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Monday 08:30 - 17:00 Tuesday 08:30 - 17:00 Wednesday 08:30 - 17:00 Thursday 08:30 - 17:00 Friday 08:30 - 17:00 Saturday 08:30 - 17:00

Helvetas Pakistan, Khayaban-e-Soharwardy Road G-6/1/1, Islamabad (2026)

05/09/2026

🌍Visit of Helvetas Pakistan Country Director, Country Representative of Helvetas Germany and IDEA Chief Executive to KP-RETP Northern Clusters

The Country Director of Helvetas Pakistan, Dr. Arjumand Nizami, the Country Representative of Helvetas Germany and the Chief Executive of IDEA undertook a three-day visit to the Northern Clusters of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rural Economic Transformation Project (KP-RETP). The visit provided an opportunity to engage directly with partner organizations, communities, project staff, academic institutions and key stakeholders involved in the implementation of RETP interventions.

🗺️ The delegation visited project areas in Buner, Swat and Dir Lower, where meetings were held with several Professional Farmers Cooperatives (PFCOs), including Amazai, Gagra, Kotlai, Trout and Sarsabaz Kisan PFCOs. The interactions focused on understanding the progress of community-led agriculture economic development initiatives and strengthening collaboration with local stakeholders.

👥 During the visit to Swat, the delegation also met with the Regional Coordination Unit (RCU) project staff who are mainly overseeing the project at the Northern Cluster to discuss implementation progress and coordination mechanisms. A visit to the Trout PFCO and 4Ps initiative in Madain highlighted opportunities for strengthening local enterprises and value chains.

🎓 The delegation further visited the University of Agriculture Swat, where an interaction was held with the Vice Chancellor, faculty members and students. Dr. Arjumand Nizami addressed a seminar at the university on the climate change context and its impacts on evolving systems and environment. The visit emphasized the importance of collaboration between academic institutions and development programmes in promoting innovation, skills development and sustainable rural economic growth.

🫒 In Timergara, meetings were held with relevant stakeholders, including FSC/FOAH, followed by a visit to Talash, where the delegation interacted with the Sarsabaz Kisan PFCO, with a particular focus on olive-related interventions and opportunities for strengthening agriculture-based livelihoods and value chains.

🤝 The visit reaffirmed the commitment of Helvetas, IDEA and KP-RETP stakeholders to promoting inclusive and sustainable rural economic development through community institutions, enterprise development, strengthened value chains and strategic partnerships. The field engagements provided valuable insights into local priorities, achievements and opportunities for further strengthening project interventions across the Northern Clusters of KP.

25/08/2026

Helvetas Pakistan launched Pakistan's National Interpretation Guidelines (NIGs) for the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) at a national event in Lahore.

🌾Rice is one of Pakistan's most important agricultural commodities, contributing significantly to rural livelihoods, food security, export earnings, and economic growth. Yet the sector faces mounting pressure from declining water availability, climate change, and environmental degradation. To remain competitive in international markets while ensuring long-term sustainability, Pakistan needed locally relevant guidance that translates global SRP standards into practical, country-specific solutions.

💧 The journey began with the Water Productivity Project (WAPRO), implemented by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation with public and private sector partners. Building on those achievements, Helvetas was endorsed as host organization for the SRP National Chapter in Pakistan.

🤝 Upholding the National Chapter's role as host and convener, the NIGs were developed through a highly participatory process. A multi-stakeholder taskforce representing government institutions, private sector companies, academia, civil society organizations, development partners, and farmer organizations reviewed, refined, and validated each requirement of the SRP Standard against Pakistan's existing policies and practices. The finalized guidelines were approved by the SRP Secretariat.

🎯 The launch brought together leadership from the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), the Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation, ADB, and Peter McAllister, Executive Director of the global Sustainable Rice Platform.

🌱 These guidelines create a practical pathway for farmers, extension services, government institutions, certification bodies, and private sector stakeholders to adopt sustainable rice production practices that enhance productivity, conserve natural resources, strengthen farmer livelihoods, and improve access to sustainable markets.

✅A significant milestone for Pakistan's rice sector, and a testament to what public-private-producer collaboration can achieve.

