas’Cat Felis manul

Lynx Felis lynx

Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis

Leopard or Panther Panthera pardus

Snow Leopard Panthera uncia

Musk Deer Moschus chrysogaster

Urial or Shapu Ovis vignei

Woolly Flying Squirrel Eupetaurus cinereus

Source: Malik, Mumtaz. 1998. Biodiversity, Parks and Protected Areas. CCS sector paper.

TABLE 11 Endangered birdspecies recorded inC h i t r a l

Common Name Scientific Name

Egyptian or Scavenger Neophron percnopetrusVulture

Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola

Himalayan Griffon Vulture Gyps himalayensis

Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus

Koklass Pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha biddulphi

Lammergeier or Gypaetus barbatusBearded Vulture

Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea

Saker Falcon Falco cherrug

Snow Pigeon Columba leuconota

Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus

Greylag Goose Anser anser

Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula

Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus

Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus

Red-capped Falcon Falco pelegrinoides

Barbary Falcon Falco peregrinus babylonicus

Source: Malik, Mumtaz. 1998. Biodiversity,Parks and Protected Areas. CCS sector paper.

golden oriole, which visits the orchards ofChitral in the autumn and spring, is tradition-ally considered to be a good omen.

2.11.3 Reptiles

Of the 42 reptile species recorded by theZoological Survey Department throughoutthe NWFP, 28 are found in Chitral. T h i sincludes two turtle species, 12 types of lizardand 14 snake varieties. The Himalayan pitv i p e r, Indian krait, Indian monitor, Indiansoftshell turtle, Oxus cobra and saw scaledviper and are also found in Chitral.

2.11.4 Fish

Owing to the frequent occurrence of mud-laden flash floods, the variety of fish foundin the valley is comparatively sparse. Highaltitude lakes and streams which do notbecome flooded may support a greaterabundance of fish species but theresources in these areas remain to be documented systematically. Surveys inlower Chitral waters have found 11species, two exotic and nine indigenous.The exotics (brown trout and rainbowtrout), introduced for sport in the cold waterstreams of Bumburet, Golain, Lotkuh andShishi, are stocked annually with hatchery-reared fingerlings. Most of the indigenousspecies belong to the genus S c h i z o t h o r a x.

Under the NWFP Local GovernmentOrdinance 2001, the Fisheries Departmenthas been devolved and merged with theAgriculture Department at the district level.A District Officer Fisheries, reporting to theEDO Agriculture, oversees the protectionand propagation of fish resources. At theprovincial level, the Director Fisheries isresponsible for policies and regulatorymeasures to develop, conserve and man-age fisheries, as well as for research andtraining in this sector.

2.11.5 Parks and Protected Areas

Chitral’s protected areas consist of onenational park and seven game reserves,covering 1,804 km2. Of these, only theChitral Gol National Park, spread over 77.5km2, is protected from consumptive use,

including grazing, firewood collection andtimber harvesting.

2.12Energy

The cooking and heating requirements ofChitral’s households are for the most partmet by biomass energy in the form ofwood, with close to 97% of householdsusing wood stoves. Of the remainder, 2%use kerosene and a mere 0.07% haveaccess to natural gas (GoP, 1999).

2.12.1 Biomass

The annual consumption of firewood inChitral district is estimated to be 299,000m3 ( K f W, 2000). A little over one third ofthe district’s fuel wood needs is met by theannual increment in wooded growth onfarmland (15%) and grazing land (22%).But the bulk of the firewood used, amount-ing to 63% (182,000 m3), is taken from theforest, accounting for nearly 60% of theannual growth of all forests in Chitral.

The removal of large quantities of firewoodis the dominant cause of rapid denudation



Material collected for fuel purposes

2

in southern Chitral, which would otherwisesupport a fair cover of wooded vegetation.To counter this drain, the AKRSP, CADP,Environmental Rehabilitation Project,Forest Department and ForestDevelopment Corporation have alllaunched ambitious forest tree plantationprogrammes. Since 1991, the A K R S Palone has overseen the plantation of some6.5 million trees through village organisa-tions. During the currency of the CADP,community based organisations (CBOs)received 2 million saplings from the ForestDepartment.

2.12.2 Electricity

The power supply currently available toChitral is shown in Table 12. For hydelpower generation in the future, the Wa t e rand Power Development Authority hasidentified a potential of 100 MW, while theSarhad Hydel Development Organization(SHYDO) has identified a further potentialof 190 MW. SHYDO has indicated 10 feasible sites in Upper Chitral where agenerating capacity of 100,000 kW can becreated at costs ranging from $ 1,400 to3,000 per kW, and another 12 sites inLower Chitral where 84,000 kW can begenerated at costs ranging from $ 1,100 to2,000 per kW.

2.12.3 Other Forms of Energy

During 1997, 11.8 million l of diesel and 1.2million l of petrol were supplied to Chitral

for use in some 1,500 vehicles. In addition,3 million l of kerosene was provided fordomestic use and 4,550 cylinders of lique-fied petroleum gas were circulated amonghotels and affluent households. Natural gashas not been supplied to the district, partlybecause the area’s rugged terrain makes it difficult and expensive to build pipelinesto reach the area’s widely scattered popu-lation. Solar energy is utilised in the tradi-tional way to dehydrate fruits and vegeta-bles, and for heating. Hot water springs atGarum Chashma and Shah Salim are usedfor bathing and laundry.

From 1980 to 1984, the government con-structed several biogas plants in variousparts of Chitral. These failed to take off for anumber of reasons, including the scarcity ofcow dung, sharp temperature variations,and the labour intensive processes involvedin making these plants operational.

2.13Roads

Hemmed in by towering mountains, Chitralis accessible from Dir district via the LowariPass, from Gilgit via the Shandur Pass andfrom Mohmand Agency via the Nawa Pass.The Lowari and Shandur passes remainclosed for several months during the winterowing to heavy snowfall. Although theNawa Pass is open throughout the year,the road to Arandu traverses war-tornAfghanistan and has not been used sincethe latest Afghan imbroglio. The Chitral



TABLE Electricity supplied to Chitral 12Agency Diesel Hydel Total Population

(kVA) (kVA) (kVA) served (%)

WA P D A (locally generated) 1,592 1,000 2,592 12.9

WAPDA (national grid) 4,500 – 4,500 9.9

CADP (microhydel) – 1,334 1,334 2.1

SHYDO 300 3,200 3,500 17.5

AKRSP(microhydel) – 3,800 3,800 24.6

Total 6,392 9,334 15,726 67.0

AKRSP Aga Khan Rural Support ProgrammeCADP Chitral Area Development ProjectkVA kilovolt-ampereSHYDO Sarhad Hydel Development OrganizationWAPDA Water and Power Development Authority

Source: District Government Chitral and IUCN, 2001.

valley is therefore isolated for severalmonths each year. Travel within Chitralitself is made difficult by the poor qualityand limited reach of the roads network.

The 366 km Peshawar–Dir–Chitral road isthe shortest land route between Chitral andthe rest of Pakistan. It is blacktoppedthroughout, except for a 24 km shinglestretch in the Lowari Pass. The main road inZiarat is connected to Arandu by a 32 kmshingle road, linking Chitral to the border ofA f g h a n i s t a n ’s Kunar province. A146 km roadvia the Shandur pass, connecting Chitral withGilgit, is blacktopped for 75 km and shingledthe rest of the way. These roads were con-structed by the former Communication andWorks Department, which also built the 40km Chitral–Garum Chashma road (19 km ofwhich is blacktopped) and, with CADPfunding, widened and blacktopped the 76 kmChitral–Booni road.

Prior to the devolution of local government,major roads and bridges were the responsi-bility of the provincial government’sCommunication and Works Departmentusing funds provided through the A D P a swell as occasional donor assistance, as inthe case of the Chitral–Booni road. Underthe NWFP Local Government Ordinance

2001, this department has been devolved tothe district level and renamed the Works andServices Department. Meanwhile, buildingand maintaining link roads and suspensionbridges connecting small settlements withthe main road to Chitral town was theresponsibility of the former Chitral DistrictCouncil, which constructed 390 km of linkroads and blacktopped 2 km of shingle roadsannually with funds from the CommunityUplift Programme. Under the new local gov-ernment system, the District Council has alsobeen abolished and its responsibilities nowfall on the Chitral and Mastuj Tehsil MunicipalAdministrations (TMAs).

In the non-government sector, the CADPconstructed 222 km of farm-to-market roads,besides providing funds to widen and black-top the 76 km Chitral–Booni road. For itspart, the A K R S P has built 165 km of farm-to-market roads through village organisations.

According to recent statistics, Chitral’sinternal roads network now consists of 177km of blacktop and 503 km of unmetalledroads (District Government Chitral andIUCN, 2001). The recently completed MirKhani bridge connects Drosh with Aranduand serves as an alternate road throughAfghanistan in the winter.



An irrigation channel under construction

2

2.14Irrigation

Even in the dry season, water flows throughthe Chitral river and its tributaries at the rateof 100 m3/sec, swelling to 500 m3/sec in thes u m m e r. Direct use of this water is limited toa few areas because most of Chitral’s culti-vated land is located at higher elevationsthan the river beds. For the majority of habi-tations, glacier and snow melt from nearbymountains is the main source of water fordrinking as well as irrigation, meeting 90%of current needs. Small-scale hydroelectricpower plants, including the Reshun project,also rely on snow melt.

Almost every village in Chitral is served bya catchment area from where water is carried to the village through a network ofsmall irrigation channels, most of whichhave been constructed by local communi-ties. In some places, water from glacier andsnow melt exceeds current needs, whereasother villages experience a shortfall. Waterflows fluctuate with the seasons, as well aswith annual variations in snowfall.

For centuries, local farmers have irrigatedtheir land with the help of winding channelsbuilt along steep mountain slopes. Besidesthe gruelling labour involved, the task ofconstructing channels also requires thatlabour and resources be pooled.Tr a d i t i o n a l l y, this was accomplishedthrough voluntary social organisation. Aspowerful rulers emerged in the area, theyprovided administrative, legal and financialsupport to many such cooperative endeav-ours. At the same time, Chitral’s formerrulers used forced labour to irrigate landwhich was then distributed to their hench-men. The system of irrigation in place priorto the 1960s was built by local communitynetworks as well as the state, the latteremploying forced labour.

Since the abolition of Chitral state in 1969,three organisations have played a promi-nent role in developing irrigation in thearea: the provincial government’s IrrigationDepartment, A K R S P and CADP. T h eIrrigation Department has brought 1,900 haunder irrigation through 13 separate

schemes and is working on two moreschemes expected to irrigate another 1,500ha by 1999. Since 1983, the AKRSP andCADP have spent Rs 139 million on irriga-tion schemes expected to cover 8,700 hafor agriculture, forestry and fodder produc-tion. The AKRSP in particular has investedheavily in irrigation, with projects toimprove 115 existing water channels andbuild 138 new channels, 20 storage reser-voirs and one sedimentation tank. T h eAKRSP is also executing four lift irrigation,six pipe irrigation and nine siphon irrigationschemes. The CADP, meanwhile, woundup operations in December 1997.

The construction of water channels hasalways been the exclusive domain of men,because of the physical labour involved.Men are also solely responsible for water-ing fields in the summer, since the quantityof water needed at this time of yearrequires that irrigation be carried out atnight-time as well as during the day. In theautumn, when night irrigation is not neces-sary, women are known to water fields.

2.15Drinking Water

Close to 90% of Chitral’s population lives inrural settlements and only 41% of this popu-lation has access to piped drinking water( G o P, 1999). Such communities depend onother sources of water, such as springs,streams, lakes, rivers, melting snow and gla-ciers. In the towns, 88% of the urban popu-lation is supplied with drinking water.

Harsh climactic conditions and rugged terrain make fetching water for domesticuse a punishing task. In many villages,women and children cover long distancesd a i l y, travelling on foot over mountaintracks in rain and snow. Arduous even atthe best of times, the chore becomes haz-ardous when tracks and bridges spanningraging torrents are washed away—a frequent occurrence in Chitral.

Recognising the critical role of potablewater in safeguarding public health, theNWFP government and donor agencieshave attempted to improve the efficiency of



Chitral’s water supply. Typically, setting upa drinking water supply scheme involveslocating a source on high ground and conveying the water to habitations at lower elevations. The distribution networkoperates on the principle of gravity, andconsists of underground or overgroundpipelines and storage tanks constructed atvarious elevations to ensure smooth flow.

Before devolution, the Public HealthEngineering Department (PHED) was theprincipal government agency responsiblefor supplying potable water to the area. By2001, the PHED had completed 160schemes costing Rs 194 million. Under theC A D P, the PHED completed 70 moredrinking water schemes with the participa-tion of village organisations. Of these, 20were handed over to village communitiesfor operation and maintenance. In the caseof schemes that are currently in a state ofd i s r e p a i r, funding needs to be secured fortheir rehabilitation before local communi-ties will be willing to take over operation.

Until 1988, all of Chitral district was treatedas a rural area, with the now-defunct DistrictCouncil responsible for supplying drinkingw a t e r. The Council completed 500 small village-level schemes with financial andtechnical assistance from the UnitedNations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and theparticipation of village organisations createdby the A K R S P and CADP. On completion,these schemes were handed over to villageorganisations for operation and maintenance.Since the dissolution of elected councils,UNICEF assistance has come to a halt.

In 1988, when Chitral town was declared anurban area, a Municipal Committee wasestablished. With financial assistance fromthe KfW and technical help from the PHED,in 1994 the Municipal Committee completedthe Chitral Town Drinking Water SupplyProject at a cost of Rs 10.6 million, convey-ing water from the Angarghoon springthrough a 32 km pipeline. This scheme supplies 1.5 million gal of water daily to 60%of the population of Chitral town along withnine surrounding villages. Supply metreshave been installed in households receivingwater through this network. Under the new

local government system, the MunicipalCommittee has been dissolved andreplaced by two TMAs: Chitral and Mastuj.Operation and maintenance of the systemis now the responsibility of an autonomousunit within the T M A s .

Since 1993, 11 drinking water schemeshave been completed under the first phaseof the Social Action Programme (SAP).Under the five-year SAP Phase 2,launched in July 1998, supply will be fur-ther extended, with CBOs participating inproject identification, planning, design andimplementation.

2.16Sanitation and Solid WasteDisposal

Sanitation and solid waste disposal facilitiesin Chitral are deplorable. Rural area resi-dents defecate in the countryside, or in acorner of their homes from where the exc-reta is removed by women and dumped onrubbish heaps. The situation in the towns isas bad if not worse, because vacant spacesthat may be used as latrines are not avail-able around the houses. The Chitral T M Ao ffers a semblance of solid waste removalservices, collecting 2 of the 9 t of wastegenerated daily. In the absence of incinera-tors, landfill sites or other means of disposal, the T M A simply burns the refusein the open air along river banks. Individualhouseholds burn or bury their waste, orthrow garbage into rivers or side streets.While 75–85% of the homes in Chitral townare equipped with soakage pits, somehouseholds discharge their sewage intodrains which carry the untreated eff l u e n t



2Harsh climactic conditions and

rugged terrain make fetching water

for domestic use a punishing task. In

many villages, women and

children cover long distances daily,

travelling on foot over mountain

tracks in rain and snow.

directly into the Chitral river. In 1990, thePHED constructed a shallow sewerage system in Rehan Kot, but this has ceased tofunction owing to poor maintenance.

The problem of sanitation and solid wastedisposal in Chitral stems from the topogra-phy of the area and the haphazard mannerin which habitations have sprung up.Because of the mountainous terrain, settle-ments are widely scattered. Since level landwith soil cover is pre-empted for agriculture,habitations are squeezed into narrow valleys. As a result, towns in the area havedeveloped as warrens with cramped streetswhich hamper waste removal. At the sametime, the rocky ground on which houses arebuilt precludes the construction of an under-ground sewerage system. As long as thepopulation of the valley was sparse, suchconditions were tolerable. But populationgrowth has exacerbated the scale of theproblem, rendering the current situationu n a c c e p t a b l e .

Under the new local government system,the PHED has been merged with the district government’s Works and ServicesDepartment. Responsibility for sanitationand waste removal now falls on the WaterSupply and Sanitation Unit of this depart-ment, headed by a Deputy District Officerwho oversees the activities of one AssistantDistrict Officer and three sub-engineerseach in Chitral and Mastuj. Sewerage,sewage treatment and disposal is also theresponsibility of the TMAs.

2.17Education and Training

Close to 51% of males and 31% of femalesfrom 5 to 24 years of age are enrolled insome form of education (Figure 10). The dis-trict government’s Education Departmentruns 608 primary, 54 middle and 49 highschools. Aga Khan Education Services(AKES), the leading non-governmentagency involved in this sector, has estab-lished 34 primary, 14 middle and three highschools for girls with a combined enrolmentof more than 6,000. Also operating in thearea are 36 private schools, four of whichare high schools.

Higher education is provided by a degreecollege in Chitral and an intermediate college in Booni, both of which are for men.A degree college for women began func-tioning in Chitral town in 1996 with an initialenrolment of 31 students. The ChitralCommerce College, established in 1986,has so far granted more than 100B a c h e l o r’s degrees. The ElementaryEducation College of Chitral has seen 835students completing courses at various levels since its inception in 1988. By 1997,the College had awarded certificates to 159secondary teachers, 649 primary teachersand 27 drawing instructors. Through theelectronic media, meanwhile, the AllamaIqbal Open University offers courses ingeneral and technical education, as well asteacher training.

