The German envoy met with local community members and representatives of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (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 water 418 feet uphill to the Qorqon Dass plateau, enabling the cultivation of 1,200 kanals of previously uncultivable land. The project is viewed as a milestone in sustainable rural development, combining advanced engineering with strong community participation.
“This initiative reflects the enduring partnership between the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and German development cooperation,” Lepel said. “It demonstrates how collaboration and shared commitment can yield tangible progress in improving livelihoods and resilience.”
A distinctive feature of the project is its focus on women’s empowerment. Thirty per cent of the newly irrigated land — about 360 kanals — has been allocated to women’s organisations, giving them ownership and direct control over agricultural production for the first time.
“The water lifted uphill has also lifted our place in the community,” said Bibi Hoor, president of the Akbarabad Women Organisation.
In addition to advancing gender equality, the community has designated another 30 per cent of the land for wildlife habitats, highlighting its commitment to biodiversity and climate resilience.
“Climate change has hit our mountains hard — springs have dried up, and wildlife is vanishing,” said Sajid Ali, chairman of the Shainbar Rural Support Organisation. “By dedicating land to both farming and biodiversity, we are healing 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 as the first streams reached the plateau.
Located about 50 kilometres from Gilgit and perched 6,079 feet above sea level, Chalt in Nagar has long relied on subsistence farming. The new irrigation system is expected to benefit over 570 families by enhancing food security, boosting incomes, and fostering 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 areas.