Helvetas | Asian Development Bank (ADB) | Sustainable Rice Platform | Basmati Heritage Foundation - PBHF | PARC Pakistan Agricultural Research Council

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22/08/2026

🤝 Sharing Context-Specific Approaches to Climate-Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

📍Peshawar, 19 August 2026 — Helvetas Pakistan convened a cross-learning event bringing together planners and designers from nine government line departments across District D.I. Khan, Charsadda and Swat to share context-specific approaches to strengthening climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure.

The three districts represent distinct hydro-climatic and disaster-risk contexts. D.I. Khan faces spate flooding, hill torrents and saline soil conditions; Charsadda contends with floodplain dynamics, drainage congestion and embankment vulnerability; while Swat manages flash floods, mountainous terrain and rapidly changing river systems. The cross-learning event provided a platform for departments to exchange field experience and to identify which approaches are transferable across contexts and which must remain locally determined.
Sessions included departmental presentations on current practices and climate-resilience challenges, a technical dialogue on design standards, risk assessment and Nature-based Solutions (NbS), and a structured curriculum review of the training modules.

Officials shared feedback, learning and field insights to strengthen training methodologies for subsequent rounds. The way forward was discussed for embedding the context-specific modules within vocational institutes and provincial line departments as a step towards institutionalization.

✅ By promoting cross-sectoral exchange and coordination among departments responsible for infrastructure development, the event supports the mainstreaming of risk-informed approaches into district-level planning and design across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The cross-learning event was held under the Capacity Development for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

| für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH | GIZ Pakistan

20/08/2026

🏔️ Adapting Resilient Infrastructure Practices for Safer Communities: Strengthening Capacity of Planners and Designers in District Swat

Under the Capacity Development for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Helvetas Pakistan concluded a three-day Capacity Development Training for planners and designers from government line departments in District Swat.

The training strengthened participants' technical expertise and practical competencies in climate risk assessment, hydrology, and risk-informed infrastructure planning. Beyond conventional flood control measures, the curriculum and training focused on embedding long-term climate resilience into public infrastructure by integrating hard hydraulic structures, such as modular bridges, with Nature-based Solutions (NbS), including slope stabilization through native vegetation cover and flexible gabion structures.

Set in the vulnerable mountain valleys of the Swat River basin, the district faces severe flash floods, landslides, riverbank erosion, and the accelerating impacts of glacial melt, hazards starkly demonstrated by the catastrophic floods of 2010 and 2022. Particular attention was devoted to protecting critical hydraulic and transport infrastructure, notably modular bridges, which serve as vital lifelines connecting isolated riverine communities during climate disasters.

By bringing together district-level officials who oversee public infrastructure, the training empowered key decision-makers to integrate hybrid nature-based solutions (Hybrid NbS) and disaster risk criteria across the project lifecycle, from feasibility and design to construction and long-term maintenance, contributing to more sustainable public investments and safer communities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Helvetas | für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH | GIZ Pakistan

15/08/2026

🌱 Cross-Project Learning Exchange: Advancing Climate-Resilient Vertical Farming from Peshawar to Chichawatni and Toba Tek Singh

The Helvetas Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) project team conducted an exposure visit to the Re-Food Project in Peshawar to review field-level interventions in climate-resilient, resource-efficient tunnel farming and assess the adaptability of these vertical farming approaches for smallholder cotton-producing communities, with a view to replication in Chichawatni and Toba Tek Singh.

The visit examined how low-input, space-efficient agronomic approaches can strengthen year-round food production, enhance water use efficiency, and improve nutritional security for farming households operating on limited landholdings.

The delegation called on Prof. Dr. Sar Zamin Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture Peshawar, and Dr. Masood Ahmad, Assistant Professor at the University, alongside Dr. Muhammad Asad Salim, Country Representative, Helvetas Germany; Mr. Irfan Asghar, Project Manager, Helvetas BCI Project; Mr. Qazi M. Ajwad, Agriculture Advisor, Helvetas; and members of the Helvetas team.

Discussions centred on sustaining the four demonstration tunnels established under Re-Food at the University and at the Agricultural Research Institute (ARI), Tarnab, where six students are currently conducting applied research, and on integrating tunnel farming into teaching, research, and extension curricula for long-term institutional anchoring.

