Aga Khan Rural Support Programme Research Articles

Supporting farmer-managed irrigation systems in the Shigar valley, Karakorum: Role of the government and Aga Khan Rural Support Programme

Farmer-managed irrigation systems (FMIS) in the high altitude valleys of the Karakorum, Pakistan, continue to be managed effectively despite increased pressure on the social arrangements that sustain them. Colonial era records shows that over a century ago government agencies undertook irrigation support projects. In the past three decades, government agencies and the non-government agency Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), which channels foreign funds into the region, have actively engaged in the provision of irrigation support. This article seeks to explore whether such projects support or undermine farmer-managed irrigation systems and the complex institutional arrangements that underpin them. Field research using ethnographic and participatory methods was conducted in spring 2013 in the upper Shigar valley, Skardu district, Gilgit-Baltistan. The findings show that irrigation development is a political activity that involves village-based actors, religious leaders, local politicians, and government and non-government agencies. Government agencies operate in a largely top-down, engineering mode, their larger projects limited to villages suffering water scarcity. The local government provides small funds for renovation work of FMIS, though allocation of funds is highly politicized. Non-government agencies, for a variety of reasons including donor-funding cycles, apply a one-size-fits-all ‘participatory’ model in an attempt to socially engineer rules and institutions. In communities divided by factionalism the use of such external models that stress formation of committees are unlikely to yield positive results, and could instead contribute to undermining the very systems they seek to support. This research argues that irrigation interventions should take care to build upon the rich and complex social arrangements that have sustained FMIS through the centuries.

Role of AKRSP on Gender Development: A Case Study in Pakistan

ABSTRACTIn Pakistan, nongovernmental agencies (NGOs) play an important role in program implementation. This study focuses on the contribution of one of these NGO social service programs that serves women in a rural area of Pakistan. To assess program satisfaction and effectiveness, 200 females were surveyed to measure their opinions and overall satisfaction with this particular NGO. The key findings of the study showed that the Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) had a significant positive impact on the lives of these women through increasing social and decision-making skills while improving their income and living standards by providing employment opportunities and training. Future recommendations are made to continue to sponsor such programs that focus on a group-support for women while also providing supportive services that empower decision-making and economic standing.

Poverty Trends and Issues in the Remote Mountains of Northern Pakistan

This paper attempts to draw on experiences of policy interventions in fighting chronic poverty in remote rural areas (RRA) in the North of Pakistan, which straddle the Himalayan, Hindukush and Karakurum mountain ranges. Northern Areas, a classic spatial poverty trap, were landlocked until recently when the Karakurum Highway was constructed, connecting Islamabad to Southern China. Typically poor in geographical capital, with per capita incomes at a third of the national level, this area has recently been the subject of greater government investment, partly because of its strategic proximity to the Siachin Glacier and Kashmir. This paper analyzes the dynamics and challenges in an RRA opening up to new opportunities and livelihood options. The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (a Pakistani NGO) helped in this process through building on and enhancing social capital in these marginalized areas and leveraging it to improve the quantity and quality of human and produced capital. Not discounting the issues of attribution, this experience of fighting poverty through community driven development has recorded doubling of per capita incomes in real terms over a two-decade period.

Microfinance - A Poverty Reducing Agent in Pakistan

Pakistan is a large country with a population estimated at 180 millions. The economy has a low Per Capita Income of US$ 600 approximately, with an estimated purchasing power parity of $ 2500. Poverty has always remained a major development problem of Pakistan. Many methods have been used in the past to alleviate poverty including Direct Credit Approach, focus on job creation, heightened economic activities etc. Islamic modes of financing included Fitrana, Sadqat, Ijarah, Istisna, Bai Muajal, Salam, Musarakah, Mudarabah, Leasings and so many other things, but the results are not encouraging. The main focus of these approaches was on income redistribution. However, there is immense evidence suggesting that a successful anti-poverty strategy should include a policy regime that promotes inclusive economic growth; investments in human capital, infrastructure, and micro-credit. In fact microfinance encompasses all these important aspects and that is the reason to work on this particular area and analyze broadly its effect on the economy of Pakistan.Microfinance arose in the 1980s as a response to doubts and research findings about US state delivery of subsidized credit to poor farmers. Grameen Bank’s of Dr. Yunus is still considered as the main pioneer in the provision of microfinance. In the 1970s US government agencies were the predominant methods of providing productive credit to those with no previous access to credit facilities. In Pakistan there are many formal, semi-formal and informal channels working for the provision of the micro-credit. In this paper, Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN) and Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) have been chosen for this purpose, and to discuss their maximum outreach including, the First Microfinance Bank, Kashf Foundation, Orangi Pilot Project, Punjab Rural Support Program and The Bank of Khyber. Microfinance has seemed to last a positive impacts on the Economy, culture and Psychology of the area where it was provided. Village organizations in the area of AKRSP seemed to have a positive impact (resulting in wealth creation, better productivity & income, better human resource management and conservation of natural resources). At the macro level provision of microfinance results in alleviation of poverty, female empowerment and development of overall financial system.

