TOT participant facilitates the community assessment in Mamuchanmo Village. Photo Credit:ADPC

Gilgit-Baltistan, 1 October 2025 - The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) conducted a Training of Trainers (ToT) on Community-Based Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability Analysis (CCRVA) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) for local partners engaged through the Building Resilience and Addressing Vulnerability to Emergencies (BRAVE) project in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

BRAVE project aims to improve community resilience to climate change and the capacity of key government institutions responsible for delivering climate resilience, including systems for adaptive and shock responsive social protection. Engagements focusing on Climate Resilience is implemented through a consortium led by Concern Worldwide, with ADPC serving as its technical partner. The project is funded by UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

 

Training participants discuss ways to facilitate community assessments. Photo Credit:ADPC

 

The Training of Trainers in Skardu aimed to enhance the partners’ technical capacity to conduct community assessments and identify adaptive pathways to address emerging climate challenges in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. The week-long training introduced participants to CCRVA and CCA tools and methodologies that support the identification of effective adaptation measures and community-led actions. Through interactive and participatory sessions, participants gained practical experience in data collection, analysis, and facilitation techniques, which can strengthen local capacities in climate adaptation and anticipatory action.

 

Trainers from ADPC and Concern Worldwide discuss the TOT with the UK FCDO team. Photo Credit:ADPC

 

ADPC team in collaboration with the team from Concern Worldwide delivered the sessions, providing both technical guidance and on-the-ground perspectives on community engagement in climate risk management. To complement the training, both teams facilitated and monitored the rollout of the CCRVA by implementing partners in Mamuchanmo Village, Markunja Union Council, Shigar District in Gilgit-Baltistan region. This field activity allowed participants to apply their new knowledge and skills with community members, ensuring that the assessment tools are effectively contextualized to local realities.

 

The activity gathered 21 participants representing Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP), and Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH). These participants are responsible for conducting climate change risk and vulnerability assessments across the districts of Ghanche, Kharmang, and Shigar in Gilgit-Baltistan. AKF, AKRSP, and AKAH are key implementing partners of the BRAVE project.

ToT participants and trainers pose for a group picture with the UK FCDO team. Photo Credit:ADPC

 

The UK FCDO team joined the training to observe its effectiveness, interact with beneficiaries and gain deeper insights into the impact at the community level. They commended the quality and relevance of the training, acknowledging its alignment with local needs. Their engagement also encouraged open dialogue, fostered valuable feedback from participants and underscored the importance of collaboration in ensuring the sustainability and scalability of the project in the future.

Through this capacity building initiative, ADPC and its partners continue to advance locally driven and evidence-based climate adaptation in Pakistan. They work together to empower communities to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to the impacts of disasters and climate crisis.

 

For more information, please contact: adpc@adpc.net

 

Project Background:

BRAVE supports the development of climate-resilient adaptation plans at village, union council, and district levels, while promoting inclusive resilience strategies that actively engage women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. It enhances climate-smart and diversified livelihoods by introducing regenerative agricultural practices, eco-DRR and nature-based solutions, and piloting watershed management and water conservation models, including high-efficiency irrigation systems. It fosters economic resilience through the establishment of business and knowledge hubs that create sustainable income generation opportunities for at-risk households. Additionally, the project builds the capacity of government line departments to integrate climate change adaptation priorities into local planning processes, contributing to the institutionalization of climate action across the region. Through participatory approaches, anticipatory actions, and strong community engagement, BRAVE aims to build long-term resilience against the growing risks of climate change and disasters.