Project considered a milestone in rural development, combining advanced engineering with strong community participation
Lift Irrigation Project in GB’s Nagar district. PHOTO: EXPRESS
German Ambassador to Pakistan Ina Lepel on Thursday visited the Qorqon Dass Lift Irrigation Project in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Nagar district and praised the initiative to convert barren hillsides into fertile agricultural land and promote large-scale afforestation in the region.
The German envoy met with members of the local community and representatives of the Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP), which implemented the project under the Hydropower and Renewable Energy Phase II (HRE-II) initiative, supported by Germany’s KfW Development Bank.
The innovative irrigation system pumps the water 418 feet uphill to the Qorqon Dass plateau, making it possible to cultivate 1,200 kanals of previously uncultivable land. The project is considered a milestone in sustainable rural development, combining advanced engineering with strong community participation.
“This initiative reflects the ongoing partnership between the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and German development cooperation,” Lepel said. “It demonstrates how collaboration and joint commitment can deliver tangible progress in improving livelihoods and resilience.”
A distinctive feature of the project is its focus on women’s empowerment. Thirty percent of the newly irrigated land – about 360 kanals – has been allocated to women’s organizations, giving them ownership and direct control over agricultural production for the first time.
“The water lifted uphill has also lifted our place in society,” said Bibi Hoor, president of the Akbarabad Women Organisation.
In addition to promoting gender equality, the society has designated an additional 30 percent of the land for wildlife habitat, underscoring its commitment to biodiversity and climate resilience.
“Climate change has hit our mountains hard – springs have dried up and wildlife is disappearing,” said Sajid Ali, chairman of the Shainbar Rural Support Organisation. “By dedicating land to both agriculture and biodiversity, we heal both our people and our environment.”
Villagers described the project as both an engineering feat and a social transformation. “It’s like making the river climb the mountain,” remarked a local elder when the first streams reached the plateau.
Located about 50 kilometers from Gilgit and up 6,079 feet above sea level, Chalt i Nagar has long depended on subsistence agriculture. The new irrigation system is expected to benefit over 570 families by increasing food security, increasing incomes and promoting environmental regeneration.
For AKRSP, the project continues a four-decade legacy of helping mountain communities reclaim and cultivate over 131,000 hectares of new land across Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral.
Experts say the Qorqon Dass project’s integration of technology, social equity and environmental stewardship makes it a model for climate-smart rural development in Pakistan’s northern regions.