🔬 At ARI Tarnab, the team met Dr. Abdul Bari, Senior Director, and reviewed agronomic protocols, crop management practices, and the evidence base generated through the project's demonstration sites. In Surezai and Mera Kachori, the delegation engaged directly with smallholder farmers, predominantly women, managing walk-in tunnels established through project support, gaining critical insights into both productivity gains and the practical constraints of household-level adoption.

📊 Under the Re-Food Project, 305 cultivation plots were established with smallholder farmers, 99% of whom were women, while 814 farmers received comprehensive training against an original target of 600. Average tomato yields reached 797 kg per 40 × 12 ft tunnel, surpassing the programme's 300% production increase objective, and 96% of beneficiary farmers reported selling surplus produce, reflecting strong market integration and measurable income effects.

The exchange also documented systemic barriers essential to responsible replication: limited homestead land necessitating reduced tunnel footprints, and upfront capital investment remaining a primary constraint for self-financed adoption. Capturing these contextual realities alongside performance data is critical for developing feasible, inclusive adaptation models across differing agro-ecological and socio-economic contexts.

🔁 Evidence and insights gathered will directly inform the adaptation of walk-in tunnel farming models and resource-efficient practices for farming communities in Chichawatni and Toba Tek Singh, ensuring replication is evidence-based, demand-driven, and responsive to local constraints.

We extend sincere appreciation to the farmers, researchers, government departments, University of Agriculture Peshawar, and Re-Food project teams whose technical expertise, field-level experience, and candid reflections made this cross-project learning exchange possible.

More on Re-Food (Resource Efficient Food Production in Pakistan):
https://www.helvetas.de/en/what-we-do/how-we-work/all-helvetas-network-projects/Asia/Pakistan/Re-Food-Pakistan

09/08/2026

🌉No Better Classroom Than the Field: Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities in Charsadda

Planners and designers from government line departments in District Charsadda took part in a hands-on field demonstration, moving from classroom concepts to real infrastructure challenges on the ground.

📍 The demonstration was held at the Qazi Khel Bridge, near Old GTS Adda in Charsadda, where participants evaluated a practical, on-ground infrastructure site firsthand. Using real-world examples, the session illustrated how hybrid engineering and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can be applied in practice to strengthen climate resilience, with particular focus on embankment stabilization and slope stabilization measures. Situated near the Kabul and Swat river systems, Charsadda remains among Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's most flood-prone districts, making such practical, site-based learning essential for protecting roads, bridges, and surrounding settlements.

✅ By strengthening institutional and technical capacities, the training supports risk-informed decision-making, contributing to more sustainable public investments and safer communities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The field demonstration was part of a three-day training under the Capacity Development for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa project, implemented by Helvetas Pakistan and funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Helvetas | Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH | GIZ Pakistan

08/08/2026

♻️ Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities: Strengthening Institutional Capacity in Charsadda

Helvetas Pakistan concluded a three-day Capacity Development Training for senior planners and designers from government line departments in District Charsadda, held in Peshawar from 28 to 30 July 2026. The training was conducted under the Capacity Development for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The training strengthened participants' technical expertise and practical competencies in climate risk assessment, hydrology, risk-informed infrastructure planning and embankment protection. Beyond conventional flood control measures, the curriculum focused on embedding long-term climate resilience into public infrastructure by integrating hard engineering solutions with Nature-based Solutions (NbS).

Situated at the confluence of the Kabul and Swat rivers, Charsadda is among Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's most flood-prone districts, as seen in the devastating floods of 2010 and 2022. Particular attention was given to embankment stabilization, riverbank protection, and safeguarding roads, bridges, irrigation systems and settlements from recurring riverine flooding.

👥 The training brought together district-level government officials who oversee public infrastructure development, empowering key decision-makers to integrate climate and disaster risk criteria throughout every stage of the project lifecycle, from feasibility and design to construction and ongoing maintenance.

