Consultative Workshop on development of Climate Change Local Adaptation Plan of Action (LAPA) District Rawalpindi (Report) Geography: Rawalpindi District is a district of Pakistan in the northern region of the Punjab province. The district has an area of 5,286 km. It is situated on the southern slopes of the north-western boundaries of the Himalayas, including large mountain tracts with rich valleys traversed by Mountain Rivers. The chief rivers are the Indus and the Jhelum, and the climate is renowned for its health benefits. According to Punjab Development Statistics 2011, total population of Rawalpindi district is 4,395 thousand persons out of which 2,241 thousand are males and 2,154 thousand are females. There is an extensive disparity of climate between various parts of the district. The Murree tehsil has severe winter and mild summer, while Gujar Khan and Rawalpindi tehsils have a searing summer and a temperate winter. The average rain fall in the district is 1550 mm. The land in tehsils Gujjar Khan and Rawalpindi is generally plain. Administration: Pakistan’s 18th constitutional amendment was signed into law in 2010 targeting to decentralize political hegemony. It pursued to curb the oft-abused supremacies of the Pakistani presidency and empower the country’s four provinces by transferring federal-level capital, resources and authorities to provincial governments. The main purpose was to ensure upright governance and impartiality at the doorstep. This plan gave the assurance of the rights of the people and their partaking in the communal welfare. Local government setup Under the latest amendment of Pakistan's administrative edifice, promulgated in 2001, Rawalpindi became a City District, and was divided into eight towns and Cantonment area. Rawal Town Potohar Town Gujar Khan Town KalarSyeedan Town Kahuta Town KotliSattian Town Murree Town Taxila Town Each town in turn consists of a group of union councils. Local government bodies: District government and its hierarchy Economy: The economy of Rawalpindi and the adjoining district has a diverse industrial base. There are about 2,005 cottage level and small/medium/large scale industrial units functioning in the Rawalpindi. The chief industries of the city include oil refineries, gas processing, steel manufacturing, iron mills, railroad yards, a brewery, sawmills, tent factories, textiles, hosiery, pottery, leather goods production., transport and tourism. The Rawalpindi city is home to many industries and factories. It also borders Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, of which it is deliberated a sister city of. Besides having an imperative railroad junction, the city has been one of the most important military cantonment areas in South Asia since the British Raj era Wheat, Maize, Jawar and Ground Nut are the main crops grown in the district. Production of these crops during the period 2008-09 to 2010-11 is given in table. Production of Main Crops (2008-09 to 2010-11) Crops Production (Th.M.Tons) 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Wheat 207.80 87.56 158.06 Maize 41.7 31.5 46.9 Jawar 12.9 11.4 14.3 Ground nut - 3.1 4.9 Source: Directorate of Agriculture, Crop Reporting Service, Punjab How is climate change affecting the area? Climate change is affecting almost all the segments of our economy, predominantly water resources, energy, health and biodiversity, with a major impact on agricultural productivity. For a developing country like Pakistan, with its high population growth rate, over-reliance on the environment for its basic survival, poverty, lack of resources and inadequate planning, any natural disaster results in colossal damage. The district is known for its exportable quality of groundnuts and expanses over 6,500 square kilometers of semi-arid terrain. Its population relies wholly on the rains for cultivation of crops. The disease breaks out in humidity and heavy rains and upsets the yields of crops. The crop of lentils which requires less water is also affected by the excessive and irregular rains. Due to heavy rains the lentil plant overgrew and the stems could not stand the load of grains. According to agriculture experts, many crops such as gram, lentils and oilseed are dreaded to vanish from Potohar region which alone contributes 20 to 30 per cent to the total crop production of the Punjab, due to change in weather and rainfall patterns. Extreme flood years due to high intensity and increased amount of rainfall caused the water level of Lai Nullah and its tributaries to rise extraordinarily and flooding Rawalpindi where the damages were several times grander than in Islamabad which resulted in a damage/loss of billions of dollars to infrastructure, Government and private property. Apple production in Rawalpindi and climate change Maintenance of healthy and productive apple orchards necessitate appropriate moisture content. Apple production decreased ominously due to temperature and rainfall fluctuation. Remarkable decline in apple production was witnessed because of radical climatic changes like extreme temperature rise and high precipitation. These abrupt changes in weather pattern resulted in decreased production. What next? Concept of integrated flood management – Lai nullah basin. Awareness in targeted local communities. Plant trees which will provide the local communities with fuel and shade and also help them during the floods. Change the timings of planting certain crops. Local Adaptation Plan of Action District Rawalpindi What Connection to Where to Who will When to implement How to What Who will Action? Thematic implemen implement TIMING? impleme will it pay Areas t? ? nt? cost? (Donor)? Activities Location Short Medium Long Methods Amou Donor Term Term Term nt of Mone y Climate Food, Health, District District XXXXX XXXXXX XXXXX Using change Agriculture, Rawalpind Forum for various adaptation Irrigation i Local mediums awareness in Adaptation ; Radio, order to Action Tv and increase the Planning social responsibility media of civic etc. institutions Data Health , District District XXXXX Research Collection on environment Rawalpind Forum for and data invariable And i Local collection temperatures agriculture Adaptation for the last Action ten years for Planning conducting research on heat waves in the district Data Analysis Health , District District XXXXX Data environment Rawalpind Forum for study And i Local using agriculture Adaptation scientific Action methodo Planning logies Consultative District District XXXXX Consultat meeting for Rawalpind Forum for ive the revision i Local meeting and updating Adaptation of the Local Action adaptation Planning plan of action Rawalpindi Coordination Community District Rawalpindi XXXXX Meetings with participation Rawalpind forum meteorologic i al department for in time warning for any significant climate change signs especially regarding the invariable temperatures /Heat waves. Devising a Food, Health, District District Counselli local planon Agriculture, Rawalpind Forum for ng how to Irrigation i Local meetings withstandext Adaptation with local reme Action communi temperatures Planning ty and and district fluctuations officials in the rainfall patterns and how to overcome water shortage in the district .