2.17.1 Village-level Training

Capacity building is an essential componentof the work of the A K R S P and CADP. T h eA K R S P has provided natural resource man-agement and vocational training to 844 village and women’s organisations andmanagers, as well as 9,343 village special-ists and village accountants (AKRSP,2001). The CADP has trained 2,300 vil-lagers in various aspects of agriculture, hor-ticulture, livestock rearing, forestry andpoultry farming, in addition to trainingwomen in sewing and embroidery. The A g aKhan Planning and Building Services hastrained 1,619 individuals in basic engineer-ing, carpentry, plumbing and electrical work,while the AKES has trained 200 villagers inschool management and organisation.



FIGURE 10 Percentage of populationenrolled in education

4 6

3 7

7 7

5 45 2

2 4

11

41 . 3 0 . 4

Age Group (years)


5 to 9 10 to 14 15 to 19 20 to 24 25 to 44

9 0

8 0

7 0

6 0

5 0

4 0

3 0

2 0

1 0

0

■ Male

■ Female

2.17.2 Skills Training

The Chitral Wood Working Centre, estab-lished in 1989 by the provincial govern-m e n t ’s Small Industries DevelopmentBoard, has trained 16 local men, none ofwhom has managed to set up a business.Instead, carpentry is dominated by artisansfrom outside Chitral, who provide on-the-jobtraining to local residents. In other sectors,two privately-owned computer centresimpart basic computer literacy skills; some37 vehicle maintenance and repair shops,employing 46 skilled and 49 semi-skilledworkers, provide apprenticeships to localyouth; and over 1,500 vehicle driversemploy trainees as cleaners.

2.18Health

2.18.1 Public Sector

Three hospitals, three rural health centres,22 basic health units, 22 dispensaries andthree maternity care health centres operatein the public sector. These facilities arestaffed by 33 male doctors, four femaledoctors, 23 female health visitors, threefemale and 180 male technicians, threenurses and 290 trained birth attendants.Health services are also provided by sixfamily planning centres with a combinedstaff of seven women (one doctor and sixhealth visitors). In 1988, two hospitals, 30dispensaries, four rural health centres and13 basic health units were operating in thearea.

2.18.2 Private Sector

The Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS)provides medical treatment at 29 healthcentres, staffed by 17 male and four femaledoctors, as well as 383 community healthworkers. In addition, the AKHS has trained366 women as birth attendants.

2.19Telecommunications

The British colonial administration firstinstalled telephone and telegraph facilitiesin Chitral in 1904. In 1978, Chitral was con-

nected to the nationwide dialling networkthrough a microwave satellite station. Overthe last three decades, Chitral has beenlinked via digital exchanges to the world-wide dialling system.

The main digital exchange in Chitral with acapacity of 1,800 lines is connected to anetwork of digital exchanges at Ay u n(9,300 lines), Booni (300 lines), Drosh (900lines), Garum Chashma (102 lines), Mastuj(500 lines) and Reshun (200 lines). TwoMega Tag exchanges with a capacity of100 lines each at Gahiret and Oveer arealso linked to this network. Similar facilitieswill be extended to Mulkhow and Torkhowin the near future.

2.20Environment

Environmental protection is the responsi-bility of the TMAs. Their functions in thisregard, as detailed in the NWFP L o c a lGovernment Ordinance 2001, include: (i)controlling land use, land subdivision, landdevelopment and zoning in both the publicand private sector; and (ii) providing, man-aging, operating, maintaining and improv-ing water supply, sewerage, sanitation andsolid waste disposal; traffic planning;parks, playgrounds, open spaces andarboriculture (GoNWFP, 2001).

In addition, the provincial government hasset up a District Environmental ProtectionCommittee in Chitral with the followingmembers: EDOs of the concerned devolveddepartments; the DFO Chitral; theExecutive Engineer Irrigation Chitral; andrepresentatives of the A K R S P, CCS Unitand CBOs working at the grassroots level.

2.21Social Organisation

H i s t o r i c a l l y, Chitral’s tradition of voluntarysocial organisation was provided legalcover and administrative support by thea r e a ’s princely rulers. With the end of theirrule, the system they fostered fell into disar-r a y. To d a y, the non-government sector hastaken up the task of creating grassrootsorganisations. From December 1982 to



2

December 2000, the A K R S P set up 758 vil-lage organisations with a total membershipof 29,116 as well as 382 women’s organisa-tions with a combined membership of10,590. During its involvement in Chitralfrom 1989 to 1997, the CADP worked toestablish grassroots organisations as well.As a result, community organisationappears once again to be thriving acrossChitral, with the exception of a few uncoop-erative areas or households.

2.22Employment

According to the 1998 census, 33,778males and 2,550 females aged 10 yearsand above are employed (GoP, 1999). Ofthis group, 160 boys and 33 girls are agedbetween 10 and 14 years. The majority ofmen are engaged in public or private service (41%) and agriculture (28%), withfewer individuals employed in trade (9%),transport (6%) and construction (5%).Women are for the most part employed inpublic and private service (50%), cottageindustries (44%) and agriculture (3%)( Table 13). The census also shows that24,846 males aged 10 to 64 (23,986 aged15 to 64) are facing unemployment (look-ing for work and/or laid off). Only 42females (aged 15 to 24 years) are lookingfor work and two girls between 10 and 14years of age have been laid off. A l t h o u g ha substantial 97,982 women are engaged in domestic labour in their own homes,they are not taken into account in the c e n s u s .

Seasonal migration is a unique feature ofC h i t r a l ’s employment landscape. Duringthe winter, young men without a localsource of off-farm income migrate to thecities in search of work. Most are hired asunskilled labour in the construction indus-try. Similarly, students forced to terminatetheir education owing to financial hardshipaccompany their relatives to the cities insearch of employment in factories andhouseholds. Most such migrants return totheir villages in the summer to participate inagricultural activities. Relatively fewer menwork in the Middle East, mostly as unskilledlabour.

2.22.1 Formal Sector

The government is the major formal-sectoremployer in Chitral, with 14,000 individualsworking in various organisations anddepartments. Among non-governmentalorganisations (NGOs), Aga KhanDevelopment Network institutions are thelargest employers in the area, with a com-bined staff of close to 700. Until recently,women in Chitral, as in other rural areas ofthe country, worked primarily in the educa-tion or health sectors. NGOs have expand-ed employment opportunities in recentyears, creating jobs for women in a varietyof fields, including social organisation,f o r e s t r y, agriculture and animal husbandry.In the health care sector, the AKHS staff of179 already includes 51 women.Employment prospects for women have further improved with the establishment ofprivate schools.



TABLE Employment in Chitral district, 1998 (%)13Employment Status All areas Rural Areas Urban Areas

Species Both Male Female Both Male Female Both Male FemaleSexes Sexes Sexes

Self-employment 45.85 45.95 44.60 48.58 48.55 48.85 29.47 30.67 8.13

Employee(government) 38.98 38.73 42.17 35.81 35.68 37.41 58.08 56.68 83.04

Employee (auto) 2.17 2.17 2.21 2.17 2.18 2.10 2.15 2.09 3.18

Employee(private) 9.94 10.44 3.54 10.18 10.74 3.33 8.53 8.71 5.30

Employer 0.38 0.38 0.37 0.24 0.23 0.41 1.19 1.25 –

Unpaid familyhelper 2.68 2.33 7.11 3.02 2.62 7.90 0.58 0.60 0.35

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100


2.22.2 Informal Sector

The informal sector provides jobs in smallbusinesses, village shops, grocery stores,cloth retail shops, food stores, flour shops,transport operations and repair, and fruit andvegetable vending. Meanwhile, the operationof hotels, t a n d o o r s (bread ovens) and butchershops is dominated by Afghan refugees.

2.23Microenterprise

Before its merger with Pakistan in 1969,Chitral state was by and large a self-suff i c i e n t ,isolated mountain valley. Its artisans manu-factured a variety of handicrafts that weresold locally or presented as souvenirs to visitors who ventured into the region.Traditional craftwork is still practised in certainareas: woollen s h u (or p a t t i) in Mogh; carpetsin Booni; p e l a s k (goat-hair rugs) in Bumburet;wood carving in Jughore; traditional women’sdresses and capes in the Kalash valley;woollen gowns in Khorkashandeh andTorkhow; and embroidered belts, caps, cushion covers, tea cosies, tea mats andwaistcoats in Yurjogh. Besides traditional cottage industry, the A K R S P, CADP and PHPhave initiated a number of ventures in newsectors involving the production, packagingand marketing of dried apricots, apricot kernels and kernel oil; fruits, vegetables andpotatoes; and commercial poultry farming.

Entrepreneurial training, investment andaggressive marketing at both the nationaland international level will be required tomake such ventures viable and profitable inthe long term. Improving communicationswith the outside world, particularly during thewinter months when the snowbound Lowariand Shandur passes cut off road transport,is also crucial to ensure the sustainablegrowth of the microenterprise sector.

Of all the agencies working in Chitral, theAKRSP and PHP alone have taken a seri-ous interest in developing microenterprise,albeit on a small scale. Building on its initialsuccess in promoting apricot productionand marketing, the AKRSP in 1998 createdan Enterprise Development Division whichaims to provide vocational and entrepre-

neurial training, facilitate the acquisition ofcredit, supply market information, createmarket linkages and encourage the formation of marketing associations.Although the Division has a long way to goin launching an effective microenterpriseprogramme, it has managed to raise thefarmgate price of apples, pears and pota-toes. Another noteworthy AKRSP initiativehas been the recent establishment of North-South Seeds, which operates mainly inGilgit and runs a production office in Hunzaas well as a production unit in Chitral.

Although its own mandate was confined tohorticulture, the PHP recognised the impor-tance of an integrated approach tomicroenterprise development. During itscurrency, it provided assistance to farmersat each step of the production cycle frompre-production to post-marketing.

2.24Cultural Heritage

Chitral’s unique culture has developed overmany millennia, with more than a dozenethnic groups speaking as many languagesscattered across isolated mountain valleys.Many of the ancestors of Chitral’s present-day inhabitants fled to these valleys toescape the turmoil of surrounding coun-tries. As a result, the culture of the peopleof Chitral is more closely linked to the cul-tures of Central Asia and China, rather thanthe rest of South Asia.

2.24.1 Architecture

The royal palace in Chitral and the forts inBirmoghlasht, Chitral, Drasun, Drosh, Mastuj,N a g h a r, Shagram and Shoghore are now pri-vately owned and in varying stages of decay.In addition to the ruins of forts dating back tothe fourth and fifth centuries BC, Chitral ishome to several preserved forts, fortressesand towers from a more recent era. Also ofinterest are single- and double- storied houses built in typical Khow and Kalash style.The Khow house, or b a i p a s h, is an integralpart of a fort complex, providing several facilities under one roof (bedroom, drawingroom and kitchen). Traditional Chitrali build-ings are embellished with wood carvings.



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2.24.2 Arts and Crafts

C h i t r a l ’s artisans manufacture a widerange of elegant and delicately craftedproducts, including pottery, weaponry andjewellery; woodwork; and embroidered,woven and knitted textiles. Clay, wood,stone, bone, animal skin and copper arethe materials most commonly used.C h i t r a l ’s woollen fabric, s h u (or p a t t i) ,embroidered cloth and walnut-wood furni-ture are popular in handicraft marketsthroughout the country.

2.24.3 Traditional Costumes andDresses

Traditional Khow and Kalash clothing ismade from wool and silk, decorated withbeads and shells. The traditional cap(pakol) and gown (chugha) are popularitems in major cities throughout the country,as are typical Chitrali shoes (khone) whichresemble long riding boots.

2.24.4 Local Food andBeverages

The area’s vast culinary repertoire of foodsand beverages is unique in terms of bothflavour and presentation. Chitrali cuisine is stillprepared and served in a traditional fashion.

2.24.5 Local Games and Sports

Polo and falconry are the most popularrecreational pursuits in Chitral, while proto-types of cricket, football and hockey arealso played. The people hunt for sport aswell as to supplement their diet.

2.24.6 Music and Dance

Music and dance are at the heart of Chitraliculture. The performance of music is notconsidered to be a profession confined to afew families, as is the case in the rest of thesub-continent. Rather, Chitral’s rich andvaried musical tradition is part of the fabricof everyday life. Every occasion calls for adifferent rhythm, while certain beats areserved for particular individuals. T h eChitrali sitar is famous throughout the worldand traditional dances, such as the dani

and souz, are part of the folk heritage ofCentral Asia.

2.24.7 Folk Songs

Folk songs serve as a repository of regionalh i s t o r y. The folk poets of Chitral sing warsongs as well as love ballads. Epics arepopular among the Kalash, while Khowarpoets prefer romantic verse. Elements ofnature and the environment are also depicted in song.

2.24.8 Folklore

The folklore of Dameli, Kalash, Khowar,Wakhi and other languages of Chitral isvast and varied. A vibrant tradition of folkstories, some as long as novels, has beenpassed down from generation to genera-tion. These narratives are richly populatedwith superhuman characters participatingin metaphysical events. Chitral’s story-tellers employ a unique style where everytale begins and ends in the same way. Thestoryteller starts with the incantation: “Dayand night lie to each other; you and I lie toeach other; a curse be on the one who firsttold a lie. I know not if it was thus, I knownot if it was so, but it is said there was aking. . .” Every story closes with the words:“It was an interesting event; I was awardeda lame horse which could not reach mydestination.”

2.24.9 Legendary Sites

Among the many locations immortalised inlegend and folklore are Braro-khongor(near Shandur), Khongor-diru-bokht(Barenis), Khow-bokht (Mulkhow),Khudayo-rash (Rizhun), Qalandar-botiru-bokht (Rayeen) and Rakhun, a mountainvisible from Garum Chashma.

2.24.10 Historic Military Sites

Chitral is home to a number of heritagesites where important battles were fought inthe past. Chokul Waht, Darband, Gasht,Jutilasht, Khandan, Khorkashandeh, NisurGole and Rabat are among the dozens ofsuch areas of historical interest. The ruinsof ancient forts dating as far back as the



third century BC are located in Ashret,Brep, Muzhgol and Uchusht (Ghufran,1962; Stein, 1921).

2.24.11 Indigenous Tribes—the Kalash

With its origins lost in the mists of antiquity,this ancient tribe is a unique culturalresource. Four festivals mark the highlightsof the Kalash calendar. Joshi, the springfestival, when girls pick the first flowers ofthe year, is held on May 14–15. It is cele-brated with dancing, social visits and theexchange of milk and dairy products.Utchal is observed for two days in mid-Julyto mark the wheat and barley harvest, andinvolves song, dance and feasting. Pul, onDecember 20–21, marks the grape andwalnut harvest, while C h o w m a s s, fromDecember 18 to 21, welcomes the newyear with feasting, drinking, dancing andthe sacrifice of goats (GoP, 1999).

2.25Tourism

The area that is now Chitral has beenexposed to foreign influences since ancient

times, when trade caravans traversed theregion from Kashgar and Bukhara to Kabuland Peshawar. Kalash and Khow culturewas first introduced to anthropologists, ethnologists, linguists and mountaineersthrough the writings of British colonial officers and explorers. Tourism was devel-oped as an industry after Chitral statemerged with Pakistan in 1969. Until onlyrecently, close to 16,000 tourists visitedChitral annually, 2,000 of whom were foreign nationals (AKRSP, 2000b).

C h i t r a l ’s main tourist attractions are moun-taineering, a pleasant summer climate andthe unique culture of the Kalash people.With its rugged landscape and rich biodi-v e r s i t y, the area is also an ideal destinationfor ecotourism. However, picnic spots,trekking routes and other areas of culturalsignificance are yet to be identified andopened to visitors. At present, the absenceof an all-weather road link with the rest ofthe country is the single most importantconstraint to the development of tourism.Meanwhile, local communities lack interestin developing this sector perhaps becauseits potential importance is not widelyrecognised.



A view of Chitral Town

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Rather than destroying natural habitat ordiluting the unique culture of the area, sus-tainable and environment-friendly tourismcan help preserve the cultural heritage ofChitral and protect the ecosystem.Carefully planned and monitored initiativeswill serve to promote indigenous culturesand traditions, while ensuring that a bal-ance is maintained between the interests ofvarious groups and the conservation ofnature. At the same time, income fromtourism can be channelled to fund environ-mental protection as well as developmentin other sectors.

2.26Mineral Resources

The area’s rugged topography and inacces-sibility make mineral exploration a labour-and resource-intensive task. As a result,C h i t r a l ’s mineral reserves have not been sys-tematically explored. Known deposits basedon fragmentary surveys are shown in Ta b l e14. Since mining activities are notorious forthe environmental damage they cause, proposals for large-scale mining in Chitralmust be examined with extreme caution.

2.27Governance Structure

Good governance is critical to the promotionof sustainable development. Following thepromulgation of the NWFP L o c a lGovernment Ordinance 2001, implementa-tion of a devolved system of local govern-ment is underway. With planning, develop-ment and monitoring transferred to the locallevel, it is expected that an environmentconducive to sustainable development willbe created. In order for the system to attainits full potential, it will be necessary to buildthe capacity of each individual in the system.

