International Conference on Climate Resilient Mountain Agriculture (CRMA)

About the Conference

Mountain regions face disproportionate impacts of climate change including glacial retreat, shifting precipitation patterns, and rising temperatures. These changes pose serious risks to agricultural livelihoods and food security in mountainous areas.

CRMA is a three-day international conference held in hybrid mode, organised by the Centre for Climate Resilient Mountain Agriculture, The University of Agriculture Swat, Pakistan. The conference assesses the vulnerabilities of mountain agriculture to climate change and explores possible and innovative ways forward, aiming at adaptation to and mitigation of climate change impacts.

Conference Objectives

CRMA aims to unite academia, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders from the public and private sectors, including NGOs, to explore climate resilient agricultural strategies and packages for mountain regions. It provides a platform for knowledge sharing, policy dialogue, and innovation to enhance climate resilience in mountain areas for the resilient livelihoods of the communities dwelling there.

Conference Themes

1. Climate Change Impacts on Mountain Agriculture

• Glacial melt and water availability
• Changing precipitation patterns
• Impact on crop and livestock productivity
• Emergence of new pests and diseases

2. Climate Resilient Agricultural Practices

• Traditional and indigenous farming systems
• Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA)
• Agroecology and land management
• Water harvesting and soil conservation
• Agro-forestry
• Biodiversity

3. Innovation and Technology in Mountain Agriculture

• Digital tools and ICT for adaptation
• