Islahuddin (Manager, GADO Garam Chashma)
Chitral, Match 25, 2026: In an important step toward promoting clean energy and strengthening climate resilience Chitral, energy-efficient Third Pole stoves are being distributed in several communities.
The initiative aims to reduce dependence on firewood, protect forests and promote environmentally sustainable cooking solutions for local households.
Chitral, located in the Hindu Kush mountain range, is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures, glacial melting, flash floods and increasing pressure on forest resources have created serious environmental challenges for local communities. For decades, most households in rural Chitral have relied on firewood for cooking and heating, contributing to deforestation and environmental degradation.
lt may be mentioned here that AKRSP has partnered with Third Pole Solutions to distribute 5,000 energy-efficient cookstoves in hydropower surplus areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral.
The introduction of improved Third Pole stoves provides a practical solution to these problems. These energy-efficient stoves use electricity from community micro-hydropower plants and significantly reduce the need for firewood. By shifting to clean energy cooking systems, households can reduce indoor smoke, improve health conditions, and save valuable time previously spent collecting firewood.
According to development organizations working in the region, the project also contributes to global climate mitigation by reducing carbon emissions. Decreased firewood consumption will help protect fragile mountain forests, which play a critical role in preventing landslides, conserving biodiversity, and regulating water systems.
Women are among the primary beneficiaries of this initiative. In many villages of Chitral, women spend several hours every day collecting fuelwood from distant forests. With the availability of efficient stoves, this burden is significantly reduced, allowing women more time for education, income-generating activities, and community participation.
Local community organizations have played a key role in mobilizing communities, identifying beneficiaries, and raising awareness about clean energy solutions. GADO Garam Chashma has been actively supporting community awareness and promoting climate-friendly technologies to help protect the fragile ecosystem of the region.
Experts believe that expanding such clean energy initiatives across the mountainous areas of Chitral will greatly contribute to climate resilience, forest conservation and improved living conditions for rural communities.
As climate change continues to threaten the high-mountain ecosystems of the Hindu Kush and Karakoram regions, initiatives like the Third Pole stove program demonstrate how local innovation and community participation can create sustainable solutions for the future.
GADO Garam Chashma and the local communities of Chitral express their sincere gratitude to the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme for its visionary leadership in promoting sustainable energy solutions in the mountainous regions of Pakistan.
We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to Third Pole and the innovators behind the Madad Electric Cookstove Project, whose efforts have introduced an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient cooking solution for rural households.
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