Local government in Chitral district now com-prises a District Government and ZillaCouncil, as well as TMAs, Tehsil Councils,Union Administrations, and Union and Vi l l a g eCouncils. The organisation of the new systemand progress made so far in implementationare discussed in Sections 2 . 2 7 . 1 – 2 . 2 7 . 11 b e l o w.

2.27.1 District Government

Heading Chitral’s district government is theZilla Nazim, who provides leadership and



TABLE Mineral resources14Location Mineral Deposit

Awiret Gol Fine grained lead-antimony sulphide ore, also containing gold, silver, tin and vanadium (estimated at 290 t)

Krinj, Partsan Antimony ore mined on a small scale (estimated at 8,617 t)

Damel Nisar Good quality magnetite ore (estimated at 7.3 million t)

Reshun Marble and dolomite, inter-bedded with limestone and shale

Gahiret, Kalash valleys, Shoghore Large quantities of fine quality marble

Gahiret, Koghuzi Large quantities of granite

Lonkuh, Mirghash Arsenic minerals such as orpiment and realgar occur in large deposits some 4,000 m above sea level in Terich valley

Kaldam Gol (Drosh) Galena, pyrite and copper minerals such as chalkopyrite reported

Pakhtori (Oveer) Quartz veins containing lead-zinc ore and copper

Melp gol (Rayeen) Antimony

Kushum Antimony in large quantity

Koghuzi, Reshun, Shoghore Granite, marble and dolomite

Golain Soapstone

Tar (Shishikuh) Talc

Munoorgol (Garum Chashma) Gemstones such as aquamarine and topaz

Madashil Dolomite, galene and pyrite

Source: Geological Survey of Pakistan, 2000; Aslam and Khan, 2002.

vision for development initiatives, and isresponsible for ensuring effective and effi-cient administration. The Nazim’s specificfunctions are detailed in the NWFP LocalGovernment Ordinance 2001.

The District Administration consists of district offices, including the sub-offices ofthose departments now devolved to thedistrict level, as well as other offices setup and grouped under the EDOs. T h ework of these departments is coordinatedby the District Coordination Off i c e r(DCO), appointed by the provincial g o v e r n m e n t .

The DCO Chitral is the Coordinating Headof the District Administration, whichincludes the magistracy, finance and plan-ning, education and literacy, health, com-munity development, agriculture, revenue,and works and services. Since responsibil-ity for forests, wildlife, electricity and irriga-tion has not been devolved to the districtlevel, these sectors continue to operateunder provincial hierarchies.

The district government performs its func-tions in accordance with the provisions of theN W F P Local Government Ordinance 2001and the rules made pursuant to this law.

2.27.2 Zilla Council

The Zilla Council comprises all UnionNazims, except for women, peasant, worker and minority community represen-tatives elected on reserved seats. T h eCouncil considers for approval by-laws, taxand budget proposals as well as develop-ment plans. Besides other functions speci-fied in the Local Government Ordinance, italso elects committees to administer arange of matters from justice and code ofconduct to sports and culture.

2.27.3 Tehsil MunicipalAdministration

The T M A is headed by the Tehsil Nazim,who oversees development at the tehsillevel and is responsible for municipal serv-ices. ATehsil Municipal Officer appointed bythe provincial government coordinates the

work of Tehsil Officers responsible formunicipal regulations, infrastructure, services, finance and planning.

The TMA performs the following functions:■ preparing plans for land use and zoning

in collaboration with Union Councils;obtaining Tehsil Council approval forplans; and implementation;

■ controlling land use, subdivision, development and zoning in the publicand private sector;

■ enforcing municipal laws, rules and by-laws; and

■ operating, maintaining and improving themunicipal infrastructure, providing services in a number of sectors, including water supply, waste disposaland communications.

2.27.4 Tehsil Council

Members of the Tehsil Council include theNaib Nazims of all Union Councils, as wellas representatives of women, peasants,workers and minority communities electedon reserved seats. The Tehsil Council considers for approval the MunicipalAdministration’s proposals on taxes, by-laws, annual budgets, land use zoning, anddevelopment master plans. The Councilalso elects tehsil-level monitoring, justiceand accounts committees.

2.27.5 Union Administration

The Union Administration is headed by aUnion Nazim, and comprises a Naib UnionNazim and up to three secretaries. TheUnion Nazim provides leadership for union-level development, oversees preparation ofthe budget and annual development plans,organises management of inter-villageinfrastructure and constitutes theMusalihati Jarga (reconciliation council). The Union A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’s functionsinclude:■ collecting and updating socio-economic

data;■ consolidating and prioritising village

development needs, formulating propos-als, securing Union Council approval,and recommending these schemes tothe district government or TMA;



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■ providing and maintaining drinking watersupply;

■ regulating grazing areas; and■ executing union-level ADP projects

through contractors in the private sector.

2.27.6 Village Council

The Village Council may consist of anything from 5 to 11 members, and isheaded by the individual securing the high-est number of votes from village residents.Its responsibilities include developing andimproving water supply sources, makingarrangements for sanitation and waste dis-posal, organising watch and ward, mobilis-ing voluntary resources for municipal work,facilitating the formation of cooperatives,and fostering community involvement inirrigation and tree plantation initiatives.

2.27.7 Citizen Community Board

A group of non-elected citizens may set upa Citizen Community Board (CCB) in alocal area for the purpose of undertakingthe following voluntary self-help initiatives:■ improving the delivery of services by a

pubic facility; ■ developing and managing a new public

facility;■ welfare of handicapped or destitute

individuals, widows and impoverishedfamilies;

■ establishing farming, marketing and consumer cooperatives;

■ forming stakeholders’ associations tosecure community involvement in themaintenance of specific facilities; and

■ catalysing bottom-up planning and ownership incentives.

A CCB is a non-profit organisation regis-tered with the provincial Social WelfareDepartment. In carrying out its purposes, itmay interact with voluntary community welfare organisations and raise fundsthrough voluntary contributions, gifts, donations, grants and endowments. Inaccordance with the provisions of theNWFP Local Government Ordinance 2001,CCBs may also receive project-based cost-sharing support from any local government,including matching grants of up to 80% ofthe budgeted amount of an approveddevelopment scheme. These grants are tobe disbursed from the district government’sdevelopment budget, half of which isreserved for this purpose.

2.27.8 Musalihati Jarga

Within 30 days of its election, the Insaf (justice) Committee of each Union is toselect for the duration of its tenure threeconciliators from amongst the local residents. The individuals selected mustcommand respect in the community fortheir integrity and good judgement, andare to serve on the Musalihati Jarga (reconciliation council). The Union Nazim,members of the Insaf Committee and theConciliators are to use their good offices toachieve an amicable settlement of disputes amongst Union residents throughmediation, conciliation and arbitration.Settlements are to be attempted if all parties agree to this process, and the service is to be provided free of charge.Any court of competent jurisdiction mayrefer a matter to the Musalihati Jarga fors e t t l e m e n t .

2.27.9 Provincial LocalGovernment Commission

The provincial government is to appoint aProvincial Local Government Commissioncomprising two members from civil society (one each nominated by the



Good governance, decentralised

planning, and the empowerment

of marginalised groups and local

communities with a bottom-up

approach to service delivery are

priority issues for natural

resource management and

sustainable development under

the CCS.

Leader of the House and the Leader of theOpposition in the provincial assembly),two qualified and experienced technocratsselected by the government, and theSecretary Local Government and RuralDevelopment. The Commission performsthe following functions:■ conducting annual and special inspec-

tions of local governments, and submit-ting reports on their performance to theprovincial chief executive;

■ undertaking special audits;■ resolving disputes between district

governments; and ■ inquiring into matters brought up by the

DCO where the DCO considers theorders of the Zilla Nazim unlawful, orthe Zilla Nazim complains against theD C O .

The Commission is appointed for a four-year term and reports to the chief executiveof the province.

2.27.10 Zilla Mohtasib

The government is to appoint a ZillaMohtasib (ombudsman) for the district toredress citizen’s complaints against districtgovernment officials.

2.27.11 Progress Made inImplementation

The local government system has begunfunctioning in Chitral. The following departments have been devolved from theprovincial level and merged with the districtgovernment:■ finance, planning and development;■ education (primary, secondary and

literacy);■ health (civil hospitals, dispensaries, rural

health clinics, basic health units, maternity and child health care, malariaand tuberculosis control, vaccination anddrug control);

■ industries (commerce colleges, vocational institutes, skill developmentc e n t r e s ) ;

■ agriculture (agriculture extension, livestock, fisheries, farm forestry,sericulture, agriculture engineering, soilconservation, watershed managementand cooperatives);

■ works and services (district roads andbridges, water supply and sanitation);

■ community development (social welfare,rural community development, centre forhandicapped children); and

■ revenue and estates.

The following sectors remain under thecontrol of the provincial government:■ higher education, ■ district headquarters hospital, ■ irrigation, ■ forests and wildlife, ■ district accounts office,■ police, and ■ judiciary.

2.28Nexus Between Devolutionand the ChitralConservation Strategy

Good governance, decentralised planning,and the empowerment of marginalisedgroups and local communities with a bottom-up approach to service delivery arepriority issues for natural resource management and sustainable developmentunder the CCS. For its part, the new localgovernment system emphasises the needfor decentralised planning and participatorydevelopment. The CCS and the new localgovernment share common concernsregarding poverty alleviation and environ-mental conservation.

The nexus between the CCS and the newlocal government system is embodied inSection 140(4)(a) of the Local GovernmentOrdinance, which provides for a crystallisedvision for integrated development of the dis-trict, to be formulated and presented by theZilla Mushavirat (consultation) Committeeon behalf of the district government.



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C h a p t e rMajor Past and PresentDevelopment Initiatives

For development initiatives to be successful as well as sustainable, coordinatedefforts are required in a number of sectors with the full involvement of the government. Chitral is no exception to this rule. In addition to the work of

non-governmental organisations, support will be necessary from the judiciary, executive and police, as well as government departments responsible for health,

education, water and other amenities, to ensure long-term sustainable development.

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3 . 1Government Departments

The Public Health EngineeringDepartment has played a role in stemmingwater-borne diseases by providing potablewater to 63% of the population. The Wa t e rand Power Development A u t h o r i t y( WAPDA) supplies 25% of the area’s elec-t r i c i t y. The Irrigation Department servesthe needs of 15% of Chitral’s irrigatedarea. The Agriculture Department’sresearch and extension unit seeks to applynew knowledge to local conditions. T h eForest and Wildlife Department is respon-sible for the protection of biodiversity. T h eformer Communication and Wo r k sDepartment created arteries for trade andcommerce by building and maintainingmain roads, while the now-defunct DistrictCouncil expanded the network with linkroads and bridges.

From 1997–98 to 1999–2000, education,health, public health engineering, socialwelfare, transport, communications, irriga-tion and regional development havereceived major funding from the govern-ment. Public perception about the eff e c t i v e-ness of public-sector development remainsnegative, largely because such initiativeslack vigour and continuity.

3 . 2Aga Khan Rural SupportP r o g r a m m e

Launched in 1984, the Aga Khan RuralSupport Programme (AKRSP) experi-mental project in Chitral was regularisedin January 1986. Its aim is to enhance thequality of life of the people of Chitralthrough social organisation, self-reliance,skills training, improved agricultural prac-

tice and the development of physicali n f r a s t r u c t u r e .

3.2.1 Social Organisation

The major thrust of the AKRSP’s develop-ment policy has been to improve agricul-ture, livestock husbandry and forestry byproviding inputs and training village workers in improved technologies. ByDecember 2000, the AKRSP had formed758 village organisations and 382 women’sorganisations, with 29,116 and 13,590members, respectively, and combined savings of Rs 95 million. The AKRSP hasalso created 79 cluster organisations. Itsachievements in human resource develop-ment until December 2000 are summarisedin Table 15.

3.2.2 Physical Infrastructure

The A K R S P ’s most important achieve-ments in the development of physical infra-structure have been to extend irrigation to8,837 ha of previously unirrigated land andimprove the existing irrigation system over12,933 ha. Its outstanding contribution,h o w e v e r, has been to pioneer siphon irrigation, which allows water to be conveyed to land that cannot be irrigatedby open channels. This system has beensuccessfully replicated by the Chitral AreaDevelopment Project (CADP).

Microhydels established by the A K R S P g e n-erate 3,800 kVA of electricity, the second-


Major Past and Present Development Initiatives

TABLE 15 Human resource d e v e l o p m e n t

Type of training Number

Village organisation managers 690

Women’s organisation managers 156

Village organisation managers(conferences/workshops) 1,709

Women’s organisation managers (conferences/workshops) 577

Valley specialists/master trainers 140

Village accountants 47

Individual specialists (natural resourcemanagement/other technical sectors) 8,461

Male villagers (vocational skills) 46

Female villagers (vocational skills) 119

Source: AKRSP2000a.

Public perception about the effectiveness of public-sector

development remains negative, largely because such initiatives

lack vigour and continuity.

largest single contribution to Chitral’s powersupply after WAPDA. To facilitate operationand maintenance, the A K R S P has trained254 plant operators. This initiative is doublyimportant because microhydels are likely tobe the main source of electricity for a largenumber of small scattered habitations thatcannot cost-effectively be connected to thenational grid or other local projects. In thecommunications sector, the A K R S P h a sconstructed farm-to-market roads.

3.2.3 Enterprise Development

The A K R S P ’s entry into the field of enter-prise development is driven by a recognitionof the fact that increasing agricultural pro-duction alone will not serve to materiallyenhance the quality of life of the population.Since only a small area is under agricultureand most land holdings are small, simplyincreasing crop yields will not make thedesired impact on agricultural income.R a t h e r, it is essential to teach farmers toimprove the processing and marketing oftheir produce in order to increase earnings.Methods employed in this connectioninclude cooperative marketing ventures andskills training to enable value addition.

To d a y, 575 village organisations areengaged in cooperative marketing, assistedby loans and training. So far 1,087 male and841 female entrepreneurs have beentrained in enterprise development, improvedwoollen cloth making (women), post-harvestmanagement, fresh fruit marketing, fruit pro-cessing and drying,potato and vegetablemarketing, poultry farming, operation andmanagement of retail business, and business plan preparation.

3.2.4 Shubinak House

Guilds of spinners and weavers broughttogether under the A K R S P ’s ShubinakHouse Project have played a significant rolein promoting s h u (also known as p a t t i), thetraditional woollen fabric of the area. T h e s eguilds produce woollen products and supplyvalue-added clothing to the market. Fundedby the Swiss Agency for Development andCooperation (SDC), Shubinak House hasbeen able to introduce high-grade woollenp a t t i to various outlets in the urban centresof Pakistan as well as abroad. Over the pastfive years (1997–2002), Shubinak Househas proved itself to be a self-reliant andprofitable entity.



Tapping the water for community needs

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3.2.5 North-South Seeds

North-South Seeds is the A K R S P ’s latestinitiative, aimed at generating employmentopportunities in areas with scarce naturalresources. Managed as a seed companyand earning a profit, the project aims toproduce and market high-quality local vari-eties of vegetable seeds which are in greatdemand among vegetable growers in thearea who are expanding operations at anannual rate of 4%. The enterprise employsthe services of contract growers to pro-duce raw seeds in accordance with strin-gent quality standards, a process whichrequires continuous training and supervi-sion by A K R S P seed technologists. At theother end of the production chain are farmers, who are averse to taking risks.Frequently duped by dubious seed merchants, farmers need to develop confidence in North-South Seeds salespersonnel. Once this has been accom-plished, farmers are able to benefit fromthe company’s improved seed productiontechnology which ensures uniform germination, high germination percent-ages and increased disease resistance.

The most exciting aspect of this enterpriseis that it is much more than an agriculturalproject. It fulfils a whole array of A K R S Pobjectives and does so in a sustainable—and, ultimately, financially profitable—m a n n e r.

More than half of the company’s contractseed growers are women. Nearly all grow-ers, and especially the women, belong toeither poor or poverty-stricken householdswith an annual per capita income of lessthan Rs 12,000. On average, these grow-ers are able to earn more per unit area fromtheir North-South Seeds crop than anyother crop currently under cultivation inChitral and the Northern Areas.

Although North-South Seeds operates aproduction unit in Chitral, its main physical plant, including a greenhouseand seed processing and packagingplant, as well as most of its staff and vehi-cles, are located in Gilgit. This is perhapsits only drawback. Similar small enterprises need to be developed inChitral to make a major impact in the fieldof poverty reduction.



Spinning of wool – the traditional way

3.2.6 Credit and Banking

Providing agricultural credit is the corner-stone of the A K R S P ’s programme toinvigorate the economy of Chitral. T h eA K R S P has so far disbursed 5,391 loanstotalling Rs 199 million to 118,800 house-holds. The First MicroFinance Bank(FMB), an extension of the microcreditfacilities already provided by the A K R S P,has been established to promote enter-prise and alleviate poverty by facilitatingsmall loans to individuals. The FMB’s totalcapital investment amounts to Rs 600 million, of which 60% comes from theA K R S P, and the remainder from the A g aKhan Fund for Economic Development(20%) and International FinanceCorporation (20%).

