Latest news with #GhulamHaiderHashmi
Express Tribune
13-04-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
G-B farmers turn to artificial glaciers to tackle water crisis
An artificial glacier has been built by local residents during winters to conserve water for the summers at Pari village in Kharmang district, in Gilgit-Baltistan. Photo: AFP In the frostbitten valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan, farmers are fighting water scarcity by building artificial glaciers shaped like towering cones of ice. These "ice stupas" are handmade in winter by spraying water into the freezing air, where it turns into ice and accumulates in massive structures that slowly melt in spring - providing irrigation water when natural glacial melt hasn't yet begun. The idea wasn't born locally. It came from across the border in Ladakh, in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk developed the concept nearly a decade ago. "We discovered artificial glaciers on YouTube," said Ghulam Haider Hashmi, a farmer from Hussainabad. "We studied the process online and built our first one," Hashmi said. Zakir Hussain Zakir, a professor at the University of Baltistan, explained how it works. "The water must be propelled upwards so that it freezes mid-air when the temperature is below zero," he said. The result is a cone-shaped ice formation resembling a Buddhist stupa. These towers melt gradually in spring, mimicking natural glacial melt and supporting early planting. Muhammad Raza, a farmer in Hussainabad, said eight ice stupas were built this winter, storing nearly 20 million litres of water. "Before, we had to wait until June for the glaciers to melt. Now we can start planting much earlier," he said. Bashir Ahmed, a 26-year-old farmer in nearby Pari village, added that the improved water supply has led to multiple harvests. "We used to have one growing season. Now we can grow wheat, barley, and potatoes up to three times a year," he said. The method avoids the need for expensive infrastructure like reservoirs or water tanks and fits well with local topography and climate. Over 20 villages in Gilgit-Baltistan have adopted the technique since the first stupas were built in 2018. According to Rashiduddin, head of the GLOF-2 [Glacial Lake Outburst Flood] programme under the UN-Pakistan climate adaptation initiative, more than 16,000 people now benefit from ice stupa irrigation. Pakistan's northern regions are at the front lines of climate change. Temperatures in the country have risen twice as fast as the global average, and snowfall is declining in places that once depended on it. "From late October to early April, we used to receive heavy snowfall," said Sher Muhammad, a glacial expert at ICIMOD. "Now winters are much drier." Most of the region's water traditionally comes from spring snowmelt, not glacial melt, which makes winter precipitation vital. With limited resources, the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan have found an environmentally sound and cost-effective way to adapt. "Faced with climate change, there are neither rich nor poor - everyone is vulnerable," said 24-year-old Yasir Parvi. "In our village, we took a chance with the ice stupas. And it worked."
Daily Tribune
08-04-2025
- Daily Tribune
Artificial glaciers boost water supply in northern Pakistan
At the foot of Pakistan's impossibly high mountains whitened by frost all year round, farmers grappling with a lack of water have created their own ice towers. Warmer winters as a result of climate change has reduced the snow fall and subsequent seasonal snowmelt that feeds the valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan, a remote region home to K2, the world's second-highest peak. Farmers in the Skardu valley, at an altitude of up to 2,600 metres (8,200 feet) in the shadow of the Karakoram mountain range, searched online for help in how to irrigate their apple and apricot orchards. "We discovered artificial glaciers on YouTube," Ghulam Haider Hashmi told AFP. They watched the videos of Sonam Wangchuk, an environmental activist and engineer in the Indian region of Ladakh, less than 200 kilometres away across a heavily patrolled border, who developed the technique about 10 years ago. Water is piped from streams into the village, and sprayed into the air during the freezing winter temperatures. "The water must be propelled so that it freezes in the air when temperatures drop below zero, creating ice towers," said Zakir Hussain Zakir, a professor at the University of Baltistan. The ice forms in the shape of cones that resemble Buddhist stupas, and act as a storage system -- steadily melting throughout spring when temperatures rise. 