🌍 By strengthening technical and institutional capacities, the training supports the integration of climate-resilient and risk-informed approaches into district-level planning and design, contributing to more sustainable public investments and safer communities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Helvetas | Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) | Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH | GIZ Pakistan

01/08/2026

🦺 From Training to Field Practice: Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities in D.I. Khan

Dera Ismail Khan, 24 July 2026 - Senior planners and designers from government line departments took part in a hands-on field demonstration, moving from classroom concepts to real infrastructure challenges on the ground.

🌊 The site was Spur No. 21-A, a river training and flood protection structure on the left bank of the Indus River, managed by the Irrigation Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The spur protects the communities of Kokar and Budani from river erosion and flood risk. On site, participants assessed local conditions and identified practical climate-resilient design measures, with particular focus on the Rod Kohi (Sailaba) spate irrigation system and the growing threat of flash floods and hill torrents from the Sulaiman Mountain Range.

"Connecting theoretical modeling with field realities allows our technical teams to design infrastructure that doesn't just withstand today's floods, but adapts to tomorrow's climate uncertainties."
~ Dr. Shahid Iqbal, Lead Trainer & Technical Specialist, Safer Communities Project

🌿 This field demonstration marks a crucial transition from strategic planning to practical, risk-informed ex*****on, ensuring climate resilience is built directly into the infrastructure D.I. Khan depends on most.

The field demonstration was part of a three-day training under the Capacity Development for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa project, implemented by Helvetas Pakistan and funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Helvetas | Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH | Pakistan

🌍 ♻️

31/07/2026

🏗️Resilient Infrastructure, Resilient Communities: Strengthening Institutional Capacity in D.I. Khan ♻️

Helvetas Pakistan concluded a three-day training for senior planners and designers from government line departments in District Dera Ismail Khan from 22 to 24 July 2026. The training was conducted under the Capacity Development for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure for Safer Communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The training strengthened participants' technical knowledge and practical skills in climate and disaster risk assessment, hydrological and hydraulic analysis, climate-informed infrastructure planning and design, vulnerability assessment, feasibility studies, inclusive and risk-informed decision-making, embankment protection, drainage design, slope stabilization, erosion and sediment management, and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for resilient infrastructure development.

Given the unique hydro-climatic context of Dera Ismail Khan, special emphasis was placed on the Rod Kohi (Sailaba) spate irrigation system-one of Pakistan's most distinctive indigenous water management systems. Discussions explored how increasing rainfall variability, high-intensity convective storms, flash floods, and hill torrents originating from the Sulaiman Mountain Range are altering runoff regimes and sediment transport dynamics. These changes are increasing the vulnerability of Sailaba irrigation networks, agricultural lands, flood protection embankments, culverts, roads, bridges, water supply systems, and rural settlements.

👥 The training brought together engineers, planners, and technical officials whose decisions directly influence the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of public infrastructure across the district. Strengthening their technical capacity is essential for mainstreaming climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable infrastructure development into future public investments.

🌍 By strengthening technical and institutional capacities, the training supports the integration of climate-resilient and risk-informed approaches into district-level planning and design. This will contribute to more sustainable public investments and help reduce the vulnerability of infrastructure and communities to future climate and disaster risks.

Helvetas | Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) | Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH | GIZ Pakistan | Deputy Commissioner DIKhan

# fans 🌍 🌱

27/07/2026

Free Birth Registration Campaign Launched in Peshawar 📜

Under the Inclusive Protection for Vulnerable Children (IPVC) project, a Free Birth Registration Campaign has launched in District Peshawar, supporting every vulnerable child's right to a legal identity through an official birth certificate.

The campaign registered 510+ children in its initial drive and is now rolling out across targeted areas, including VC Wadpagga 02, VC Muhammad Zai 03, and VC Dalazak-II / Bela Niko Khan 04, with further expansion planned to additional Village and Neighbourhood Councils across Peshawar.

🤝 For families who face cost or access barriers to registration, IPVC has came forward to support them in this very essential task.

🏫 A birth certificate is the gateway to protection, schooling, healthcare, and other essential services. This campaign ensures no child is left without that recognition.

| Solidarity | CPWC

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Monday	08:30 - 17:00
Tuesday	08:30 - 17:00
Wednesday	08:30 - 17:00
Thursday	08:30 - 17:00
Friday	08:30 - 17:00
Saturday	08:30 - 17:00