3.3Aga Khan Health Services

Established in Chitral in 1964, the A g aKhan Health Services (AKHS) plays acrucial role in providing medical treatmentto women and children in remote areas.The AKHS operates one main office withthree field units and runs 29 health centres, including a full-fledged hospital(Aga Khan Medical Centre) and a tertiaryservice (Aga Khan Extended FamilyHealth Centre). The AKHS has alsoestablished family health centres, threedispensaries, and 19 mother and childhealth centres. Extension health workersof the AKHS provide immunisation cover-age and family planning services to therural population.

3 . 4Aga Khan Planning andBuilding Services

The Aga Khan Planning and BuildingServices (AKPBS) was established in 1987,then known as the Aga Khan HousingBoard. This institution provides training aswell as architectural and engineering services for the construction of schools, hospitals, houses and hostels. The A K P B Shas designed model houses and buildingmaterials for use in the highly seismic zoneof the Hindukush range.

3 . 5Aga Khan EducationS e r v i c e s

Established in Chitral in 1980, the Aga KhanEducation Services (AKES) focuses on twoareas: (i) formal education through fully-fund-ed Aga Khan schools and self-financed com-munity-based schools; and (ii) support forhigher and professional education throughcounselling, career development, grants andstipends. The AKES supports female educa-tion, emphasising quality rather than q u a n t i t y, and operates 51 funded and 27community-based schools in the district.

3 . 6Chitral Area DevelopmentP r o j e c t

Funded by the Asian Development Bankand the International Fund for A g r i c u l t u r a l



A rural medical facility

3

Development (IFAD), the CADP ran from1989 to 1997 and covered Chitral, Droshand Lotkuh tehsils as well as Upper Chitral.The CADP aimed to increase householdincome mainly through the farming and live-stock sectors. It also provided essentialancillary services such as widening andblacktopping the Chitral–Booni road,extending the potable water supply, con-structing microhydel power plants and fos-tering social organisation. Project imple-mentation was the responsibility of thePlanning and Development Department,with the support of the following agenciesand line departments: agriculture,Agricultural Development A u t h o r i t y, animalh u s b a n d r y, communication and works,f o r e s t r y, Fruit and Vegetable DevelopmentBoard, North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) Agricultural University, and publichealth engineering.

The CADP completion report estimates its achievements up to the end of 1997 asf o l l o w s :

3.6.1 Farm Sector

■ cropping intensity increased by 7%; ■ crop yields increased: wheat (61%),

maize (13%), barley (37%), rice (78%),vegetables (37%), pulses (83%), fodder(40%), fruit (11%);

■ land allocated to high-paying crops suchas vegetables, fruits, pulses and fodder,as well as forest trees, increased by25%; and

■ gross value of crop production increasedby 63% (to Rs 11,960/ha).

3.6.2 Livestock Sector

■ general improvements in livestockhealth, as well as milk and meat productivity;

■ good progress in the poultry sector;■ goat rearing in disfavour, being gradually

replaced by cows of better quality inareas where the fodder situation isfavourable; and

■ farm household income from the sale of livestock and animal productscomprises 21% of the gross value ofcrops.

3.6.3 Chitral–Booni Road

According to the CADP completion report,the “76 km Chitral–Booni road is one of themajor claimants of CADP’s total outlays. Itis at the same time the most visible, themost widely known, and the most applaud-ed achievement of CADP as perceived bythe people and as also ascertained empiri-cally” (IFAD, 1997). The impact of theChitral–Booni road is estimated as follows:■ passenger fares and freight charges have

been cut by 50%, while a 52% reduction invehicle operating costs has beenachieved, totalling Rs 109 million for 1997;

■ fruit from the Booni area is now marketedin Chitral and down-country;

■ convenient and economical transportationof heavy equipment on the road hasraised the tempo of public and privatesector development in Upper Chitral;

■ habitations connected to the road havegained access to improved medical facilities in Chitral; and

■ tourism has increased, benefiting theapple growers of Booni.

3.6.4 Potable Water SupplyS c h e m e s

In addition to improving Chitral town’spotable water supply, the CADP also constructed and assisted in the completion of81 rural water supply schemes.

3.6.5 Microhydel Power Plants

The CADP established 37 microhydelpower plants which generate 1.33 MW ofelectricity—about 12% of the hydel powerthat will be generated by the Reshun andShishi-II projects once they are completed.The CADP’s microhydel plants benefitsome 3% of households in the district.According to the completion report, all theplants are running satisfactorily under themanagement of village organisations andconsumers pay their bills regularly.

3.6.6 Village Organisations

The CADP established 681 male communi-ty-based organisations (CBOs), 508 withproductive physical infrastructure. Their per-





A cantilever bridge

3formance has been satisfactory, with com-bined savings of Rs 19 million. The CADPalso set up 229 women’s organisations withsavings of Rs 2 million.

3 . 7Project for HorticulturalPromotion

This initiative, assisted by the SDC, waslaunched in 1988. Its first phase(1988–1990) was devoted to the preparationof a master plan for horticulture in the NWFP.The PHP was implemented with the activecollaboration of the Agriculture Department’sresearch and extension unit as well as farm-e r s ’ interest groups. In Chitral, the projectwas facilitated by the A K R S P. Following itsfinal phase (2000–2003), the PHP h a swound up operations but its work is to betaken forward by partner organisations.

3 . 8Maintaining Biodiversity inPakistan With RuralCommunity Development

The most important recent initiative in bio-diversity conservation has been the United

Nations Development Programme andGlobal Environment Facility-assisted pilotproject, Maintaining Biodiversity inPakistan with Rural CommunityDevelopment, which was implemented during the period 1995–1998 in the Arkari,Begusht, Golain, Madaklasht and Manurvalleys of Chitral. Following the success ofthis pilot project, the full-scale MountainAreas Conservancy Project has been initiated. In addition, the Protected AreasManagement Project, which includesimproving management of the Chitral GolNational Park, commenced in October2002 with the signing of an agreementbetween the World Bank and theGovernment of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Gahiret Conservation Area and Tooshi–Shasha Conservancy,together covering 46,500 ha, are community initiatives facilitated by theWildlife Department and managed as community game reserves. Local residentsdevelop and implement plans for the sustainable management of biologicalresources in their areas. They are empow-ered to enforce wildlife laws and permittedto retain 75% of the income derived from

wildlife management. As an additionalincentive, the project provides funds forminor productive physical infrastructuredevelopment, where projects are identifiedby the communities themselves.

3 . 9Environmental RehabilitationP r o j e c t

The short-lived Dutch-assisted Environ-mental Rehabilitation Project was a chal-lenging initiative which sought to addressthe problem of sustainable development ofgrazing lands. Groaning under the pres-sure of local, nomadic and Afghan-ownedlivestock, such areas are being rapidlydepleted. The duration of the project wastoo brief to allow any appreciable headwayto be made.

3 . 1 0World Wide Fund for Nature

Every year, an estimated 1 million migratory birds fly across Chitral district.

To ensure their safe passage through thev a l l e y, the World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF)–Pakistan launched the MigratoryBirds Conservation Project, which ran inChitral from 1993 to 1999. The projectfocused on education, awareness raisingand capacity building among local communities in order to check the trend ofseasonal hunting. Links between CBOsand village organisations were establishedto create bird refuge parks, and environ-mental clubs were set up to ensure thecontinuity and sustainability of the i n t e r v e n t i o n .

The natural resources of Chitral are on theverge of extinction. In an attempt to slowthe pace of resource degradation, WWF–Pakistan in 2001 launched another inter-vention, Capacity Building forConservation of Natural Resources. T h i songoing project establishes networks ofvillage organisations in select localitiesand involves training, workshops, seminars and pilot projects for the conservation of flora and fauna.



A Hindu Kush Markhor

Large predators such as the snow leopardare an important indicator of the health of anecosystem. In Chitral, the survival of thesnow leopard is threatened by human pop-ulation growth and the resulting expansionof settlements to the uplands. In 2001,WWF–Pakistan launched the Snow

Leopard Conservation Project to createawareness among model communities.Along with capacity development and envi-ronmental education, the project providesincentives to agro-pastoral communitiesand herders to protect this endangereds p e c i e s .



3

Part 2Strategy


C h a p t e r

Governance

The challenge for the Chitral Conservation Strategy (CCS) is to sustainablyimprove the livelihood of local communities, while protecting the environment

and enabling improvements to be made in physical and social capital. The strategy envisions federal and provincial government support will be

provided in sectors that are the state’s responsibility, such as economicgrowth, poverty eradication and infrastructure.

4

To date, government spending on develop-ment in Chitral district amounts to morethan Rs 1 billion, yet this investment is notreflected in the standard of living of thepeople. Nor has it altered negative publicperception regarding the work of govern-ment departments. The reasons for this aremyriad and include the pressure of a bur-geoning population, the vagaries of natureand significant cutbacks in developmentoutlays in recent years. Dissatisfaction withthe government also results from the centralised planning and implementation ofdevelopment programmes carried out without public participation. With the introduction of the new local governmentsystem, locally monitored participatorydevelopment is expected to become thenorm rather than the exception. An important function of the Zilla Nazim underthe new system is to provide vision fordevelopment in the district.

The North-West Frontier Province LocalGovernment Ordinance 2001 lays thegroundwork for more effective, locallyaccountable administration. However, anumber of issues remain to be addressedbefore the system can be considered agood model for people-centred governance.To begin with, the new system is represen-tative for the most part rather than fully p a r t i c i p a t o r y, even though avenues havebeen provided for public involvement inlocal government through provisions allow-ing for the creation of Citizen CommunityBoards. While the system is still evolving, itis necessary to create a mechanism to drawcommunity-based organisations moreclosely into the process of planning, implementation and monitoring.

As far as resources are concerned, currentpublic sector outlays for developmentinclude a small Annual DevelopmentProgramme (ADP) allocation and a largergrant from the Khushhal PakistanProgramme. ADP funds for 2001–02 areassigned mainly for communications andeducation (the latter under the SocialAction Programme), while KhushhalPakistan Programme outlays are earmarked for farm-to-market roads (40%),drinking water supply schemes, sanitation,

electricity and women’s development, withonly 10% set aside for other purposes.Sectors such as forestry, grazing land man-agement and biodiversity are not providedfor in either of these government initiatives.

In the face of limited public-sectorresources, implementing CCS proposals isnot necessarily an expensive undertaking.In fact, more than 60% of the CCS objec-tives can be attained simply by introducingself-reliance, community participation andgood governance while utilising existingdevelopment allocations. A d d i t i o n a lresources will however be needed for large-scale projects advocated in the CCS, suchas construction of the Lowari tunnel and aroad to Tajikistan, as well as for medium-sized schemes such as those aimed at har-nessing Chitral’s hydroelectric potential.These funds will have to be sought from theprovincial and federal governments, andtheir assistance will be required to obtainadditional support from donors.

The new local government system aims todevelop mechanisms to ensure fair andlocally responsible governance. However,effective functioning of the councils andcommittees set up at various levels willrequire vigilance and commitment from allthose involved in the process of planning,implementation and monitoring.

StrategyThe CCS proposes the following measuresto improve governance:■ awarding the highest priority to building

the technical capacity of district govern-ment functionaries as well as electedmembers of various councils and committees;

■ making transparency and accountabilityan integral feature of all developmentinterventions;

■ generating internal as well as externalfunding;

■ ensuring that natural resources are usedwisely by improving management practices; and

■ seeking the involvement of organisedlocal communities in the identification,planning, implementation and monitoringof development initiatives.


Governance


C h a p t e rHuman Resource Development

and Economic Uplift

Subsistence agriculture has been practised in Chitral for many generations.To d a y, traditional farming activities alone are no longer able to sustain the

population. One way to address this problem is to diversify economic activityin the area. For this purpose, human resources will need to be developed.

5

5.1Education

Widening the availability of education andimproving standards are key to upgradinghuman capital. Currently, the standard ofbasic education on offer is unsatisfactory,while flaws exist in the focus of higher edu-cation. Growth that has taken place in theeducation sector to date does not ade-quately reflect the needs of the people. Inaddition to factors specific to each locality,the quality of education suffers becauseschools are ill-equipped, teachers are notmotivated and supervision is ineffective.

Low enrolment figures, meanwhile, may beattributed in part to a lack of awarenessabout the importance of education but thisis not the only reason why few individualspursue academics. In the case of youngmen, poverty forces even those alreadyenrolled in school or college to drop out andinstead seek employment. Without the benefit of vocational skills or technical train-ing, men are forced to take up low-payingunskilled work which only serves to trapthem deeper in a cycle of poverty. A m o n gwomen, the most serious constraint toexpanding education is the insufficient number of middle and high schools for girls.

Strategy The Chitral Conservation Strategy (CCS)proposes the following measures to improveboth the quality and reach of education:■ adopting a two-track approach to focus

on mass education as well as profes-sional training;

■ seeking policy, administrative, moral andmaterial support from stakeholders toimprove educational institutions; stakeholder participation will also helpovercome site-specific obstacles;

■ establishing a quality facility for technicaleducation with a curriculum gearedtowards employment opportunities available in Pakistan and abroad;

■ obtaining policy support at the nationallevel to enable students from Chitral togain admission to professional institu-tions elsewhere in the country; and

■ instituting a student scholarship programme.

5.2Health

Access to health care is an importantmeasure of development. Only fourfemale and 33 male doctors work inC h i t r a l ’s public health system, renderingthe state of medical facilities abysmal.With a single district headquarters hospital, two tehsil hospitals, three ruralhealth centres and 22 basic health unitsserving 463 rural habitations, access tomedical treatment is restricted even at thebest of times. When roads and bridges arewashed away by floods or blocked withheavy snow, however, some communitiesare left with no access whatsoever tohealth care.

C h i t r a l ’s widely scattered population and dif-ficulties of access hinder the timely deliveryof health services. Inadequate waste man-agement, improper hygiene practices andcontaminated water contribute to poorhealth, putting additional pressure on medical facilities which are already short-s t a ffed and ill-equipped. Public health is alsoundermined by the fact that local communi-ties lack basic health education.

Strategy The strategy to improve public health willfocus on the following areas:■ emphasising primary and preventive

health care;■ expanding the supply of potable water;■ providing for the safe disposal of

sewage and solid waste;■ adopting innovative methods to improve

health care; learning from the efforts oforganisations such as the Aga KhanHealth Services, which employs trainedcommunity health workers in conjunctionwith qualified medical practitioners;

■ creating a mobile extension unit withinthe Health Department to motivate andeducate both ordinary citizens as well aslocal government functionaries in pri-mary and preventive health care prac-tices; and

■ extending district government support tohealth care initiatives taken up by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) andthe private sector.


Human Resource Development and Economic Uplift

Several other CCS initiatives will synergis-tically impact the health sector. T h e s einclude:■ improving governance, ■ upgrading roads and bridges, ■ alleviating poverty,■ encouraging social organisation, ■ focusing on gender concerns, and ■ increasing agricultural productivity.

5.3Gender Mainstreaming

Until recently, development planning hasfocused on households rather than individ-uals. The underlying assumption has beenthat all members of a family share similarneeds, perform the same functions andenjoy equal access to opportunities andresources. In reality, however, significantdisparities exist within a householdbetween its male and female members,with the latter in a disadvantaged position.Moreover, men and women perform differ-ent functions in various spheres of activity.

Most government research and extensionprogrammes target men in the hope thatknowledge will trickle down to the women of

their households. Besides being ineff e c t i v e ,this indirect approach is also inequitable.Knowledge is power and transferring itselectively through men is likely to furtherincrease their dominance over women.

Development projects also assume thatincome earned by male members of thehousehold will automatically be spent onthe needs of all members of the family.This seldom happens. Rather, men consider it their prerogative to spend theirearnings as they wish, generally favouringsocial activities and luxury expenses. T h epriorities of women within the household,and basic needs such as education andchild nutrition, are often considered s e c o n d a r y. The major gender concern indevelopment is to provide men and womenwith equal access to nutrition, health andeducation, and to create earning opportu-nities for women in socially acceptableoccupations.

StrategyThe CCS gender strategy will focus on thefollowing initiatives:■ persuading line departments, Citizen

Community Boards and community-



A government school

5

based organisations to work towardslevelling the field for development;

■ providing men and women with equalaccess to nutrition, health care and education;

■ enhancing women’s skills in incomegenerating activities by establishingtraining programmes; and

■ providing incentives and creatingemployment opportunities for women.

5.4Cultural Heritage

Chitral’s architectural and archaeologicalheritage has suffered from the neglect ofpublic-sector agencies as well as localcommunities. Preserving ancient architec-ture and protecting sites of archaeologicalimportance is a capital-intensive undertak-ing which neither the government nor ordi-nary citizens have been able to fund.Market forces, meanwhile, have compelledtraditional artisans to abandon handicraftmanufacture, which brings in only limitedearnings, and switch to more lucrativeforms of income generation. In the case oftraditional foods and beverages, commer-cial outlets aim to increase profits by serv-

ing popular rather than traditional cuisine.Similarly, young people are losing interestin traditional local games and sports. As aresult, the cultural heritage of Chitral is indanger of being lost forever.

StrategyThe strategy to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Chitral calls for the district government to focus on the following areas:■ liaising with national agencies to

promote Chitral’s traditional arts andcrafts in order to establish a market forthese products and provide incentives tocraftsmen and women;

■ facilitating the efforts of local NGOs topromote traditional arts, crafts andsports; and

■ seeking assistance from the provincialand federal governments to prepareprojects for the preservation of architec-ture and archaeological remains.

