The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has announced $250mn in support of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) “Glaciers to Farms” program to help glacier-dependent communities adapt to climate change.
The initiative covers Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Pakistan, focusing on regions most vulnerable to the rapid melting of glaciers and water scarcity.
Under the program, funds will primarily be distributed in the form of grants to support sustainable water and agricultural systems. ADB has also pledged an additional $3.25bn over the next decade to co-finance selected projects across participating countries.
The “Glaciers to Farms” program will promote efficient irrigation, water storage, and watershed management to enhance agricultural productivity and reduce the risks of droughts and floods linked to glacier retreat.
Projects will target four major glacier-fed river basins — the Naryn and Panj in Central Asia, the Kura in the South Caucasus, and the Swat in Pakistan — spanning a total of 27mn hectares.
According to ADB, the initiative will directly benefit around 13mn people, including farmers and vulnerable mountain communities. It will also fund climate and glacier research to inform national development policies and investment strategies.