'Ice stupas' Gilgit-Baltistan has 13,000 glaciers -- more than any other country on Earth outside the polar regions. Their beauty has made the region one of the country's top tourist destinations -- towering peaks loom over the Old Silk Road, still visible from a highway transporting tourists between cherry orchards, glaciers and ice-blue lakes. Sher Muhammad, a specialist in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan mountain range that stretches from Afghanistan to Myanmar, however said most of the region's water supply comes from snow melt in spring, with a fraction from annual glacial melt in summers. "From late October until early April, we were receiving heavy snowfall. But in the past few years, it's quite dry," Muhammad, a researcher at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), told AFP. The first "ice stupas" in Gilgit-Baltistan were created in 2018. Now, more than 20 villages make them every winter, and "more than 16,000 residents have access to water without having to build reservoirs or tanks", said Rashid-ud-Din, provincial head of GLOF-2, a UN-Pakistan plan to adapt to the effects of climate change. Farmer Muhammad Raza told AFP that eight stupas were built in his village of Hussainabad this winter, trapping approximately 20 million litres of water in the ice. "We no longer have water shortages during planting," he said, since the open-air reservoirs appeared on the slopes of the valley. "Before, we had to wait for the glaciers to melt in June to get water, but the stupas saved our fields," said Ali Kazim, also a farmer in the valley. Harvest seasons multiply Before the stupas, "we planted our crops in May", said 26-yearold Bashir Ahmed who grows potatoes, wheat and barley in nearby Pari village which has also adopted the method. And "we only had one growing season, whereas now we can plant two or three times" a year. Temperatures in Pakistan rose twice as fast between 1981 and 2005 compared to the global average, putting the country on the front line of climate change impacts, including water scarcity. Its 240 million inhabitants live in a territory that is 80 percent arid or semi-arid and depends on rivers and streams originating in neighbouring countries for more than three-quarters of its water. Glaciers are melting rapidly in Pakistan and across the world, with a few exceptions including the Karakoram mountain range, increasing the risk of flooding and reducing water supply over the long term. "Faced with climate change, there are neither rich nor poor, neither urban nor rural; the whole world has become vulnerable," said 24-year-old Yasir Parvi.
Gulf Today
07-04-2025
- Gulf Today
Farmers in Pakistan's Skardu valley create their own 'ice towers' to boost water supply
At the foot of Pakistan's impossibly high mountains whitened by frost all year round, farmers grappling with a lack of water have created their own ice towers. Warmer winters as a result of climate change has reduced the snowfall and subsequent seasonal snowmelt that feeds the valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan, a remote region home to K2, the world's second-highest peak. Farmers in the Skardu valley, at an altitude of up to 2,600 metres (8,200 feet) in the shadow of the Karakoram mountain range, searched online for help in how to irrigate their apple and apricot orchards. "We discovered artificial glaciers on YouTube," Ghulam Haider Hashmi told AFP. They watched the videos of Sonam Wangchuk, an environmental activist and engineer in the Indian region of Ladakh, less than 200 kilometres away across a heavily patrolled border, who developed the technique about 10 years ago. Water is piped from streams into the village, and sprayed into the air during the freezing winter temperatures. Hussainabad village in Skardu district, Gilgit-Baltistan region. AFP "The water must be propelled so that it freezes in the air when temperatures drop below zero, creating ice towers," said Zakir Hussain Zakir, a professor at the University of Baltistan. The ice forms in the shape of cones that resemble Buddhist stupas, and act as a storage system – steadily melting throughout spring when temperatures rise. 'Ice stupas' Gilgit-Baltistan has 13,000 glaciers – more than any other country on Earth outside the polar regions. Their beauty has made the region one of the country's top tourist destinations – towering peaks loom over the Old Silk Road, still visible from a highway transporting tourists between cherry orchards, glaciers and ice-blue lakes. Sher Muhammad, a specialist in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan mountain range that stretches from Afghanistan to Myanmar, however said most of the region's water supply comes from snowmelt in spring, with a fraction from annual glacial melt in summers. "From late October until early April, we were receiving heavy snowfall. But in the past few years, it's quite dry," Muhammad, a researcher