Effect of Human Resource Development on Livestock Production in District Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan(A Study Conducted by Agha Khan Rural Support Programme)

3 Abstract: A study was conducted to examine the effect of Aga Khan Rural Support Program on huma n resource development particularly on livestock management in district Chitral. Study was conducted in three- community organizations in village Charun, Tehsil Mastu, Chitral. A total 120 respondents were randomly selected for interview, 98 beneficiaries and 22 non-beneficia ries. Almost 100% respondents were landowners, cultivating a land of about two kanal and were satisfied with training component of AKRSP , about 47% were literate. The enrolled respondents were 50.2% of the age 33-45 years and 30.1% of the age 46-58 years. Farming was main occupation of 64% beneficiaries, 29% adopted as secondary occupation and 8% having not even the secondary occupation. The rest were engaged in other services like business, labor etc., while majority having annual income ranging from RS. 34600 to 45600. About 45% respondents applied training information and found it useful. Collectively observed 47% increase in livestock size and 24%-improved breed was used as AKRSP had provided a jersey bull for crossing with local breed. The after effects of the study resulted in improved managemental practices which caused remarkable development like enhanced production and increased income of the beneficiaries i.e. up to 62%, changes in farmin g practice up to 19% and up gradation in occupation of 65% beneficiaries. Besides improvement in the size of livestock holding and milk production, medication and vaccination reduced animal mortality and disease out breaks. The study showed that diseases can be controlled and income could be improved if inputs and credit are provided in the areas of concern.

The new development paradigm through the lens of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme: legitimacy, accountability and the political sphere

This article critically reviews the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) in light of Joseph Stiglitz's ‘new development paradigm’ (NDP). Based on the analysis of the pioneering participatory development strategies applied by the AKRSP in Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Pakistan, the NDP is used to highlight a number of issues. I argue that an emphasis on social legitimacy and the political sphere as a realm for political debate and action can clarify relationships between funders, projects and communities, and contribute to the ground assessment of the impacts of the AKRSP on local communities. Raising issues about accountability and transparency, and questioning the robustness of political relations towards which the NDP works, I conclude that the AKRSP's participatory development model may, contrary to the rhetoric of empowerment inherent to the concept of participatory development, in fact lead to the effective weakening of political rights.

Provision of basic services in the Hunza Valley: Transition from social mobilization to social entrepreneurship

Provision of basic services in the remote Hunza Valley of northern Pakistan continues to be a major challenge for the public sector. Poor governance, lack of technical and institutional capacities and an absence of financing mechanisms mean that such operations cannot be sustained by the public sector. This experience-based paper shows that, while the demand for services increased with improved socio-economic well-being in the valley, the supply-side gap has not been met by the public sector. Rather, people's needs in Gilgit-Baltistan have been addressed by a range of solutions including innovative merging of civil society and private sector approaches.This article narrates and evaluates three such cases from the Hunza Valley, namely: the Hunza Environmental Committee, the Hunza Power Utility Company and the Hyderabad Rural Support Organization's early childhood development services. These service providers have received support from multiple actors – local civil society organizations, agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network including the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme, and in some cases government offices – but the services are ultimately sustained through private sector fee-for-service models. The path from ‘social mobilization’ to ‘social entrepreneurship’ has not been without challenges some of which persist till today, and this paper looks at the successes as well as the challenges.

The limits of success? NGOs, microfinance and economic development in Pakistan's Northern Areas

Microfinance's staunchest proponent, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, speaks of it as a basic human right and argues that the world's poor are natural entrepreneurs. Pakistan's Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP), one of the world's largest and most successful NGOs, has run microfinance and micro-enterprise programmes in Pakistan's Northern Areas since 1982. This article examines microfinance-induced micro-entrepreneurship as a sustainable economic development policy in light of AKRSP's experience and concludes that, given AKRSP's extensive resources and relative failure, microfinance's efficacy as a sustainable economic development policy (but not its role in poverty alleviation) is doubtful.

The role of Aga Khan Rural Support Programme in rural development in the Karakorum, Hindu Kush & Himalayan region: Examples from the northern mountainous belt of Pakistan

Pakistan is predominantly a mountainous country where rural development activities are characterised by inconsistency, politically motivated short-term projects without proper feedback. Since the inception of the country, the top-down approach has been followed, and the same development plans that were formulated for the plain areas have been extended to the mountains without any modification. In doing so, neither the participation of the local communities was cared for, nor the mountain specificities were considered in the planning process. Moreover, the representation of the local inhabitants was improper and contradictory to the facts. This biased approach has been one of the main causes for the failure of development projects carried out by different agencies of the Government. Contrary to the perception of the state authorities, the mountain communities proved to be more open to accept new approaches and demonstrated the capacity and capability of being a dependable development partner. In this paper, a detailed account of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) has been presented to assess and evaluate the approach followed by this non-governmental organisation (NGO), and the response of the local inhabitants as collaborators in the development process. The achievements of the AKRSP from project planning, implementation and monitoring can be adopted as a model for rural development not only in the plains, but also in the mountainous areas of the developing countries in the world.

