The Green Climate Fund (GCF), the world’s largest source of climate finance, has approved 250 million dollars for the “Glaciers to Farms” program, which aims to protect water and agriculture systems in glacier-dependent regions of Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Pakistan.
Led by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the program will receive most of the GCF support as grants and will be implemented alongside 3.25 billion dollars in investments from ADB over the next ten years.
Pakistan, which depends heavily on glacier and snow-fed rivers for farming and water supply, is among the key countries to benefit. The Swat River Basin in northern Pakistan has been selected as one of the main focus areas, where the melting of glaciers has begun to affect both agriculture and local livelihoods.
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According to ADB, the rapid retreat of glaciers poses a serious threat to the region’s ecosystems and economies. Around one in four people in these areas work in agriculture, making water shortages and climate impacts especially dangerous for rural communities.
The Glaciers to Farms program will support research on climate and glacier changes to guide national development plans. It will also help improve early warning systems to prepare communities for hazards like glacial lake outburst floods and droughts.
In Pakistan and other countries, the program will strengthen local banks so they can better support agricultural businesses, particularly those led by women. It will also introduce social protection and health services for communities facing water scarcity and extreme heat.
GCF’s regional director Thomas Eriksson said the initiative is a landmark example of how collaboration and innovation can help countries adapt to climate change. He added that the program will improve data sharing, coordination, and financial readiness to build lasting resilience in water and food systems across glacier-fed regions.