at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), told AFP. This aerial photograph taken on March 18, 2025 shows an artificial glacier built by local residents during winter. AFP The first "ice stupas" in Gilgit-Baltistan were created in 2018. Now, more than 20 villages make them every winter, and "more than 16,000 residents have access to water without having to build reservoirs or tanks", said Rashid-ud-Din, provincial head of GLOF-2, a UN-Pakistan plan to adapt to the effects of climate change. Farmer Muhammad Raza told AFP that eight stupas were built in his village of Hussainabad this winter, trapping approximately 20 million litres of water in the ice. "We no longer have water shortages during planting," he said, since the open-air reservoirs appeared on the slopes of the valley. "Before, we had to wait for the glaciers to melt in June to get water, but the stupas saved our fields," said Ali Kazim, also a farmer in the valley. Harvest seasons multiply Before the stupas, "we planted our crops in May", said 26-year-old Bashir Ahmed who grows potatoes, wheat and barley in nearby Pari village which has also adopted the method. And "we only had one growing season, whereas now we can plant two or three times" a year. Temperatures in Pakistan rose twice as fast between 1981 and 2005 compared to the global average, putting the country on the front line of climate change impacts, including water scarcity. Its 240 million inhabitants live in a territory that is 80 per cent arid or semi-arid and depends on rivers and streams originating in neighbouring countries for more than three-quarters of its water. Glaciers are melting rapidly in Pakistan and across the world, with a few exceptions including the Karakoram mountain range, increasing the risk of flooding and reducing water supply over the long term. "Faced with climate change, there are neither rich nor poor, neither urban nor rural; the whole world has become vulnerable," said 24-year-old Yasir Parvi. "In our village, with the ice stupas, we decided to take a chance." Agence France-Presse
Express Tribune
06-04-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
Gilgit-Baltistan farmers turn to artificial glaciers to tackle water crisis
In the frostbitten valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistani farmers are fighting water scarcity by building artificial glaciers shaped like towering cones of ice. These 'ice stupas' are handmade in winter by spraying water into the freezing air, where it turns into ice and accumulates in massive structures that slowly melt in spring — providing irrigation when natural glacial melt hasn't yet begun. YouTube tutorial turns into survival tool The idea wasn't born locally. It came from across the border in Ladakh, India, where environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk developed the concept nearly a decade ago. "We discovered artificial glaciers on YouTube," said Ghulam Haider Hashmi, a farmer from Hussainabad. "We studied the process online and built our first one." Despite tensions between the two countries, the knowledge travelled across digital borders and found eager adopters in Gilgit Baltistan. Science behind the stupas Zakir Hussain Zakir, a professor at the University of Baltistan, explained how it works. 'The water must be propelled upwards so that it freezes mid-air when the temperature is below zero,' he said. The result is a cone-shaped ice formation resembling a Buddhist stupa. These towers melt gradually in spring, mimicking natural glacial melt and supporting early planting. A new agricultural rhythm Muhammad Raza, a farmer in Hussainabad, said eight ice stupas were built this winter, storing nearly 20 million litres of water. 'Before, we had to wait until June for the glaciers to melt. Now we can start planting much earlier,' he said. Bashir Ahmed, a 26-year-old farmer in nearby Pari village, added that the improved water supply has led to multiple harvests. 'We used to have one growing season. Now we can grow wheat, barley, and potatoes up to three times a year,' he said. A growing movement in the mountains Over 20 villages in Gilgit-Baltistan have adopted the technique since the first stupas were built in 2018. According to Rashid-ud-Din, head of the GLOF-2 programme under the UN-Pakistan climate adaptation initiative, more than 16,000 people now benefit from ice stupa irrigation. The method avoids the need for expensive infrastructure like reservoirs or water tanks and fits well with local topography and climate. Climate impact hits harder in the north Pakistan's northern regions are at the front lines of climate change. Temperatures in the country have risen twice as fast as the global average, and snowfall is declining in places that once depended on it. 'From late October to early April, we used to receive heavy snowfall,' said Sher Muhammad, a glacial expert at ICIMOD. 'Now winters are much drier.' Most of the region's water traditionally comes from spring snowmelt, not glacial melt, which makes winter precipitation vital. Local innovation, global relevance With limited resources, the residents of Gilgit-Baltistan have found an environmentally sound and cost-effective way to adapt. 'Faced with climate change, there are neither rich nor poor — everyone is vulnerable,' said 24-year-old Yasir Parvi. 'In our village, we took a chance with the ice stupas. And it worked.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
