AKRSP & ICIMOD held national planning workshop on Development of sustainable energy for rangelands

Renewable energy options are the best solution to overcome the energy crisis for mountain communities. Prof  Dr. Jangna Nath Shrestha Energy advisor, ICIMOD

ICIMOD launched planning workshop on sustainable energy solutions for Himalayan Herders 

CHITRAL:  During a one day National Planning Workshop on Development of Sustainable Energy for Rangelands experts stressed upon adopting of solar (alternate) energy to overcome on  energy crises. The workshop was jointly held by Agha Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) and ICIMODE in a local hotel. Throughout Himalayan rangelands, herders are finding it increasingly difficult to meet their daily survival need for cooking and heating energy due to looming energy crisis and changing climate. In 2007, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (CIMOD) embarked on a pilot project to find sensible solutions to the energy crisis in the rangelands using holistic framework to address the three broad criteria of sustainability – availability, affordability and acceptability.  The piloted technologies mainly metallic stove, solar cookers and solar lamps were locally acceptable and were capable of saving fuel, reducing indoor air pollution and Green House Gase (GHG) emission reducing drudgery and freeing up the excessive time of herders especially women for productive activities. Building on these positive pilot experiences, ICIMOD is initiating the second phase of the project (DESER II) to disseminate the tested technologies at sites in five countries including Pakistan ( Momi village  of Chitral) in preparation for rolling out the program in the remaining areas of the Hindukush Khimaliya  rangelands through market development and commercialization.

On the eve of New Year ICIMOD and AKRSP jointly lunched the kick off national planning workshop in in a local hotel. The workshop brought together 30 representatives from relevant government, NGOs, private sectors and local communities to discuss the overall implementation issues dealing with suitable production, innovative financing and delivery options to create an enabling environment for making the proven technologies locally available and affordable. General Manager AKRSP Izhar Ali Hunzai , Pakistan and ICIMOD’s Country representative Pakistan Dr. Inayatullah  stressed upon the importance of renewable energy in the current energy deficit situation of Pakistan. Mr. Rana, Joint Secretary,  Ministry of Environment in his inaugural speech, highlighted the relevance of the project and underscored the multi-stakeholder partnership.

 Bikash Sharma, project coordinator, ICIMOD  Nepal highlighted the critical role of sustainable energy in building the resilience of herders and regulating the global climatic pattern. He stressed the need for finding strategic policy institutional technological innovations to establish a convincing good practice demonstration model that is sustainable replicable and scalable across the rangelands. Prof  Dr. Jangna Nath Shrestha consultant energy advisor, ICIMOD highlighted the menu of technology options for rangelands. He said that we can overcome on energy crises only be adopting and utilizing renewable and solar energy.

The workshop centered around three strategic themes: suitable supply chains for the assumed supply of chosen technologies, innovative financing scheme and enabling policy environment and provided strategic directions for packing the technologies (metallic stoves, solar lamps and solar cooker) for dissemination besides piloting of new technologies based on local needs,  empowering the existing Local Support Organizations through supporting their capacity building  needs for managing micro financing scheme and  involving the central and provincial level  government and other agencies like Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technology (PCRET), Ministry Science and Technology (MOST), Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB), Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) for necessary policy , institutional and co financing support.

G.H. Farooqi PO Box No. 50 GPO Chitral Pakistan phone 03025989602, 0943-302295, 414418

Email: gulhamad@gmail.com