Indus Delta Eco-region

Landscape description

Amongst the 40 most bio rich ecoregions in the world. 65% of the province of Sindh, 18 districts while a small northwestern part extends to Balochistan. Semi arid environment, riverine forests along the Indus river, wetlands, mangrove forests in coastal areas, desert ecosystems.

Country

Pakistan

Contact organisation

WWF Pakistan

Local landscape lead

Neshmiya Adnan Khan, WWF PK

Main partners

Strong network of NGOs and CSO, Friends of the Indus, through District coordination committee. City wide partnership for the water stewardship program, including in Karachi

Government endorsement 

Yes, Overarching MSP: Indus Ecoregion Steering committee (IESC), overseeing implementation of the 50 year programme. Chaired by the Chief Secretary of Development in the government of Sindh and has many rep from NGO, CSO, Gvt, WWF, key stakeholders. Stakeholder mapping done.

Private sector 

TCCC, (water filtration plant) H&M, IKEA (sust. agri), Levis (freshwater, water filtration plant for leather and textile) Sui Northernern gas pipeline near Karachi. C&A foundation, Nestle, Pepsi Co, Titans, ZRK

Total area (ha)

924 470 ha

Overall goal

A climate resilient Indus river basin and landscape that attracts private investment to increase sustainable products value chain and create alternative livelihoods

Expected impacts

Threats

The pressures identified in the region include:

1. On arable land: climate change, sea water intrusion (as a result of rising sea levels because of climate change) that has rendered agricultural land waterlogged and saline, deterioration of soil fertility, and soil erosion;.

2. On Mangroves: overgrazing, burning for fuelwood, construction, timber, animal feed, and urban development;

3. On freshwater sources: damming of the river, sea water intrusion, and bad management practices;

4. On fisheries (inland & marine): overfishing, loss of habitat (mangroves), fishing during the off-season, ecological degradation of freshwater lakes, bad management practices, lack of proper cold storage for catch, decline in commercially important species of fish dependent on freshwater.;

5. On agricultural productivity: changes in precipitation patterns, poor supply chain development, longer dry arid periods.

Numerous studies have been conducted in the landscape to identify and assess environmental pressures, vulnerabilities, poverty-environment linkages, and natural capital. However, most of these have been limited in scale and scope to a few sites and have not covered the entire landscape nor have they been updated. Pakistan's projected temperature rise and increased uncertainty and variability in precipitation, glacial melt, and river flows, will impact the Indus Basin's wetlands, floodplains, and watersheds ecosystems and their services. Vulnerable communities depend on the water supply and recharge, food and products, flood protection, sediment control, carbon sequestration, climate regulation, and other benefits provided by these ecosystems for their survival.

Landscape approach

Integrated water resource management / Freshwater

Commodities

Fisheries, marine species, eco-tourism, cotton, indigo

Related Sector

To be added

Global brands present

TCCC, H&M, IKEA

Lead institution

Budget

No answer chosen

Current sources of funding

For the Indus Ecoregion, FY19 funding included:

WWF Network WWF-Germany WWF International WWF-Sweden

Expected sources of funding

Public Sector

Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF) European Union (EU) Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Nordic Development Fund (NDF) The World Bank

Corporate Sector

Coca-Cola Beverages Pakistan Limited (CCBPL) IKEA, Sweden Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) Titans Autograph & Memorabilia, Pakistan ZRK Group, Pakistan

Trusts, Foundations, and Others

Engro Foundation Lahore School of Economics MAVA Foundation

Proposed priority programs or sectors

Fisheries, marine species, eco-tourism, cotton, indigo crab ponds, water tanks, solar panels, pit latrines, protection walls and elevated platforms, improved nutrition, improved livelihoods, mangroves plantation, nurseries, water stewardship program. Bankable projects: Hamal lake restoration and efficient irrigation system / Manchar Lake restoration and watershed management / water stewardship potential projects / Mangrove palntation and coastal eco-tourism / indigo dye value chain / indigo dye value chain with wheat, rice, cotton / wetland restoration, RE, freshwater fisheries in Nara canal, chotiari reservoir, Deh Akro and Deh Achro wetland resotration / Indus dolphin eco-tourism water stewardship potential / Indus basin and e-flows assessment

Map

Support needed

Key messages: all elements in place, more advanced than any other landscapes. Timing: need to update and revise timeframe. Needs: build finance and market capacity of the team? bring out conservation M&E into the fund-raising? more transparency on MSP governance? M&E? Climate risk assessment and fund-raising? Land use planning? Risk: too freshwater oriented (biogas)? work in silos and not integration, oversee details that may slow us down, inherits from old system not agile for the future, rely on short term grant money. Potential for: long term funding, grouping/integrating BP into 1 concept and raise fund from climate/dvt funds. Communication will be key, to package a crisp message.