ISLAMABAD, Oct 21 (ABC): The Punjab government has proposed a £300,000 climate-resilient agriculture project for the Cholistan and Thal desert regions to promote climate-resilient crops, nature-based farming practices and digital advisory services to help farmers cope with changing climatic conditions.
According to documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the project, titled “AgriAdapt: Nature-Based Solutions for Climate-Resilient Farming in Cholistan Desert Zone and Sandy Desert Zone (Thal)”, has been included in the Pakistan Climate Prosperity Plan.
The proposed initiative aims to strengthen agricultural resilience through nature-based and ecosystem-based adaptation measures. It will also promote climate-resilient crops, improve digital advisory and early warning services, and strengthen market linkages and institutional capacity.
The project envisages a 12-month pilot programme with an indicative budget of £300,000, focusing on practical agricultural solutions suited to the challenging climatic conditions of Cholistan and Thal.
Under the proposed implementation plan, the first two months will focus on selecting project zones and demonstration sites, conducting baseline assessments of farmers and stakeholders, and preparing crop plans.
From the third to the eighth month, the programme will introduce field demonstrations, digital agricultural advisory services, early warning systems and farmer training.
Activities between the sixth and tenth months will focus on developing market connections and crop insurance linkages to help farmers manage agricultural and climate-related risks.
The final two months will be devoted to validating project outcomes, supporting institutional adoption and preparing a plan for expanding successful interventions.
Climate-resilient crops and digital advisory services
A major component of the proposed initiative involves establishing demonstration sites for climate-resilient crops and nature-based farming solutions tailored to the agricultural conditions of Cholistan and Thal.
These sites will help farmers explore agricultural practices suited to the environmental challenges of the two desert regions.
The project also proposes climate-informed digital advisory services and community-level early warning systems to help farmers make informed decisions about crop planning and agricultural activities.
Another component focuses on strengthening market and value-chain linkages, including opportunities for value-added agricultural production.
These measures aim to improve connections between farming communities and agricultural markets while supporting more sustainable farming practices.
The initiative also envisages inclusive crop insurance and financial resilience mechanisms to help farmers manage climate-related risks and potential agricultural losses.
According to the project document, the Punjab government’s Planning and Development, Agriculture and Environment departments have been identified as lead government partners.
The Agriculture Department will serve as the implementing partner, while ADPC has been designated as the technical lead.
Farmers and farmer groups will participate in field demonstrations and the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices.
Private-sector organisations will contribute to market access, value-chain development and agricultural processing. Meanwhile, civil society organisations, community groups and research institutions will support outreach, evidence generation and technical activities.
The proposed pilot brings together climate-resilient crop demonstrations, digital advisory services, early warning systems, market development and crop insurance under a single agricultural adaptation framework.
By combining these interventions, the initiative seeks to improve farmers’ capacity to respond to climate-related challenges while strengthening agricultural productivity and market participation in the Cholistan and Thal desert regions.
