Field-notes from Pakistan; what have our Climate Research Grantees been up to?
This summer The Borrowed Earth Project tried something new. We offered two research grants to top quality young researchers from Pakistan to investigate a climate issue of their choice. Over the past few weeks we have worked closely with the grantees - Nouman Alam and Maria Samiwala (find out more about them here!) - who have been highly active, gathering original data from the field in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi.
Here’s what they’ve been up to…
Our research grantee Maria Samiwala has done her field work in multiple districts of Karachi, talking to various stakeholders working within its waste sector. Over the past several weeks, she interviewed private organisations working towards sustainable waste management for Karachi, including a visit to a Garbage Transfer Station in Karachi’s largest district Malir, where Tearfund Pakistan has been conducting their pilot community waste management project, Haryali Hub, in collaboration with the local government. She recently visited sites in District Central, where independent contractors are working to collect waste from households and commercial areas.
In addition, Maria’s field work has included documenting garbage dumping practices in various areas around Karachi, specifically near Lyari River—one of Karachi’s two main stormwater drains. In sharing her research process, Maria hopes to add context and understanding to the challenges faced by the 20 million inhabitants of Karachi in tackling the mammoth problem of waste management.
Our research intern Nouman Alam is doing field work in district Lakki Marwat and district Swat. In his recent fieldwork, Nouman has been actively engaged in assessing the local perspectives of farmers and schoolteachers in district Lakki Marwat and district Swat regarding flood frequency and extreme weather events. This research endeavour is a critical component of their efforts to enhance the resilience of these communities to climate change impacts. Over the past several weeks, he has conducted numerous interviews with farmers, gathering valuable insights into their experiences with floods and extreme weather events. Additionally, he is collaborating closely with schoolteachers, and trying to find the school-based solution to flood risk in the local area.
Furthermore, Nouman has been actively engaging with local communities, discussing potential local solutions to mitigate the impact of floods and extreme weather events. These discussions have been instrumental in developing new measures and recommendations tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by these vulnerable communities. As part of documenting this fieldwork comprehensively, he has diligently captured moments and experiences through photographs. In sharing these pictures, they aim to foster a greater understanding of the challenges faced by these communities and highlight the importance of collaboration in building resilience against the increasing threat of floods and extreme weather events.
Both Maria’s and Nouman’s research reports will be published soon - watch this space!
…And please get in touch if you think your organisation / team can support in the dissemination of this great research! (Contact us here)