NGOs and Gender Development, the Case of AKRSP in District Chitral, NWFP, Pakistan

The empowerment of women and improvement of their socioeconomic status are essential ingredients of economic, political and social development. To achieve these objectives, the Government and NGOs have launched a number of programs in various parts of the country. The Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) is working on the same agenda in Northern districts of North West Frontier Province (NWFP). The aim of the present research was to study the gender related interventions introduced by the AKRSP in District Chitral. The study findings show that the gender related interventions introduced by AKRSP have played a key role in the development of rural women in the area under reference. In addition to the provision of water supply schemes, health and credit facilities, training has also been imparted to the local women in different sectors of the rural economy including: agriculture, livestock management, vocational and enterprise development. This training has had a positive effect on economic activities performed by rural women and has enhanced the income of the respondents from various economic activities in their respective fields in the research area. Another major effect of the AKRSP interventions was the saving of time of rural women that had been spent on fetching water before these interventions. Though these interventions have improved the socio-economic conditions of women to a greater extent in the area, their sustainability requires regular monitoring and follow-up of training.

From Substitution to Complementarity: Some Econometric Evidence on the Evolving NGO-State Relationship in Pakistan

This paper investigates the relationship between government policies and quasi-public institutions such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). In particular, it attempts to identify under which conditions they can act as complements or substitutes. The case of Pakistan is used to motivate three sets of research questions: (a) Is there credible evidence of government policy failure in Pakistan? (b) If so, have any NGOs emerged in response to this, to act as either complements to or substitutes for policies? (c) What are the key characteristics of any such NGOs and how might they contribute to overall NGO success? Drawing upon the experience of the Aga Khan Rural Support Program in northern Pakistan, the paper uses both qualitative and econometric techniques to help answer these questions.

Changes in Life Styles as a Result of Regional Development in Gojal, Northern Areas of Pakistan

The Gojal in the northern part of Hunza, Northern Areas of Pakisutan, is located in parts of the Karakoram range and the Pamir plateau. This area is inhabited by “Wakhi”, a Persian speaking ethnic group.As the Karakoram Highway (KKH), which is the main route connecting Islamabad with China, had been constructed through Gojal, the benefits of road transportation and the inflow of foreign tourists changed the situations of agriculture, tourism, and life styles of the villagers. Additionally, the development was also quickened by the promotion of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP).In Hussaini village, the traditional agricultural system, based on the rotation system of wheat, barley, and peas has decreased, and potatoes (as a commodity) have become the main crop in recent years. Because of good accessibility to the main resources of mountain tourism in Passu village, several lodging establishments, shops, and vehicles are now owned, and almost all of the villagers have been engaged with tourism.These changes in the region, however, are not suitable for the sustainable development of agriculture and tourism. For the future development of the region, intensive activities and efforts of villagers are necessary to establish a sustainable system supported by regional resources, i.e., natural landscapes and the traditional culture.

The Appropriateness of a Community-based Programme: A Case-study of the AKRSP in Two Villages of Gilgit District

With the abolition of Mirdom in 1972, social and economic change picked up in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Apart from the government, the other significant agent of change has been the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP). For any such programme to be successful it is important that the programme is designed, implemented and managed, keeping in view the local socio-economic conditions, ecology and, most importantly, characteristics of the poor. This paper is based on a study conducted in two villages, Rabat and Chaprote, in the Nagar Sub-division of Gilgit District, in 1990-91.1 It seeks to examine the projects launched by the AKRSP, the relevance of these projects to the local context, and their performance at the micro-level.

Enterprise credit in Pakistan's Northern Areas

The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) has very recently introduced a commercial credit package to assist individual entrepreneurs. Having operated in the Northern Areas of Pakistan for over ten years it was decided to use established village organizations to gain information about suitable borrowers and to apply communal pressure to ensure loan repayment. Although the programme is in its early stages there are already some encouraging results as well as some areas of concern.

Rural change in the Third World: Pakistan and the Aga Khan Rural Support Program

Preface The Mountain Society and Economy: An Introduction The AKRSP Model and Strategy Interface of AKRSP and Rural Communities Responses of Rural Communities to AKRSP Adoption of Production Packages and Technologies Future Challenges: The Transition Donor Assistance Lessons for Rural Development Selected Bibliography Index

A Model: The Aga Khan Rural Support Program

A Model: The Aga Khan Rural Support Program