Sindh Coastal Resilience Integrated Programme (SCRIP)

The fragile ecosystems of Sindh face significant climate change challenges, including droughts, heatwaves, flooding, saltwater intrusion, and loss of agricultural land and mangroves. The 2022 floods, which affected nearly 12 million people in Sindh, underscored the region's limited preparedness and resilience against climate-induced disasters. Funded by Denmark Embassy, the SCRIP Project focuses on coastal districts of Sindh, namely Thatta and Sujawal, will be targeted. These regions are highly vulnerable to climate change and are known for their unique ecological features, such as mangrove forests, tidal creeks, and diverse marine ecosystems. The purpose of the project is to address three key challenges arising from the impacts of climate change: fragile socio-economic conditions and livelihoods, endangered coastal ecosystems, and water scarcity. The project has been designed to combine pillars, which will maximise the contribution of the expected outcomes towards the overall objective: 1. Strengthened local capacity for disaster preparedness and coastal resilience planning, will respond to immediate knowledge and capacity gaps and lead to robust local uptake and improved coping capacities. Altogether, it is expected to contribute to inclusive protection, more pro-active collective actions and increased foresight for climate-forward development. All locally owned and driven. 2. The project recognizes that the critical entry points to reduce pressure on mangrove forests are twofold: (i) resilient livelihood incentives, with more focus on marine-based economic opportunities and regenerative farming (ii) alternative renewable energy solutions to reduce the use of fuelwood sourced through mangroves. By promoting improved and alternative livelihoods and piloting solar energy solutions, it hopes to reduce mangrove deforestation and increase mitigation and adaptation actions whilst increasing resilience of households’ and their incomes. The interventions will start with participatory mapping and detailed needs analysis with three activity packages. Activity Package 1: Increasing capacities, knowledge and preparedness of vulnerable communities. Which includes Coastal Resilience Plan for Mitigation Coastal Flood Risk, Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation solutions, Community-Based-Risk Management (CBDRM). Activity Package 2: Reducing Pressure on Mangrove ecosystems through strengthened and climate responsive livelihoods and piloting of energy solutions include Improving Marine-based livelihood opportunities, Promoting regenerative farming, Provision of Solar & Clean Energy Solutions for Households and Communities. Activity Package 3: Improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene include construction of Solar Hand Pumps with Raised Platform, Solar-powered RO plant for Clean Drinking Water, Construction of Washrooms at the School and Community Level with Health and Hygiene Education and Awareness.