5.5Enterprise

Chitral is a semi-arid region with a smallarea of land under cultivation and some



Chitrali rugs at display

24,000 males between the ages of 15 and64 facing unemployment. The people arepoor, with average per capita income abouthalf that of Pakistan as a whole.Tr a d i t i o n a l l y, local communities have managed to subsist on agricultural activi-ties involving cereal production and livestock rearing. This precarious balancehas been grossly disturbed in recent yearsby an increasing population and rising aspirations. What is needed today is todiversify the economy by accelerating theinstallation of hydel plants and promotinglocal resource-based microenterprise initiatives in sectors such as horticulture,husbandry and tourism.

Chitral’s enterprise sector covers both farmand non-farm activities. On-farm enterpris-es include retail and wholesale activities inhorticultural and livestock products. Off-farm enterprises include retail and whole-sale businesses, hotels and restaurants,bread making ovens, fruit dehydration, shuweaving, embroidery and carpentry. Theseenterprises operate for the most part in asuboptimal business and infrastructureenvironment.

Significant recent initiatives that will serveto boost microenterprise in the areainclude the construction of theChitral–Booni road, the withdrawal of theban on exports of farm products and theestablishment of the Aga Khan RuralSupport Programme’s EnterpriseDevelopment Division. However, a numberof major obstacles continue to hamper thedevelopment of enterprise in Chitral.These include:

■ small, scattered farm and non-farm production;

■ inadequate physical and institutionalinfrastructure;

■ insufficient social development;■ inaccessibility to modern inputs and

technology;■ inadequate training facilities;■ high transportation costs;■ inefficient backward and forward

linkages with markets;■ isolated economy;■ historical and geographical isolation,

making local entrepreneurs reluctant torisk marketing their products outsideChitral; and

■ food insecurity in winter, impeding thetransition from cereal production to horti-culture, and requiring restrictions on theexport of agricultural products.

A number of these issues are already thefocus of government and NGO initiatives,and more areas will receive attention oncethe CCS is implemented.

StrategyThe strategy for enterprise developmentwill involve:■ making sustainable use of the region’s

comparative advantages;■ providing intensive training in production

techniques, marketing and entrepreneurials k i l l s ;

■ supplying guidance and inputs, such astechnical expertise, packaging materialsand storage facilities;

■ providing marketing support; and ■ ensuring that enterprise development

interventions are made on a scale thatwill enable a breakthrough in this largelystatic sector.



Making value added woolen products

5

5.6Poverty Reduction

Along with a sense of powerlessness,poverty generates apathy among the peo-ple, leaving individuals fatalistic about theirown lives and indifferent to environmentalconcerns. It goes without saying that poverty also hinders access to nutrition,education, health care, potable water andother basic human needs. Poverty inChitral is the result of a number of factorsspecific to the area, including the shortageof irrigated cultivable land, difficulties ofexternal and internal communications, thescarcity of institutions offering high qualityeducation and marketable skills training,and undeveloped potential in sectors suchas tourism and mining.

D i fficulties of access make Chitral lessattractive to private-sector investment, particularly in enterprise, cottage industryand small-scale trade development. As aresult, employment opportunities are limited. A small percentage of the population is employed in the formal sector,while the majority of the workforce seeksseasonal employment either within the

district itself or in other parts of the country.C h i t r a l ’s remote location and isolation alsorestrict access to information about employment opportunities abroad.

The Khushhal Pakistan Programme, for-merly known as the Integrated Urban andRural Development Programme for PovertyAlleviation, offers a ray of hope for localcommunities. Some progress is expectedto be made in the area of poverty allevia-tion, since the programme aims to developinfrastructure facilities which should in turncreate employment.

StrategyThe strategy for poverty alleviation willrequire the district government to focus onthe following:■ ensuring that funds from the Khushhal

Pakistan Programme are spent judiciously, and monitoring the impact ofthe programme on poverty as well asthe environment;

■ reviewing allocations to various sectorsin the light of past experience in order tomaximise the impact on poverty alleviation;

■ working closely with the federal government to provide up-to-date information about overseas employmentopportunities; and

■ facilitating private sector investment inmining, tourism, enterprise developmentand cottage industry.

5.7Tourism

The aim of promoting tourism in Chitral is toincrease the income of local communitiesand provide funds for environmental rehabilitation. Developing the area’s considerable potential as a destination fortourism will also provide incentives to thelocal government to undertake initiatives inother sectors, such as reducing air pollution, providing sewage and solid wastedisposal facilities, improving communica-tions, conserving biodiversity and diversify-ing agriculture.

The current law and order situation in thecountry has not only brought international



A local blacksmith in Chitral bazaar

tourism to a grinding halt but also discour-aged domestic travel. A quantum improve-ment in security must occur to encouragetourism in Pakistan in general and Chitral inp a r t i c u l a r. Besides security concerns, diff i-culties of external and internal access serveas serious deterrents to the expansion of thes e c t o r. Construction of the proposed Lowaritunnel, increasing the frequency of air serv-ices, and improving and extending the inter-nal roads network will encourage tourism.

To protect the cultural heritage and envi-ronment of Chitral, it is essential that theexpansion of tourism be guided by ecolog-ical and environmental concerns, and thatthe process be carefully monitored. Theundesirable impact of uncontrolled tourismis evident in the Kalash valleys. Tourism inChitral must be culturally sensitive as wellas ecologically sustainable. Individual com-munities must be allowed to decide whichtype of tourist activities they wish toencourage—if at all—and in which areas.

Tourism should be organised in a mannerthat ensures its primary beneficiaries arethe local people. Towards this end, it isessential to train tourist guides for trekking,mountaineering and wildlife observation.Other necessary measures include devel-oping and maintaining fully equipped camp-sites; providing potable water and sanitationfacilities; and ensuring that visitors haveaccess to hygienically prepared food. Te h s i lMunicipal Administrations in the new localgovernment have a major role to play in thisregard, since it is their responsibility toensure a clean environment, arrange for thedisposal of sewage and solid waste, anddevise ways to reduce air pollution.

Implementation of other sector strategieswill have a synergistic impact on the promotion of tourism. Improvements incommunications, education, health, sanitation, potable water supply, electricityand agriculture will complement each otherto create an environment conducive totourist activity. Measures to preserve thearea’s cultural heritage will also serve toattract visitors. In addition, trophy huntingcan be encouraged, as long as measuresare taken to protect biodiversity.

StrategyPlanning for tourism development envisages the following:■ mapping and documenting cultural

resources, strengthening the resourcewhere necessary, and marketing theresource to ensure that local communities are the prime beneficiaries;

■ providing control mechanisms to protectboth cultural heritage and the environment;

■ developing infrastructure facilities,including an all-weather road to Chitralacross the Lowari Pass;

■ constructing metalled roads to sites ofcultural interest, side valleys and picnicspots;

■ opening up areas hitherto closed totourists, such as Baroghil, Begusht,Madaklasht and Urtsun;

■ imposing an environmental levy ontourists to generate resources for conservation;

■ motivating local communities to developsustainable tourism in areas of culturalor ecological interest;

■ initiating a training programme for touristguides;

■ developing a code of conduct fortourists; and

■ evolving financial procedures for sharingthe income from tourism among individuals and local communities.

5.8Mineral Resources

If properly exploited, Chitral’s mineraldeposits could open up an additional sector of economic activity in the area.H o w e v e r, development in this sector is atpresent constrained by a number of factors. The most important of these is the



5Tourism in Chitral must be culturally sensitive as well as ecologically sustainable. Individualcommunities must be allowed todecide which type of tourist activities they wish to encourage—if at all—and in which areas.

lack of a properly developed infrastructure.Existing shingle roads leading to mineraldeposit sites are only navigable by jeep,making access inconvenient. Chitral’s distance from the urban centres of thecountry raises transportation costs, withthe result that the area’s minerals becomeuncompetitive in the market. With the limited availability of electricity, meanwhile,no value adding process can be carriedout on site, requiring raw minerals to betransported to other parts of the provincefor processing.

Mining projects involve considerable riskand long gestation periods, and explorationrequires substantial investment outlays.The absence of incentives for private-sector investment and the limited capacityof public-sector organisations responsiblefor minerals and mines further restrict thedevelopment of mining in Chitral. In addition, financial institutions do not offersector-specific loans for private investmentin the mining sector.

StrategyTo bring mining activities into the main-stream of Chitral’s economy, the district

government will be required to take the following measures:■ approaching the provincial government

to conduct geophysical surveys, geo-chemical investigations and large-scalemapping of reported and unreportedmineral deposits;

■ prioritising the supply of electricity, andimproving roads and tracks leading tomine sites;

■ seeking the support of lending institu-tions and donor agencies to providefinancial incentives for private-sectorinvestment;

■ taking measures to ensure that theenvironment is protected in areaswhere mining and mineral developmentactivities are carried out; such measures will include the use of safeexplosives and the safe disposal ofwaste and eff l u e n t ;

■ encouraging and facilitating private-sector investment in mining and mineraldevelopment; and

■ providing support for the development ofa partnership mechanism between private-sector investors and local communities to avoid conflicts involvingrights and royalties.



Polo at Shandur


C h a p t e rDevelopment of Municipal

Services and Infrastructure

The efficient delivery of municipal services is an important indicator of socialdevelopment and plays a crucial role in safeguarding public health. In Chitral,

the municipal service delivery system functions far below desirable levels.

6

6.1Potable Water

Since more than 80% of diseases afflictingthe local population are water-borne, thestate of public health depends on the supply of clean water. Expansion of supplyalone is not sufficient; the water must alsobe fit for human consumption.

C h i t r a l ’s traditional system of securing drink-ing water for use in the winter involved storing summer run-off in household or community wells. For this purpose, seasonal watercourses in the vicinity ofhabitations were kept clear and their flowwas diverted to wells during the rainy season. With the introduction of piped water,local communities have neglected to keepnatural watercourses free of dirt and debris.As a result, they are no longer able to utilisewell water when pipes burst in the winter.

Although considerable work has been car-ried out over the past two decades, mainly by the former Public HealthEngineering Department, to expand waters u p p l y, access to clean drinking waterremains one of the most urgent needs of

the people. At all tehsil and village consulta-tions held during the preparation of thiss t r a t e g y, the topic of water invariably cameup for discussion. Judging by the partici-p a n t s ’ views, current data on supply arebased on the assessment of the concernedgovernment departments and are at oddswith the reality on the ground. Participantsalso identified the shortcomings of watersupply schemes implemented so far.

Anumber of technical problems need to beaddressed in order to improve the e ffectiveness of the system. These includethe bursting of water pipes in winter andthe inadequacy of the water sourcesselected, particularly in years of subnormalprecipitation. The problem of water sourceselection can be remedied by employinghydrogeologists as well as by drawing onlocal knowledge. To arrive at cost-eff e c t i v esolutions to the problem of burstingpipelines, methods used in other countrieswith a similar climate and terrain will needto be studied.

Logistical difficulties are the principal causeof another problem identified by local communities: the tendency of contractors


Development of Municipal Services and Infrastructure

Eroded land – a disturbingly common feature

to abandon water supply schemes beforecompletion. One solution would be toentrust the task to organised rural commu-nities, with technical support provided bythe Water Supply and Sanitation Unit of theWorks and Services Department.

Besides technical difficulties, the system ofadministration also needs to be examined.With a widely scattered population residingin so rugged a terrain that barely 30% ofhabitations are linked even by unmetalledroads, the centralised system of monitoringwater supply has proved to be ineffective.Infrequent inspections, difficulties in report-ing faults and delays in taking remedialaction render the system far from efficient.Centralised control is likely to hinder anylarge-scale effort to expand water supply inthe area.

Two important lessons have been learnedfrom water supply schemes completed inthe past. First, the participation of localcommunities in planning and implementa-tion must be ensured. Second, the opera-tion of completed projects should be handed over to them for operation andmaintenance under the technical guidanceof the Water Supply and Sanitation Wing ofthe district Works and Services Department.

StrategyThe strategy to expand the supply ofpotable water will involve:■ securing the participation of organised

communities in the planning, implemen-tation, monitoring and operation of watersupply schemes;

■ seeking technical guidance from theWater Supply and Sanitation Wing of thedistrict Works and Services Department;

■ motivating area residents to maintain andimprove the traditional system of collect-ing water for use in the winter, making thissystem both reliable and hygienic; trainingvillage activists to serve as facilitators;

■ requiring the Works and ServicesDepartment to take stock of technicaldifficulties and evolve solutions; and

■ ensuring that the water supplied is safefor human consumption by preventingcontamination at source as well as during transit.

6.2Sewage and Solid WasteDisposalImproving sanitation is one of the moste ffective ways to safeguard public health. A tpresent, nowhere in Chitral have adequatearrangements been made to dispose ofsewage and solid waste. Consequently,night soil and animal excreta pollute foodand drinking water, creating ideal conditionsfor the proliferation of disease vectors.

Critical problems in the sanitation sectorinclude congested construction and therocky ground on which most habitations arebuilt, coupled with a lack of awarenessabout proper hygiene among local commu-nities. In the villages, most residents defe-cate in the fields or a corner of the home,from where the excrement is removed anddumped in the open. Drying in the sun isthought to be sufficient to render this wasteharmless. Although the urban population isincreasingly becoming aware of the impor-tance of sanitation, current efforts are confined to the construction of latrines fromwhere sewage is allowed to collect in openspaces. Part of this waste is then removedand burned in the open. Clearly, thismethod of waste disposal cannot by anymeans be considered sanitary.

Under the devolved local government system, the newly-established Te h s i lMunicipal Administrations (TMAs) are nowresponsible for the disposal of solid, liquid,industrial and hospital waste.

StrategyThe strategy to improve the disposal ofsewage and solid waste will involve:



6

Nowhere in Chitral have adequate

arrangements been made to

dispose of sewage and solid waste.

C o n s e q u e n t l y, night soil and animal

excreta pollute food and drinking

w a t e r, creating ideal conditions for

the proliferation of disease vectors.

■ sensitising local communities to theimportance of proper sanitation;

■ seeking cost-effective alternative meth-ods of waste disposal that are appropri-ate to the specific circumstances ofChitral; and

■ generating resources to execute newwaste disposal schemes with the help ofthe local government, CitizenCommunity Boards and community-based organisations.

6.3Roads and Bridges

Year-round access within the district, aswell between Chitral and the rest of thec o u n t r y, is essential if employment, tradeand tourism are to be promoted. Attempts tointroduce high-value fruit and off - s e a s o nvegetable cultivation, and to promote localhandicrafts, will only yield satisfactory dividends if goods can be transported tomarkets with ease. It is not just in economicterms, however, that properly maintainedroads and bridges are crucial. By providingaccess to information and outside expertise, they are also essential for theoptimal functioning of other sectors, such aseducation, health and family planning.

Reliable, year-round access to the rest of thecountry is high on the list of priorities of theintelligentsia and business community, aswell as those who seek employment outsideChitral. The problem of access is exacerbat-ed at the moment because the road toArandu via Mohmand Agency and the Kunarprovince of Afghanistan, the only route thatremains passable during the winter, is closedowing to the current geopolitical situation.

The matter engages the attention of thegovernment about once every decade,when the question of excavating a tunnelbelow the Lowari Pass comes up for discussion and is invariably droppedbecause of the high costs involved.Frustrated by the repeated abandonment ofthe Lowari tunnel proposal, in 1998 localcommunities themselves began building anall-weather road from Damel to Panakot(Dir) over Zakhani Kandao. Eventually, theywere forced to abandon constructionbecause the highest stretch turned out to beat an elevation of 4,260 m compared to3,200 m for the Lowari Pass.

For its part, the government has studiedseveral other options, including clearingsnow from the Lowari Pass, constructing



Unplanned growth, Chitral Town

snow galleries at various stretches to protectroads from snow slides, exploring alternativeroutes less susceptible to snow build-up andacquiring aircraft to overfly the Lowari Passin the winter. However, the Lowari tunnelhas now been identified as the best solutionto Chitral’s land access problems and theNational Highway Authority is examining theproposal. Another means of access to theoutside world which merits consideration isa road to Tajikistan.

The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme(AKRSP) and Chitral Area DevelopmentProject (CADP), as well as the former DistrictCouncil, have done commendable work toexpand the network of roads and bridges inthe area. It is essential to evaluate thesee fforts in order to draw lessons for the future.

The steep mountain terrain of Chitral posesan environmental hazard, with torrentialfloods in the summer and avalanches in thew i n t e r, which must be countered in thedesign, implementation and monitoring ofprojects. Requirements for the proper main-tenance of roads must be strictly enforcedand it must be ensured that all new projectsmeet modern environmental standards.

Funds to improve internal communicationswill always fall short of actual needs. Thechallenge for the local government is tostreamline governance in order to utiliseavailable resources eff e c t i v e l y. All newcommunications projects must be sustain-able, and local communities must be invited to participate in planning, construc-tion and maintenance.