06-04-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Artificial Glaciers Boost Water Supply in Northern Pakistan
At the foot of Pakistan's impossibly high mountains whitened by frost all year round, farmers grappling with a lack of water have created their own ice towers. Warmer winters as a result of climate change has reduced the snow fall and subsequent seasonal snowmelt that feeds the valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan, a remote region home to K2, the world's second-highest peak. Farmers in the Skardu valley, at an altitude of up to 2,600 meters (8,200 feet) in the shadow of the Karakoram mountain range, searched online for help in how to irrigate their apple and apricot orchards. "We discovered artificial glaciers on YouTube," Ghulam Haider Hashmi told AFP. They watched the videos of Sonam Wangchuk, an environmental activist and engineer in the Indian region of Ladakh, less than 200 kilometers away across a heavily patrolled border, who developed the technique about 10 years ago. Water is piped from streams into the village, and sprayed into the air during the freezing winter temperatures. "The water must be propelled so that it freezes in the air when temperatures drop below zero, creating ice towers," said Zakir Hussain Zakir, a professor at the University of Baltistan. The ice forms in the shape of cones that resemble Buddhist stupas, and act as a storage system -- steadily melting throughout spring when temperatures rise. 'Ice stupas' Gilgit-Baltistan has 13,000 glaciers -- more than any other country on Earth outside the polar regions. Their beauty has made the region one of the country's top tourist destinations -- towering peaks loom over the Old Silk Road, still visible from a highway transporting tourists between cherry orchards, glaciers and ice-blue lakes. Sher Muhammad, a specialist in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan mountain range that stretches from Afghanistan to Myanmar, however said most of the region's water supply comes from snow melt in spring, with a fraction from annual glacial melt in summers. "From late October until early April, we were receiving heavy snowfall. But in the past few years, it's quite dry," Muhammad, a researcher at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), told AFP. The first "ice stupas" in Gilgit-Baltistan were created in 2018. Now, more than 20 villages make them every winter, and "more than 16,000 residents have access to water without having to build reservoirs or tanks", said Rashid-ud-Din, provincial head of GLOF-2, a UN-Pakistan plan to adapt to the effects of climate change. Farmer Muhammad Raza told AFP that eight stupas were built in his village of Hussainabad this winter, trapping approximately 20 million liters of water in the ice. "We no longer have water shortages during planting," he said, since the open-air reservoirs appeared on the slopes of the valley. "Before, we had to wait for the glaciers to melt in June to get water, but the stupas saved our fields," said Ali Kazim, also a farmer in the valley. Harvest seasons multiply Before the stupas, "we planted our crops in May", said 26-year-old Bashir Ahmed who grows potatoes, wheat and barley in nearby Pari village which has also adopted the method. And "we only had one growing season, whereas now we can plant two or three times" a year. Temperatures in Pakistan rose twice as fast between 1981 and 2005 compared to the global average, putting the country on the front line of climate change impacts, including water scarcity. Its 240 million inhabitants live in a territory that is 80 percent arid or semi-arid and depends on rivers and streams originating in neighboring countries for more than three-quarters of its water. Glaciers are melting rapidly in Pakistan and across the world, with a few exceptions including the Karakoram mountain range, increasing the risk of flooding and reducing water supply over the long term. "Faced with climate change, there are neither rich nor poor, neither urban nor rural; the whole world has become vulnerable," said 24-year-old Yasir Parvi. "In our village, with the ice stupas, we decided to take a chance."
