Chitral is the largest and the northern most districtin the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan.The word 'Chitral' means "field" in the nativelanguage (Khowar). The terrain of Chitral is quitemountainous and includes part of the PamirMountain. On the west it borders with Afghanistanand with the Wakhan Corridor (a narrow stripseparating Pakistan and Tajikistan) in the north,Northern Areas in the east and districts of UpperDir and Swat in the South. Previously Chitral wasa princely state and was merged with Pakistan in1969.

In Chitral district, there exists a high dependence on naturalresources. Natural resources in the valley exhibit the typical featuresof a dry temperate ecology. Chitral does not receive any monsoonrains due to which the climate is dry. The district is extremely scenicwith distinct Chitrali culture and history. Some of the most uniqueforests are available in Chitral which offer livelihood opportunitiesto the local inhabitants. Chitral is a fragile district and prone tonatural disasters such as flash floods and snow avalanches.Generally the landholding is small due to scarce available landand partly due to the lack of sufficient water for irrigation. Most ofthe agricultural production is at subsistence level on mountainterraces. Involvement of women in development initiatives inSouthern Chitral is challenging due to conservative elements inthe society. However in upper Chitral the communities are veryopen to development interventions for women and men. The districtChitral is cut off by snow from the rest of the country for nearlysix months in a year, a problem soon to be relieved by the under-construction Lowari tunnel.

The Livelihoods Programme (LP) is working in two selected valleys, Shishi and Birir in Chitral district. These two valleys were selecteddue to the extreme poverty prevailing. These are remote valleys, little attended by service providers due to their remoteness, despitehigh development potential and interest in local communities.

Livelihood potentials / vulnerabilities• The valleys are bestowed with rich natural resources including precious forest species of Deodar used for construction purposes,

Pine nut and also Oak forests supplied to the rest of Chitral as firewood.• People are socially open to development and there is no problem associated with access to women for development interventions.• The area is prone to disasters such as flash floods and heavy soil erosion. In upper parts of the valley, heavy snow and occasional

avalanches also occur.• Extreme poverty prevails due to limited diversity of livelihood resources• High dependency on natural resources• Remoteness and limited access by service providers (e.g. education, health, agriculture)• Limited access to market

• Latitude: 35.12o-36.50o N• Longitude: 71.20o-73.55o E• Elevation: 1,094-7,726 m• Population: 3,20,000• Rural/urban ratio: 100:0• Union Councils: 24• Human Development Index: 0.479• Population below poverty line: 36%• Literacy rate: 40.3%• Annual average rainfall: 200-650 mm• Total land: 14,85,000 ha• Cultivable: 20,999 ha• Irrigated: 20,934 ha• Rainfed: 1,618 ha

Source: District Census Report 1998

District Chitral

The Livelihoods Programme

Shishi valleyUnion Council Shishi Koh is the largest valley of Tehsil Drosh (Chitral). Mostof the area is double cropped i.e. maize and wheat are consecutively grownexcept in Madaklasht, which is the last village of the valley. The main sourcesof income are wood cutting (both fire wood and timber), pine nut and walnutcollection, livestock rearing, daily-wage labour and subsistence farming.

Three types of people live in the valley as per the households’ typologyestablished by the LP. These are: The poor (gharib); subsistence (guzara)and the prosperous (qawteen). This categorization has been done through aprocess of livelihoods assessment conducted with the communities. It is basedon the socio economic status of the area.

Birir valleyBirir is one of the Kalash valleys situated on the right bank of river Chitraltowards the west. The valley is generally a double cropping zone except forvillages situated in the upper parts of the valley.As in Shishi Kow, three types of people live in the valley as per households’typology conducted by the LP. These are: The poor (gharib), subsistence(guzara) and the prosperous (qawteen).

Interventions undertaken by LP:Based on the potential, vulnerabilities of the valleys and the typology data,the programme has implemented the following development interventions:

• Establishment of fruit orchards, off-season vegetables, improved varietiesof vegetables and cereals

• Kitchen gardening• Livestock management and breed improvement (small and large ruminants)• Distribution of goats and poultry under a revolving mechanism among the

poor• Improved varieties of fodder and feed• Introduction of fuel efficient stoves for reduced fuel-wood consumption and

smoke inhalation by the women• Reducing disaster risk through measures like protection walls, check dams,

plantations and soil conservation activities• Preparedness for disasters among communities is also a high priority area

in the villages.• Community based small infrastructures such as drinking water, irrigation

channels and pony tracks.• Income generation through sustainable collection of Pine nuts and Walnuts using improved technologies and tools.• Improved skills in sustainable collection and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants.• Local products such as embroidery and woolen work, etc.• Skill development (e.g. Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), and computer literacy, etc)• Strengthening of business associations (pine nuts /walnuts).• Non Formal Education for out of school children and Adult Literacy Centers.• Providing access to financial services.

• Number of total villages: 37• Number of villages: 20• Number of household: 2,102• total population: 1,2412• Total area: 5,8700 ha• Agriculture: 1,067 ha• Forest: 1,4755 ha• Rangeland: 35,959 ha• Annual average rainfall: 200-400mm

Source: Agricultural Statistics

The Livelihoods Programme

• Total villages: 11• LP villages: 11• Number of households: 320• Total population: 2,800• Total area: 9,900 ha• Agriculture: 213 ha• Forest: 4,534 ha• Rangeland: 4,350 ha• Annual average rainfall: 200-400 mm

Source: HDR UNDP

Key facts on the Livelihoods Programme

Funding: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)Implementation: Intercooperation, (Swiss Foundation for Development and International Cooperation),in collaboration with the Planning and Development Department, Government of NWFPDuration: Phase I: January 2008 – December 2010; A second phase is planned.Geographical coverage: Districts of Chitral, Swat, Buner, Haripur, Karak and Dera Ismail Khan.Budget: CHF 7,971,000 (phase I)Contact: icpak@intercooperation.org.pkP.O. Box: 603www.intercooperation.org.pkJanuary, 2010