StrategyThe strategy to improve physical communi-cations between Chitral and the rest of thecountry involves:■ pursuing the Lowari tunnel proposal with

the federal government (the newly elected Zilla Nazim has already taken up the issue);

■ preparing a proposal for the constructionof a road to Tajikistan;

■ developing a network of environmentallysustainable roads with availableresources;

■ preparing convincing projects and

advocating them forcefully through politi-cal and administrative channels, in orderto acquire additional funding from theprovincial and federal governments; and

■ seeking the active participation and eco-nomic contribution of local communities.

6.4Physical Planning andHousing

The scarcity of flat land in this mountainousregion has forced settlements to developh a p h a z a r d l y. Unregulated land develop-ment in Chitral, Booni and Drosh, as wellas rural areas of the district, has created anarrow winding circulation pattern and dis-persed housing. Unplanned constructionhas also led to incompatible land uses andunhygienic living conditions.

Uncontrolled land development in the townsis partly a result of the apathy of public-sec-tor organisations and local municipal bodieswhich have failed to prepare a land use mas-ter plan. To make matters worse, many gov-ernment departments and organisationshave themselves occupied pockets of flatland for their offices, facilities and employeehousing. Developed in a horizontal pattern,such construction has further limited theavailability of flat land for the local population.Building has also been carried out withoutrecourse to technical expertise, such as townand urban planning services. As a result,area residents are forced to build whereverland is available, using whatever materialsthey are able to afford. The situation in thetowns is further aggravated by private-sectorinvestment in commercial buildings.

To d a y, whatever unoccupied flat landremains in Chitral town, Booni and Drosh isunder immense pressure for developmentfrom both the public and private sector.Land development needs to be regulatedand all future construction must be broughtunder a planning framework.

StrategyIn order to rationalise land use, the following steps will be necessary:■ ensuring that all new construction in the

district follows a strict scrutiny and



6

approval process with the involvementof the TMAs;

■ developing available wasteland to buildhousing colonies in fast-growing townssuch as Chitral, Booni and Drosh;

■ seeking provincial government assistance to prepare land use andbuilding regulations for Chitral, and zoning plans for Chitral, Booni and Drosh;

■ implementing a capacity developmentplan to train TMA staff in the formulationand design of a physical planning framework; and

■ enlisting the assistance of the provincialEnvironment Protection Agency to initiate a campaign forcing owners ofcommercial entities to adopt proper envi-ronmental and waste disposal practices.

6.5Electricity

Chitral’s potential for hydroelectric powergeneration has never been properlyexploited. As a result, electricity is availableonly to a section of the population, mainly

for domestic use. In areas like Chitral,Booni, Drosh and Lotkuh, electricity is supplied to small industries, such as sawmills, marble factories, weaving looms andautomobile engineering works.

At present, 15,726 kVA of electricity is avail-able for Chitral, meeting the needs of 67% ofthe district’s population. Some 27% of thissupply comes from microhydels facilitated bythe A K R S P and CADP, 23% from the Wa t e rand Power Development Authority (WA P D A )and 17% from the Sarhad HydelDevelopment Organization (SHYDO), whilework is in progress on the Reshun and Shishihydel schemes. In addition, SHYDO hasidentified 22 feasible sites in Chitral for thegeneration of 184,000 KW of electricity, andit is essential to vigorously pursue this option.

Local communities are keenly aware ofthe benefits of increasing electricity supplyto the area. Particularly at tehsil meetings,participants were of the view that increas-ing supply would promoting microenter-prise and allow more land to be broughtunder irrigation. It is also recognised thataccess to electricity will help conserve forest resources, once villagers are notforced to depend as heavily on firewoodas they do at the moment. Meanwhile, anincidental but key benefit of introducingmicrohydel power plants has been thatirrigation channels, which are also used togenerate electricity, are being diligentlymaintained.

Even though power from WA P D A’s nationalgrid will eventually be supplied to all partsof Chitral where distribution is cost-effec-tive, this will still leave large segments ofthe population without electricity. Suchcommunities will need to set up microhy-dels with assistance from the AKRSP andother support organisations.

Despite their many benefits, microhydelplants have several serious shortcomings:initial set-up costs are high, requiring sub-sidies; they break down frequently andcomponents must be taken to Peshawar forrepair, while the plant remains at a stand-still; and trained technicians capable ofoperation and maintenance are in short



A typical Kalash house

s u p p l y. These drawbacks need to beaddressed before microhydels can be considered a viable option to provide electricity to outlying settlements.

StrategyThe strategy for the sustainable supply ofelectricity will include:■ completing the Reshun and Shishi

schemes and distribution systems;

■ providing assistance to rural communi-ties through the AKRSP and otherorganisations to establish and operatemicrohydels;

■ training microhydel plant operators andestablishing a repair workshop in Chitral;and

■ advocating to the federal governmentthe need to harness the district’s fullhydroelectricity generating potential.



A potential resource for generating electricity

6


C h a p t e rNatural Resource

M a n a g e m e n t

Besides its obvious value in terms of food production, agricultural activityalso creates employment and provides households with disposable income.

7

7 . 1A g r i c u l t u r e

Recent initiatives to vitalise the agriculturalsector include projects to improve shu mak-ing, introduce more efficient apricot dehy-dration, increase production of fruits andoff-season vegetables, and promote mar-keting. The government’s agricultureresearch and extension unit, in conjunctionwith the Aga Khan Rural SupportProgramme (AKRSP), is attempting toincrease the productivity of agriculturalcrops grown in the region. It is also workingto reduce disease-induced mortality in livestock and poultry.

At tehsil and village consultations held during the preparation of this strategy, participants assigned the highest priority toextending the area under irrigation. Thiswas followed closely by the need to protectagricultural land from flood and river erosion, and to improve land levelling.Issues such as agricultural inputs, market-ing facilities and veterinary care for livestock were mentioned occasionally,while women in particular appreciated thetraining provided by the AKRSP in poultry

vaccination, apricot drying, and fruit andvegetable preservation.

Given the scarcity of high quality agriculturalland and the exorbitant cost of extending irrigation to new areas, it is of crucial impor-tance to conserve land already under cultivation and maintain existing irrigationchannels. Yet such measures have beenneglected by the concerned governmentdepartments. Agricultural land is often pre-empted for other uses, such as constructionand even graveyards, while farmers have noaccess to technical assistance for soil con-servation. The renovation of water channelsand precision land levelling initiatives carriedout by the provincial government with Wo r l dBank funding from 1992–93 to 1996–97under the On-Farm Water ManagementProgramme have since been abandoned.

Considering the many difficulties that farm-ers face, the quality of Chitral’s agriculturalproduce is surprisingly good. Where irriga-tion is possible, Chitral’s semi-arid climateis ideal for growing fruits and off-seasonvegetables. Cereal yields are on the wholes a t i s f a c t o r y, except for wheat.Considerable improvements in wheat,


Natural Resource Management

Cropland in Chitral

vegetable and fodder yields will becomepossible with the cultivation of suitableseed varieties, the application of balancednutrients and improved management.

In the mean time, income from existing irri-gated land can be optimised by transform-ing input supply, research and extension.The focus of current agronomic research inChitral revolves around improved crop vari-eties and the use of fertilisers. Compared toindigenous varieties, the so-calledimproved varieties of wheat currently avail-able in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) are more susceptible to disease. A tthe same time, they yield less fodder andare less palatable to local livestock—impor-tant drawbacks in the context of Chitral’smixed farming/livestock subsistence e c o n o m y, where animal fodder crops are asimportant as grain for human consumption.Although farmers place a high value on f e r t i l i s e r, it is expensive and not easily avail-able. Agronomists also tend to favour thedemonstration plot type of research, wherethe concern is generally to show a statisti-cally significant increase in yields. What isperhaps more relevant to the farmer, h o w e v e r, is the value of the additional yield,both in monetary terms as well as in termsof the effort involved and risks entailed.

In addition to increasing farm householdincome, improving horticulture and expand-ing marketing will generate considerableemployment in the sales and transportationsectors. Several initiatives have alreadybeen undertaken in this regard by theAKRSP, Chitral Area Development Project(CADP) and Project for HorticulturalPromotion (PHP). These include wideningand blacktopping the Chitral–Booni road,advocating the withdrawal of the ban onfruit and vegetable exports, and establish-ing North-South Seeds to promote potatoand vegetable seed production. An all-weather road link to the rest of the countryis now needed to help increase the profitability of Chitral’s horticulture sector.

In the livestock sector, scarcity of livestockfeed is the single most important constraintto expansion. Fodder shortages not only limitthe productivity of existing stock, but also

prevent upgrading to higher-yielding butmore nutritionally demanding genotypes.Livestock extension and research mustaddress this problem, and find cost-eff e c t i v eways to improve livestock and poultry hous-ing. In terms of veterinary care, disease pre-vention programmes sponsored by govern-ment agencies, donors, the A K R S P and theC A D P, have been well-received by localcommunities. A daunting challenge in thisregard is to prevent disease transmissionfrom Afghan-owned livestock. With the ongo-ing repatriation of Afghan refugees and theintroduction of a quarantine system for live-stock entering the area from adjacent coun-tries, the incidence of disease can bereduced considerably.

S t r a t e g yThe sustainable development of the agricul-ture sector will require that a number ofmeasures are taken:■ extending the area under irrigation;■ designing a comprehensive, cost-eff e c t i v e

and responsive agricultural system forChitral, incorporating soil conservationtechniques, improved irrigation, and adaptive research and extension;

■ providing agricultural inputs, credit facilities and marketing support; the system will operate through organisedlocal communities with guidance fromexperts and the support of local councils;

■ ensuring sustainability by framing andenforcing laws for land use planning andz o n i n g ;

■ encouraging the use of soil conservationtechniques to prevent the loss of agricul-tural land through soil erosion;

■ curtailing the diversion of prime agricultural land to non-agricultural usesby enforcing existing legislation andframing new laws where necessary;



7It is of crucial importance to

conserve land already under

cultivation and maintain existing

irrigation channels. Yet such

measures have been neglected by the

concerned government departments.

■ advocating the extension for another fiveyears of the work undertaken by the PHP,to be taken up by the A K R S P and othero r g a n i s a t i o n s ;

■ balancing food security concerns with theneed to increase agricultural income bypromoting cereal and fodder productionas well as fruit and vegetable cultivation;

■ strengthening quarantine measures tocontrol the influx of livestock diseasesfrom neighbouring countries; and

■ stepping up the pace of livestock diseaseprevention programmes.

7 . 2Irrigation and Flood Control

Agriculture is currently the single most impor-tant economic activity in Chitral. As the sector expands, it is likely to become a majorsource of cash income for a significant per-centage of the population. Since farming inChitral is not viable without irrigation, theoverwhelming desire of local communities toincrease the area under irrigation is under-standable. Although considerable attentionhas been given to the subject, an optimumand sustainable system of irrigation has yetto be developed.

Chitral’s traditional system of irrigation isgravity based. Before engineers came onthe scene, water channels were aligned bytrial and error. Today, levelling instrumentsare widely used for this purpose, anddrilling and blasting have considerablyfacilitated the work.

H i s t o r i c a l l y, local communities built thou-sands of water channels along steep unsta-ble hill slopes and maintained them collec-t i v e l y. More recently, the A K R S P and CADPhave relied on voluntary social organisationto extend and maintain irrigation works. Inmany such cases, irrigation projects areidentified by the communities themselves.The A K R S P provides grants to cover materi-al costs and a portion of labour costs, whilemaintenance is the responsibility of the communities. In the future, too, communityorganisation will be the cornerstone of sustainable irrigation initiatives. This endeav-our will benefit considerably from the bottom-up planning envisaged under the NWFPLocal Government Ordinance 2001.

At present, local communities manage irrigation over some 19,000 ha. Since 1973,the provincial Irrigation Department has



An under construction irrigation channel

completed 13 irrigation schemes covering1,916 ha. It is currently working on two moreschemes which are expected to irrigate anadditional 1,498 ha. This work has beenexecuted through contractors and, uponcompletion, the schemes are maintained bythe Zilla Council/TMAs at an annual cost ofRs 25 million.

At tehsil and village consultations held duringthe preparation of this strategy, the need toexpand and improve irrigation came up fordiscussion most frequently. Participants wereunanimous in their view that, in addition toincreasing food supply and income, extend-ing irrigation would also allow them to growmore forest trees and fodder. In the village ofHarchin (Mastuj), Mir Niat summed up thegeneral consensus on irrigation eloquently: “Idon’t know how to make a speech. We wanta canal from Sorlaspur to Bedi Dok, and noth-ing short of this from the A K R S P, CADP a n dIUCN. If you rain gold coins on our housesinstead, we will not accept them. This canal isthe total solution to all our problems.”S i m i l a r l y, Muhammad Zia Shah of Broz saidat the Mori Lasht Tehsil meeting: “Arrangesiphon irrigation for Broz and Ghoch, andeven the insects of the area will bless you.”

This acute awareness of the need toincrease the area under irrigation is accom-panied by a widely held perception thatlarge tracts of barren land exist which, onceirrigated, are capable of sustaining cultiva-tion. At almost all meetings, participants list-ed the names of such l a s h t s and the watersources that could be tapped to irrigatethem. International agencies have alsofound that a significant amount of land inthe area is fit for irrigation. The 1984International Fund for A g r i c u l t u r a lDevelopment mission to Chitral compiled alist of cultivable wasteland totalling at least30,000 ha, while Kreditanstalt fürWiederaufbau lists 26,000 ha which may bedeveloped for agriculture.

Bringing new land under irrigation in Chitralis time consuming and exorbitantly expen-sive. Irrigation projects cost millions ofrupees and take years to complete, duringwhich time costs escalate while communityinterest begins to wane. Unstable geologicalformations and the rugged terrain also entailhigh running costs. The per-hectare opera-tion and maintenance cost of the system setup by the provincial government’s IrrigationDepartment varies from Rs 570 (Green



A pasture in upper Chitral

7

Lasht Scheme) to Rs 5,357 (BatrikScheme)—much higher than in other moun-tainous areas of the NWFP.

Expanding the irrigation network is made allthe more difficult by the fact that no land settlement has been carried out in theChitral area, rendering current data on irrigated land unreliable. The absence ofclear titles to land causes difficulties in theassessment of revenue as well as theimplementation of technically feasible projects. To create an optimum and sustain-able irrigation system, land settlement istherefore a prerequisite. No new irrigationscheme should be executed until titles toland proposed for irrigation, water sourcesand land traversed by water channels, havebeen clearly established and all potential forfuture disputes eliminated.

Given the high cost of bringing new landunder irrigation, it is necessary to find moree fficient systems of water conveyance. T h emost important technological innovation inthis regard has been siphon irrigation, introduced by the A K R S P in Parwak in themid-1980s. The system, allowing water to becarried from river beds to considerably higher elevations, has been successfullyreplicated by the CADP in Barghuzi, Koghuziand Mori. Increasing the availability of hydro-electricity will facilitate the task of pumpingwater to cultivable land situated at higher elevations than water sources.

Another alternative worth exploring is waterharvesting, particularly to raise forests andpastures. Employing this technique, which

uses simple structures to divert water fromchannels on to hill slopes, will increase theavailability of firewood and fodder, improvewatershed protection and conserve biodiversity in planted areas.

In determining the course of future expan-sion in the sector, it is imperative to evaluatethe work done so far. In particular, it is impor-tant to determine how much of the currentirrigated area is under grain cultivation andhorticultural crops, and what percentagesupports forest trees and pasture. The vulnerability of newly-irrigated areas andwater channels to flood damage will alsoneed to be evaluated. At the same time, soilsurveys must be carried out to establishareas fit for grain, horticultural crops, forestsand pasture, and to assess the technicalfeasibility of bringing them under irrigation.

In the mean time, it is far more cost-effec-tive to protect existing agricultural land frombeing lost to construction and erosion, thanit is to bring under irrigation new land withpoor potential for crop production. In thisconnection, soil conservation and floodprotection are essential, along with strictlyenforced legislation to prevent prime agri-cultural land from being diverted to otheruses. It is also of critical importance toimprove management, introducing adecentralised, participatory system involving all stakeholders in the planning,implementation and maintenance of irriga-tion schemes.

S t r a t e g yThe sustainable development of irrigation inChitral will require the following initiatives:■ improving management of the system to

include stakeholders;■ ensuring the conservation and productive

agricultural use of irrigated land;■ carrying out land settlement;■ conducting detailed surveys of areas

being considered for irrigation to ensurethat they are suitable for agriculture, thatno land ownership disputes exist and thatc o s t - e ffective and sustainable technologyis employed; and

■ encouraging the use of water harvestingto grow forests and pasture as a means toincrease the supply of firewood and



Expanding the irrigation network ismade all the more difficult by the fact

that no land settlement has been carried out in the Chitral area,

rendering current data on irrigatedland unreliable. The absence of cleartitles to land causes difficulties in the

assessment of revenue as well as the implementation of technically

feasible projects.

f o d d e r, protect watersheds and conservethe biodiversity of the area.

7 . 3Forestry

Besides serving as a source of timber andfirewood to meet local subsistence needs,C h i t r a l ’s forests carry the potential to fulfilimportant economic and ecological functions.Sanitary commercial felling, for instance, cangenerate resources to prime development,while the area’s rich variety of flora and faunacan provide a basis for ecotourism.

