The Indus Basin: New Knowledge Frontiers for Development and Resilience

The project contributors from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kazakhstan attended  “The Indus Basin: New Knowledge Frontiers for Development and Resilience”. The forum inclueded a large number of participants from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, China and Kazakhstan in addition to from others. The event was organized by Indus Forum and co-convening partners ICIMOD and the World Bank at the Hilton Hotel on 3-7 July 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka and was sponsored by PEER USAID and Indus Forum.

The first objective of this Indus Basin Knowledge Forum was: To assess the nature of existing knowledge relating to Indus Basin development challenges, to explore new knowledge frontiers and to build greater coordination through further co-development and sharing of knowledge. A key feature of the meeting was to build stronger collaboration between communities of scientific knowledge ‘producers’ and those requiring greater knowledge and understanding in order to make informed decisions and to construct and implement more effective policy. Through convening key stakeholders across the basin the meeting, as well as collectively assessing the current state of knowledge, identifying gaps and supporting ways of expanding ‘knowledge frontiers’, the meeting will seek ways of building new initiatives and strengthening existing initiatives to bridge scientific and policy-making communities and expand and deepen opportunities for co-production of knowledge across the basin. Co-convened by IWMI, ICIMOD and the World Bank, the meeting represents an important step towards this goal and builds on work by the Upper Indus Basin Network and under the South Asia Water Initiative Indus Forum. This includes building on the outcome of a meeting held in February 2016 at the ICIMOD HQ in Kathmandu, Nepal the objective of which was to build a better understanding of ongoing research and interventions related to climate change and adaptation, the cryosphere and waters of the Indus Basin.

The second objective was to present project progress under PEER USAID funded projects and to learn and share and participate in any future joint collaborations.

Regarding key messages, outcomes, recommendations the following were concluded;

· Ten point agenda defined for future actions. Its in draft and will be shared as minutes will be received.

· Project progress presented was appreciated. New possible future projects are in discussion.