Climate vulnerability of irrigation systems in the Upper Indus Basin: insights from three Karakoram villages in northern Pakistan

The traditional irrigation systems in the Upper Indus Basin (UIB) are frequently disrupted by climate-induced hazards, affecting irrigated agriculture – one of the major livelihood sources in the region. The recent scholarship lacks systematic data on various aspects that make the mountain irrigation systems susceptible to climate variabilities. Therefore, we investigated the climate vulnerability of irrigations systems at selected sites of the UIB, using a tailored ‘multidimensional indices’ approach. The sites represented a cross-section of socio-hydrological and physiographic attributes. The data on multiple dimensions of vulnerability and corresponding indicators were acquired through household surveys, using a semi-structured questionnaire. The findings revealed a ‘medium-high’ level of vulnerability of irrigation systems, which is a great concern, given the fragility of the mountainous ecosystems. Overall, the level of vulnerably didn’t vary across the sites, presumably due to physiographic and socio-cultural similarities, however, the various dimensions of vulnerability differed across the sites. The study concludes that appropriate adaptation measures are necessary to reduce the vulnerability of irrigation systems, especially by enhancing institutional resilience. This can be achieved by building capacities of local institutions and enhancing government’s financial, technical, and policy support for local communities in maintaining the traditional irrigation systems under the changing climatic conditions.