Particularly for the more remote habitationsof Chitral, oak woodlands serve an extreme-ly important function as a source of fuel andfodder reserves. Under heavy pressure fromgrazing, winter fodder requirements and theneed for firewood, oak woodlands and scat-tered wooded growth are on the verge ofextinction. Meanwhile, the protection, man-agement and use of coniferous forests,which is the responsibility of the ForestDepartment, needs urgent improvement.

At meetings held with women’s organisa-tions in Booni, Bumburet, Drosh, Mastuj,

Mogh and Thengshen (Chitral Te h s i l ) ,forestry issues were raised on two occasions. The women of Booni complained of flood damage caused byexcessive run-off from mountains, whichthey correctly attributed to denudation.They also complained of the high price offirewood which was selling for Rs 100 permaund (40 kg). The women of Drosh,meanwhile, asked why technical assistanceand resources had not been provided forthe wide-scale application of biogas technology in Chitral.

Forestry was the most frequently discussedtopic at the Lotkuh tehsil consultation, second in the Chitral and Mastuj meetings,third in Drosh and Mulkhow, and fourth inTo r k h o w. In the Kalash valley, forestryovershadowed all other concerns. Althoughthe topic was discussed in two thirds of all village consultations, participants awardedhigher priority to other concerns such asirrigation, potable water, electricity, floodprotection, roads, health, education, sanita-tion, female embroidery centres, veterinaryhospitals, children’s playgrounds, telephones, agricultural markets and pur-chase points for inputs.



A forest nursery

7

Whenever the issue came up for discus-sion, participants pointed out the need formore forest trees to increase the supply offirewood and fodder, and to serve as ameans of flood protection. In areas withabundant forest cover, the emphasis wason improved protection, although partici-pants agreed that protection from fellingand grazing would depend on the availabil-ity of alternative sources of fuel and fodder.Several speakers also emphasised the futil-ity of trying to grow forest trees without theaid of irrigation.

Regeneration is an essential prerequisitefor sustainable forestry. Harvested treesmust be replaced by new growth.Restricting the removal of trees alone willnot serve to perpetuate forests. In fact, theentire annual growth of a forest can safelybe removed in the form of defective, dis-eased, mature and overmature trees, pro-vided regeneration is ensured. Far frombeing depleted, the forest would improve inquality and value with each cut.

Although a ban on commercial timber har-vesting in Chitral has been in place since1992, trees continue to be removed illegally

in order to meet local needs for timber andfirewood. At the same time, forests are notregenerating under heavy pressure fromuncontrolled grazing. As a result, forest covercontinues to decline despite the ban on com-mercial timber harvesting.

Local communities do not gain from theexploitation of Chitral’s forest resources.Forest contractors, most of whom do notbelong to the area, have purchased fromlocal rightsholders their share in the sale pro-ceeds of timber. These purchases, made inadvance and at heavy discount, allow con-tractors to secure a windfall by illegally cuttingmore trees than permissible. Consequently, afew contractors receive the majority of thebenefits from timber harvesting, both by legalmeans and through illegal practices.

S t r a t e g yThe strategy to conserve coniferous forestswill entail the following measures:■ focusing management on meeting local

needs for forest produce, as well as pro-tecting landscapes and biodiversity inorder to promote tourism;

■ carrying out sanitary timber harvestingwhere appropriate;



Fuel wood in the local market

■ enlisting the participation of local communities in sustainable managementinitiatives;

■ ensuring natural regeneration takes placein areas from which mature and overma-ture trees are removed;

■ marking trees for felling with the participa-tion of community-based organisations;

■ implementing effective grazing control,as demonstrated in Kaghan in the 1980sby the Kaghan Intensive ForestManagement Project;

■ evaluating the success rate of artificialregeneration without the aid of irrigation,and discontinuing all such programmesuntil the success of past efforts has beene s t a b l i s h e d ;

■ initiating research under the guidance ofthe Divisional Forest Officer to determineappropriate, cost-effective methods fornatural regeneration and replantation;

■ creating opportunities for local communi-ties to benefit from forest resources byexploring new sectors in agroforestry andmaking distribution of the benefits moreequitable; and

■ paying particular attention to non-consump-tive forest uses, including promoting ecotourism and harvesting non-wood forestproducts such as c h i l g h o z a s (pine nuts).

The conservation of oak woodlands willrequire adaptive research with the participa-tion of organised rural communities to develop methods for sustainable manage-ment and regeneration.

7 . 4Agroforestry

Promoting agroforestry is essential to easethe pressure of firewood removal fromforests and the countryside. Since thepoorest farm households derive 20% oftheir income from agroforestry, improve-ments in this sector will also serve toreduce poverty.

The major concern with regard to theexpansion of agroforestry is the competi-tion between agricultural crops and foresttrees planted on farmland. Confining foresttrees to uncultivable land or areas beingdeveloped for agriculture will ease some of

this pressure. Trees can be also be grownin combination with fodder crops, usingwater spreading, or planted along withfarm crops by selecting the appropriatespecies and employing suitable farmingmethods.

S t r a t e g yThe strategy to promote agroforestry willinvolve favouring those poverty reduction,agriculture and integrated rural develop-ment projects which include agroforestryinitiatives.

7 . 5Grazing land management

In the cereals/livestock economy of Chitral,animals are essential for human survival.Cattle, goats and sheep derive 80% of theirsustenance from grazing, yet little work hasbeen done to improve the condition of graz-ing land. Chitral’s subtropical and temperategrazing lands appear to be in a highlydepleted state. While herds return well fedfrom high-elevation grazing lands, nodetailed studies have been carried out toclassify the vegetation and assess ecologi-cal trends in these areas.



Planting saplings

7

Although animal husbandry is practised ona subsistence level, it is nevertheless acrucial component of Chitral’s agriculturale c o n o m y. Farm animals are well fed foronly four months during the summer, whenherds graze in the alpine and subalpinezones where 85% of Chitral’s grazinglands are located. For another four months(autumn and early spring), they graze inthe remaining 15% of temperate and subtropical grazing areas. The four wintermonths, however, are a time of extremes c a r c i t y, when farm animals subsist onmeagre supplies of stored hay and cropresidues, as well as reserves of body fat. Itis generally during this time that they weaken, falling prey to parasites anddisease.

The major hurdle in the expansion of animalhusbandry is winter feed scarcity, whichforces households to limit the size of theirherds according to the quantity of fodder theyare able to store for use in the winter.Growing more fodder or buying additionalsupplies are options available only to morea ffluent households. As a result, such house-holds derive a higher proportion (43%) oftheir farm income from livestock compared topoorer households (36%).

S t r a t e g yThe sustainable development of some316,000 ha of alpine and subalpine grazingland will require launching an integrated programme to upgrade the entire system oflivestock and dairy production. Patterned onthe PHP, the programme will involve:■ seeking the participation of stakeholders

as well as professionals from the forestry,livestock husbandry, agricultural econom-ics and marketing sectors;

■ conducting adaptive research encompass-ing all stages of the production process,including grazing systems, livestockhealth and nutrition, and the hygienicmanufacture, packaging and marketing ofhigh-value dairy products such as cheese;a n d

■ including approximately 57,600 ha ofs m a l l e r, low-yield subtropical dry temper-ate grazing lands in the management ofvillage lands, with the participation of ruralcommunities.

7 . 6Biological Diversity

Biological diversity is not simply an indicatorof the health of an ecosystem. In Chitral,more immediate benefits also accrue fromprotecting biological resources, which serveas a source of food and medicine as well asa number of industrial products. Of particularimportance are the wild relatives of domesti-cated plants and animals, which will enablethe breeding of species capable of with-standing the vastly different climatic regimesthat will be ushered in by global climatechange in the decades to come. Wild plantand animal species serve as a form of insur-ance for the human species and their extinc-tion diminishes our own chances of survival.

Chitral is home to one national park (ChitralGol) and seven game reserves. While meas-ures are in place to prevent poaching inthese areas, Chitral Gol alone offers protec-tion against the consumptive use of b i o d i v e r s i t y.

Faced as they are with severe economichardship, the people of Chitral are not overlyconcerned with biodiversity conservation. Infact, the topic was only raised in two of 36 village meetings, those held in Brep andN i c h a g h – O v e e r. The issue came up for discussion at five out of seven tehsil meet-ings, ranking seventh in priority, after irrigation, forests, roads, drinking water, electricity and floods. The people of A r a n d uand Lotkuh tehsils had more urgent concerns, however, and did not mention



Once rural communities come tounderstand the importance of

biodiversity conservation, they arestill left to face the stark reality of

survival in an inhospitable environment. For conservation

efforts to be successful and sustainable in the long term, they

must squarely address this problem.

biodiversity on a single occasion. Whereverthe subject was discussed, participants weregenerally supportive of conservation, withoccasional concern raised about protectinglivestock from leopards.

Until the Chitral Conservation Strategyprocess got underway, the local peoplewere unaware of the importance of wildlife.Creating awareness about the uniquenessof Chitral’s biodiversity and the need forconservation is the first step in any sustain-able management programme. Once ruralcommunities come to understand theimportance of biodiversity conservation,they are still left to face the stark reality ofsurvival in an inhospitable environment. Forconservation efforts to be successful andsustainable in the long term, they mustsquarely address this problem. The basicneeds of local communities must be met,and they must be provided with alternativeavenues of income generation.

Awareness alone cannot ensure that ruralcommunities take sustained action to con-serve biodiversity. Organisation and fundingare also required. Even where communitieshave been organised by the A K R S P a n dC A D P, conservation efforts have suff e r e dowing to a lack of adequate funding.Mobilisation of community-based conserva-tion efforts will require donor assistance aswell as government support. Unfortunately,government departments charged with conservation have only implemented half-hearted measures. Forest officials are con-cerned mainly with trees of commercial valueand wildlife authorities are largely interestedin protecting game species. Flora and faunaof little or no commercial value are over-looked in government-sponsored initiatives.

Until recently, attempts at biodiversity con-servation have relied on the coercive powerof the government, with cases being regis-tered against offenders, but this approach isnot cost-effective. If conservation efforts areto succeed, local communities must becomeinvolved in the process. The Mountain A r e aConservancy Project is a step in the rightdirection, with its work in the field of capacitybuilding for conservation. Creating a dedicat-ed corps of biodiversity professionals adept

in the participatory approach is a prerequisitefor the success of such endeavours.

As successor to the former Chitral state, theN W F P government in 1975 declared allgrazing lands, hunting grounds and forests tobe government property. No land settlementhas been conducted to determine the rightsof individuals and communities in suchareas. Settlement is essential, but theprocess is likely to be rife with conflict. A ssuch, the government will be required to takethe people’s representatives into confidence.

S t r a t e g yThe strategy for the sustainable develop-ment of biodiversity will focus on:■ motivating, enabling and empowering

organised rural communities to managebiological resources sustainably throughe ffective implementation of the MountainAreas Conservancy Project and theProtected Areas Management Project;

■ demonstrating the viability of sustainableuse as an incentive for communities toscale up biodiversity conservation;

■ establishing and capitalising trust funds tosustainably support village conservationinitiatives; and

■ preparing new projects for funding, gradu-ally extending conservation initiatives toother areas of Chitral.



7The majestic snow leopard

Part 3Implementation


C h a p t e r

Implementing the Strategy

There are always lessons to be learned from the past. In the case of Chitral, these les-sons have not been particularly gratifying. A number of development schemes for the

area have been planned and then suddenly scrapped, at great cost in terms of bothresources and the prosperity of the people. Meanwhile, the Lowari tunnel project stands

as an example of how decisions are made and reversed arbitrarily, without a word ofapology to those who are likely to be most affected. Resentment over the abandonment

of this particular scheme is still fresh in the minds of local communities.

8

The most important lesson learned fromdevelopment planning undertaken sincethe mid-1950s is that sustainable development does not result from theexecution of individual schemes unlessthey have been conceived as part of anintegrated long-term plan, and are monitored and evaluated rigorously.Another lesson is that such efforts areoften most successful when they areundertaken in collaboration with localcommunities. Rather than imposing aplan from above, the Chitral ConservationStrategy (CCS) aims to reflect the p e o p l e ’s own aspirations for the develop-ment of their area. The challenge now isto translate this vision into action.

8 . 1Current Scenario

A potent criticism voiced by local communi-ties during the CCS consultation processwas that development initiatives undertakenso far have lacked focus and continuity, andhave failed to reflect their needs. Not onlymust meaningful development occur, it mustbe widely perceived to have occurred.Otherwise, a sense of deprivation will continue to prevail.

The establishment of a devolved system ofgovernment in Chitral augers well for thefuture. Under the new system, schemes areto be planned, implemented, monitored andevaluated by the people’s elected represen-tatives at the local level. The Zilla Nazim andDistrict Coordination Officer (DCO) are toplay a key role in formulating developmentpolicy for the district, assisted by the Financeand Planning Office. The results achievedwill depend on the level of skills that the personnel of these offices bring to theirassignments. Since staff will be transferredfrom existing government departments, theircapacity will be limited until they are providedwith the appropriate training. The local government will also need provincial govern-ment assistance in formulating by-laws andcompiling procedural manuals.

8 . 2Resource Constraints

In addition to the resources of the localgovernment and Tehsil MunicipalAdministrations (TMAs), funds available forthe district include transfers from theprovince for development, establishmentcharges (as replacement for zilla tax andoctroi), and operation and maintenance.



Cropland and orchards

However, the last two will not be availablefor development. TMAs will instead utilisezilla tax and octroi, but these funds are notlikely to be significant.

Of the 2001–02 Annual DevelopmentProgramme (ADP) allocation of Rs 55 million, 11.8 million was released for foursectors: communications (5 million), educa-tion (4.8 million, under the Social A c t i o nProgramme), health (1.7 million), and build-ing and housing (0.3 million). In addition, asum of Rs 67 million was disbursed forimplementation of the Khushhal PakistanProgramme (13 million revived, and 54 million for 2001–02). The Chitral T M As h o w sa gap of Rs 3.8 million between resourcesand expenditure for 2001–02.

The challenge for the district government isto utilise available funds effectively and effi-ciently. In addition, the local administrationmust ensure that infrastructure develop-ment does not cause further damage to thefragile ecology of the area. A portfolio ofwell-conceived projects must be preparedand advocated, so that additionalresources from the provincial and federalgovernments may be secured, particularlyfor large-scale schemes such as the proposed Lowari tunnel.

8.2.1 Overcoming Constraints

Developing the capacity of district andprovincial government functionaries is thekey to overcoming the constraints to development. A proactive Finance andPlanning Office, and vigilant ExecutiveDistrict Officers (EDOs) should be able todetermine what federal and provincialsources of funding are available and how toaccess them. Training will also allow government functionaries to prepare convincing briefs and advocate develop-ment proposals effectively.

The new local government system is still inthe implementation stage and its currentlimitations must be assessed in order toensure long-term success. The district gov-ernment and TMAs are under continuouspressure to respond to local choices forinfrastructure projects that fulfil the

immediate needs of the people at the costof long-term programmes for the conserva-tion and development of renewable naturalresources.

The first and most important step in theimplementation of the CCS is to take stockof all ongoing development and capacitybuilding projects, and to make sure thatallocated resources are being used efficiently. Additional sources of funding arelikely to become available as implementa-tion of the CCS gets underway.

To assist the district government in imple-mentation of the CCS, it is essential toestablish a technical assistance team comprising professionals in various criticaldisciplines. Implementation of the strategy’s proposals will begin in collabora-tion with the CCS Unit of IUCN–The WorldConservation Union, but eventually the district government will take over soler e s p o n s i b i l i t y. The CCS Unit’s foremosttask will be to analyse policy choices presented to the local government, with aview to ensuring environmental integrity ands u s t a i n a b i l i t y. The CCS Unit will facilitatereviews of policy decisions, programmingand projects; work on the creation of a fundfor sustainable development and assist thelocal government in making it operational;and train selected local government func-tionaries in sustainable development.

8.2.2 Resources

Compared to the needs of Chitral, availableresources are likely to be meagre. During2001–02, a sum of Rs 11.7 million wasreleased through the ADP for education,health and transport/communications. Anadditional Rs 120.5 million was provided inPhases I, II, and III of the KhushhalPakistan Programme up to 2001–02 forfarm-to-market roads, water supply,women’s development, electricity and mis-cellaneous schemes. Of this amount, bare-ly Rs 47 million could be utilised up to 28March 2002.

Among donor-funded projects, two of thefour conservancy areas of the ongoingMountain Areas Conservancy Project are



8

located in Chitral, while upgrading manage-ment of Chitral Gol National Park is part ofthe Protected Areas Management Project.Another opportunity is the launching ofSarhad Rural Support Programme in Chitral.

In terms of human resources, Chitral’smost important potential assets are goodgovernance and high-calibre capacity inthe Finance and Planning Office to advo-cate policy, select projects, and streamlineapproval, implementation and monitoring.The Finance and Planning Office must aimto ensure that along with poverty allevia-tion, expenditures incurred serve toimprove the environment as well as physi-cal and social infrastructure. To multiply theimpact of resources made available by thegovernment, local communities must bepersuaded to contribute physically andfinancially. Participation will also increasetheir stake in implementation and serve asan incentive to maintain the assets created.Funding for large-scale projects such asthe proposed Lowari tunnel and road toTajikistan, as well as medium-scale initia-tives to increase hydroelectricity genera-tion, will require the advocacy of the districtgovernment. Securing donor assistanceentails constant vigilance regarding avail-able opportunities, meticulous projectpreparation and vigorous advocacy.Financial support will be required from theinternational community for technical assis-tance projects identified in the CCS.

