The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) Islamabad office remains at the forefront for the implementation of the United Nation Agenda 2030 and the European Union’s development strategy.
To contribute to achieve common objectives we have defined our strategy through three outcomes that guide our activities in Pakistan. The first outcome aims at enhancing food security and sustainable agro-food production systems, the second at strengthening resilience to climate-related risks and natural disasters, while the third outcome targets job creation promoting sustainable and responsible tourism.
AICS Islamabad employs a model that embraces the result-based approach, emphasizing upon the methodological flexibility necessary for a continuously evolving context. Pakistan is prone to natural disasters and it is indeed imperative to address the challenges of climate change by strengthening partnerships and ensuring ownership from national and provincial institutions.
In all our projects, we put people at the center recognizing the central role of communities to safeguard the ecosystems and to improve the management of natural resources as determinants of development.
In particular, improving water resource management is essentially linked to disaster risk management. These efforts include glacier monitoring and effective water-usage for agricultural purposes.
Consequently, valuable open-access data generated from these activities is now available to policymakers and researchers, fostering informed decision-making. Moreover, AICS Islamabad has undertaken concerted efforts to support Pakistan's farming communities.
The objectives include enhancing value chains, promoting valuable products, strengthening irrigation schemes and supporting the most vulnerable communities.
In this regard, interventions in the olive sector have been a key instrument in elevating socio-economic status of rural households, leveraging upon Italian expertise in the olive oil industry. The whole value chain has been the focus of attention via capacity building and trainings on scientific and technological advancements.
In addition, activities for income generation have also been planned with targeted support on branding and marketing. AICS Islamabad also prioritizes child literacy and raising awareness about preservation of cultural and natural heritage in Pakistan. One significant initiative is the “Radio Education – Promotion of Learning through Radio in Isolated Areas in Pakistan”.
This project seeks to improve the education services in selected communities, enhancing schools and communities in coping with climate change by enhanced knowledge of natural resources and preparedness for disasters.
To achieve these objectives, the project will strategically emphasize practical knowledge through innovative practices and methodologies, such as the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED) as well as promoting indigenous practices.
All in all, these initiatives represent just a few of our ongoing efforts that are driven by the commitment to collaborate in enhancing local capacities and resilience supporting collective efforts to improve Pakistan’s human development and to reduce poverty, while ensuring alignment with Pakistan’s latest sustainable development strategy.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024