8.2.3 Environmental Regulation

Maintaining the integrity of the environmentin Chitral is the responsibility of the TMAs.Their functions in this regard include: (i)controlling land use, subdivision, develop-ment and zoning by the public and privatesector; and (ii) providing, managing, oper-ating, maintaining and improving waters u p p l y, sewerage, sanitation and solidwaste disposal; traffic planning; parks,playgrounds and open spaces; and arbori-culture.

In addition, a District EnvironmentalCommittee has been constituted with thefollowing members: EDOs of the concerned devolved departments, the

Divisional Forest Officer Chitral, ExecutiveEngineer Irrigation Chitral, and representa-tives of the Aga Khan Rural SupportProgramme, the CCS Unit and community-based organisations. However, thisCommittee has not been active.

As a first step towards regulation, the localinformal system of natural resource manage-ment must be documented and improved. A tthe same time, modern regulatory measuresshould be developed and institutionalised.Where possible, formal regulation shouldevolve on the basis of traditional practices. Aregulatory code can be drawn up underSections 191(2) and 192(2) of the North-West Frontier Province Local GovernmentOrdinance 2001, read with the second part ofthe Fifth Schedule to the Ordinance.

8.2.4 Coalitions for Advocacy

A massive campaign must be launched toeducate the people about the importanceof maintaining the integrity of the environ-ment. For its part, the district governmentwill need to maintain a balance betweenmeeting the immediate needs of the peopleand ensuring long-term sustainable devel-opment. By creating ownership forschemes, the district government can foster coalitions for environmental and|sustainable development advocacy withincivil society. This will require buildingcapacity for analysis of issues, policy choices and development initiatives, inaddition to effective communication skills.

8.2.5 A New Roundtable With aNew Mandate

The CCS Roundtable has served as animportant institutional resource during theformulation phase of this strategy, providinga forum for people to voice their concerns and interact with governmentfunctionaries. Following the implementationof the devolved local government system,Union Administrations, Tehsil Councils andthe Zilla Council have begun to provideavenues for participation to citizens. Policyformulation and decision making regardingdevelopment is already beginning to takeplace through these bodies.



The new system, however, has not reducedthe need for the Roundtable. As a multi-stakeholder advisory body comprising indi-viduals of repute, integrity and expertise,the Roundtable can assist the governmentin making informed decisions based on collective wisdom. It can also help to fendoff undue political pressure in developmentplanning. Allowed the necessary space andfreedom, the Roundtable will be able toprovide the district government with invalu-able input. Its role in policy making at thedistrict level is shown in Figure 11.

To enable it to perform its new role effec-tively, the Roundtable should include mem-bers from the government and TMAs (notmore than one third of the total members),all parties or groups in the district and tehsilcouncils, major non-governmental organi-sations, professional associations (traders,academia), and communities with environ-mental credentials.

8.2.6 Launching the Chitral Fund For SustainableD e v e l o p m e n t

Inspired by similar funds created and oper-ating in other parts of the world, the ChitralFund for Sustainable Development

(CFSD) is a concept aimed at creating afinancial mechanism to fund sustainabledevelopment activities. It is envisaged thatthe CFSD, set up at the district level, willbe capitalised by diverting provincial budget allocations for the district and man-aged by a Board comprising membersfrom both within and outside the govern-ment. To ensure credibility as well as support from donor agencies, the majorityof Board members will be drawn from thenon-government sector. The Board will bemandated to take decisions regardinggrants from the CFSD.

In establishing the CFSD, certain factorscannot be ignored except at the peril of utterfailure. These include social and economicrealities, the institutional regime as it existstoday and as it seems to be evolving, thepolitical development of the district and thecapacity of various partners. Chitrali societyis patriarchal in nature, and organised inincreasingly loose but important social structures based on tribal affiliations andsocio-economic status, the latter determinedprimarily by land ownership. Decision making is carried out through the informalinstitution of j i r g a, a council of elders whichnearly always excludes women and which,in some cases, enjoys legal sanction.



8

FIGURE 11 District Policy Making and the District Roundtable


District GovernmentO ffices and DCO

N o n - d e v o l v e dProvincial GovernmentD e p a r t m e n t s

Zilla Council Tehsil Councils

Stakeholders and Interest Groups

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN CHITRAL

P r o v i n c i a lG o v e r n m e n t

Non-organised CivilSociety (Groups +I n d i v i d u a l s )

District MushaviratC o m m i t t e e

Civil SocietyO r g a n i s a t i o n sZilla Nazim

C C SR o u n d t a b l e

Although many of the area’s inhabitantshave moved to the cities, the people of theregion are nonetheless strongly rooted totheir ancestral villages. Those who haveremained in Chitral continue to reside in theplace of their birth. Chitral’s economy ismainly agrarian, with a majority of the pop-ulation employed in agriculture. Outside theagriculture sector, the public sector is thelargest employer. Population has been

growing at an annual rate of 2.75%, result-ing in fierce competition over developmentresources, and leaving infrastructure andfacilities struggling to cope. Agricultural andindustrial activity, as well as employmentopportunities in other sectors, are distrib-uted unevenly among various parts of thedistrict. Resource generation capacity alsovaries dramatically from area to area, andcompetition for resources between localitiesis played out through local elites.Meanwhile literacy among the population—

and therefore access to information—remains limited.

Development is a priority issue for electedrepresentatives, whether at the provincialor district level. The political capital to begained by the delivery of ostensible devel-opment means that the district govern-ment is not likely to abdicate its power totake funding decisions. The size of thedistrict budget is for the most part deter-mined by provincial transfers, and suchfunds are likely to be spent according tothe development priorities of the politicalexecutive of the district. In this scenario,sustainable development initiatives willonly receive attention if they are part ofmainstream policy.

The CCS aims to do just that, requiring thatall planning and development in the districtfocuses on sustainable development. Atthe same time, the CCS aims to influencelocal policy and tap internal sources for revenue generation, both of which areessential to create self-reliance and a climate conducive to sustainable develop-ment. Achieving fiscal autonomy willrequire that the CCS be made a public policy statement, while impetus for sustain-able development will come from local



Participatory approach to governance

The need to ensure electoral success plays a major role in

development planning, with scarceresources directed towards

short-term priorities.

ownership of conservation themes andsustainable development norms.

I d e a l l y, development should follow a trajectory that conforms to sustainablenorms. But in reality, the need to ensure electoral success plays a major role in devel-opment planning, with scarce resourcesdirected towards short-term priorities. Forinstance, the district may decide to buildroads and improve agriculture, but neglectsto allocate resources for the regeneration offorests or reclamation of polluted water-courses. The definition of priorities in such acase may be short-term, owing to their compatibility with political objectives of theexecutive. As a result, long-term decisionsfavouring conservation may not receive dueattention, distorting the pattern of sustainabledevelopment in the district. An adequatelycapitalised CFSD can address such distor-tions, providing resources for ecological andconservation priorities. In cases where thedistrict executive chooses to ignore sustain-able development altogether, the CFSDwould play an even more important role,serving as a window through which fundingmay be channelled directly to sectors thathave been ignored by district initiatives.

It goes without saying that the creation of theCFSD requires that resources are madeavailable for its capitalisation. In this regard,the experience with the provincial sustainabledevelopment fund has not been sanguine. Inresponse to fiscal pressures, the develop-ment budget is often cut dramatically. A ssuch, a wider variety of funding sources willneed to be tapped. Diverting provincial trans-fers is one possibility, but the district budgetrelies heavily on such allocations to fund routine service delivery, with the remainderearmarked for other sectors. This means thatprovincial transfers are not likely to serve as amajor source of funding for the CFSD.

Local environmental taxes can be levied tocapitalise the CFSD, and income from similar provincial taxes could be earmarkedfor the CFSD. Legal stipulations can be written into the district budget, allocating afixed percentage of resources for the CFSD.Such measures would require consensusbuilding, followed by local legislation.

While the CFSD can serve as a usefulinstrument to facilitate funding for sustain-able development initiatives, it will carry onlylimited utility unless coupled with compre-hensive fiscal reform at the district level,aimed at correcting the imbalance inresource allocation. More funds will need tobe designated for green issues and toimprove environmental practices in thebrown sector. In addition to the introductionof environmental fees and taxes, royalties onthe use of natural resources and accountingof externalities could help remove distortionsin the incentive regime, encouraging andsupporting environmentally responsibleb e h a v i o u r.

The CFSD is by no means an impracticalidea. In fact, it can serve as a useful extra-fiscal instrument to promote sustainabledevelopment and conservation. The majorshare of the CFSD’s resources are expectedto come from the provincial government, butit may also serve to attract additional financ-ing from the provincial and national sustain-able development funds (the latter has beenannounced by the federal government as apolicy commitment). As such, it can serve asan instrument to mobilise additional resourceallocations for the district. The CFSD’s role inthe local fiscal arrangement is illustrated inFigure 12.



FIGURE 12 Chitral Fund for SustainableDevelopment (CFSD) in the local fiscal arrangement


Local Tax R e v e n u e

U s e rC h a r g e s

Natural R e s o u r c eR o y a l t i e s

O t h e rI n c o m e s

F i s c a lTr a n s f e r s

D I S T R I C TB U D G E T

R e c u r r e n tE x p e n d i t u r e

D e b tS e r v i c i n g

M a i n t e n a n c e& Repairment E x p e n d i t u r e

D e v e l o p m e n tE x p e n d i t u r e

C F S D

8


C h a p t e r

Action Plan

The Chitral Conservation Strategy (CCS) aims to formulate a crystallised vision for

the integrated development of the area. The district government is the prime spon-

sor of the proposed initiatives and interventions, while the vision itself is shared by

the people of Chitral, civil society organisations and all stakeholders, including the

u l e m a, members of academia, the media and private sector organisations.

9


Action Plan

Sector Short-term Initiatives Proposed Role

Governance 1. Explore avenues of provincial, federal and donor Zilla Nazim Office / assistance to build capacity at the district level; District Coordinationput into place a monitoring system for effective Officeimplementation.

2. Develop project proposals for innovative and Finance and sustainable development schemes at the district Planning Office /level; explore avenues of financial assistance. Tehsil Municipal

Administration (TMA)

3. Enact legislation to check environmental pollution Zilla Nazim Office /in urban areas, particularly to regulate the operations Zilla Assembly / of slaughterhouses, automobile service stations, District Police /hotels, restaurants and poultry shops. TMA

4. Enforce land use planning and zoning laws; enact Zilla Nazim Office / new legislation to ensure the sustainability District Coordination of agriculture. Office/ TMA

Water Supply 5. Rehabilitate non-functioning water supply schemes Works and Services and Sanitation executed by the Public Health Engineering Office/ TMA / CBOs

Department; transfer operation and maintenance of such schemes to community-based organisations (CBOs) and village organisations.

6. Develop project proposals for waste disposal, TMA / CBOs / media sanitation and sewerage in Chitral town; explore / private sector/ non-funding opportunities. governmental

organisations (NGOs)

Agriculture 7. Build the capacity of local communities for on-farm Executive District water management; provide technical support. Office, Agriculture /

CBOs / NGOs

8. Develop project proposals for water harvesting to Executive District encourage farm forestry and fodder production. Office, Agriculture

9. Create a regulatory framework for land use through Zilla Nazim Office /legislation to curb the conversion of agriculturally Zilla Assemblyproductive land to non-agricultural uses.

10.Prepare a plan to relaunch and operate the agriculture Zilla Nazim Office / research stations set up by the Chitral Area District Coordination Development Project (CADP) in Chitral and Booni. Office

Cultural Heritage 11. Organise special events and seasonal festivals; Zilla Nazim Office / and Tourism promote traditional festivals; prepare a calendar District Coordination

of events to enable tourists to plan their Office / TMA / NGOsvisit to Chitral. / CBOs / media /

private sector

12. Develop a code of conduct for tourists and tour Zilla Nazim Office / operators to ensure the ecological and cultural District Coordination sustainability of tourism. Office / Zilla Council

Medium-term Initiatives

Governance 13. Procure financial assistance to provide incentives, Zilla Nazim Office / such as food aid to poor families, in order to District Coordinationincrease enrolment and lower the dropout rate Office / Executive at school level. District Office,

Education / NGOs

The table below maps out an action plan for implementation of the CCS. For practical reasons, only 38 separate initiatives have been proposed. These interventions are dividedinto the short-, medium- and long-term categories and listed sector by sector, along with theorganisations and agencies that are expected to play a role in implementation.


Action Plan

9

14. Seek financial assistance to introduce rural support Zilla Nazim Office / mechanisms, such as the Sarhad Rural Support District Coordination Programme and National Rural Support Programme, Office / NGOsto ensure the perpetuation of social organisationscreated by the CADP; initiate the process ofestablishing rural support mechanisms in areasnot covered so far.

Education 15. Promote female education through extended Executive District facilities at secondary and higher level. Office, Education /

NGOs / CBOs /private sector

Cultural Heritage 16. Establish an ethnological museum. District Coordinationand Tourism Office / provincial

Museums Department

17. Map cultural sites. District CoordinationOffice / NGOs /provincial TourismDepartment / media

18. Evolve financial procedures to share revenues from Zilla Nazim Office / tourism with local communities. District Coordination

Office / provincialTourism Department/ NGOs

Water Supply 19. Develop innovative water supply schemes to be Works and Services and Sanitation maintained by community organisations. Office / NGOs /

CBOs

20. Prepare plans for solid waste management, sanitation TMA / Union and sewerage for all major towns in the district. Councils / NGOs /

CBOs

Irrigation 21. Explore opportunities and funding sources to irrigate Irrigation Division / more land though siphon and lift irrigation systems. District Coordination

Office / NGOs /CBOs

Energy 22. Advocate the construction of the 43 MW Golain Zilla Nazim Office / Hydel Project, currently in the pipelines. District Coordination

Office / Water andPower DevelopmentAuthority (WAPDA)

23. Explore alternate energy sources, such as wind Zilla Nazim Office / and solar power; liaise with the relevant quarters District Coordination in the federal Ministry of Petroleum and Energy Office / NGOs / to garner financial support for this purpose. private sector

Agriculture 24. Provide capacity building support to farm service Zilla Nazim Office / centres, enabling them to make maximum use of District Coordination marketing possibilities after the enforcement of Office / Executive the World Trade Organisation regime. District Office,

Agriculture / NGOs /CBOs

Forestry 25. Prepare an inventory of all forests in Chitral Divisional Forest through the Forest Management Centre; draw up Office / NGOs / a participatory management plan. CBOs


Action Plan

26. Ensure the regeneration of harvested areas by Divisional Forest skilful selection of trees for felling and effective Office / NGOs / grazing control. CBOs

27. Motivate, train and assist communities in the Divisional Forest sustainable harvesting and marketing of chilghozas Office / NGOs / (pine nuts) and other non-wood forest products. CBOs

Health 28. Establish specialised health facilitates at the Zilla Nazim Office / district level. District Coordination

Office / provincialHealth Department

Mineral 29. Conduct geophysical and geochemical surveys Provincial Industries Development of mineral deposits in Chitral to develop and Minerals

mineral-based enterprise. Department / DistrictCoordination Office

Long-term Initiatives

Infrastructure 30. Advocate improving access to down-country Zilla Nazim Office / markets through the construction of the Lowari District Coordination tunnel and a road to Tajikistan. Office

31. Blacktop farm-to-market roads linking 32 valleys Works and Services in the district in order to control dust pollution Officeand its effects on the ecology of the area.

Education 32. Seek the assistance of the provincial and federal District Coordination governments as well as donors to expand Office / Executive technical education. District Office,

Education / NGOs

33. Secure fellowships for promising students to Executive District pursue higher education aboard. Office, Education

Water Supply 34. Develop project proposals for water supply to meet Works and Services and Sanitation the growing requirements of the main towns of Office / TMA

the district; secure donor funding.

35. Prepare project proposals for the treatment of TMA / Union effluent and liquid waste discharged into Councils the Chitral river.

Agriculture 36. Explore sites for the construction of large-scale Zilla Nazim Office / hydel power generation projects; secure funding. District Coordination

Office / WAPDA /NGOs

37. Amend rules and procedures to enable the induction Provincial of livestock husbandry and agricultural economics Environment professionals into the provincial Agriculture DepartmentDepartment, offering them employment prospects at par with forestry officials.

Forestry 38. Prepare and process for technical assistance a Provincial participatory, integrated, multidisciplinary project Environment for the sustainable development of alpine and Departmentsubalpine grazing lands.


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Title AuthorAgriculture G. M. Khattak

Biodiversity, Parks and Protected Areas Mumtaz Malik

Culture Heritage and Ecotourism Inayatulalh Faizi

Drinking Water Javed Hassan

Energy Habib Gul

Forest, Grazing Lands and Watersheds G. M. Khattak

Human Resource Development Noor Shahidin

Infrastructure Javed Hassan

Irrigation Masood-ul-Mulk

Micro Enterprise Development Mujib-ur-Rehman

Solid Waste Management Javed Hassan


CCS Sector Papers


Appendix A


Appendix B

conservation chitral - iucn

Documents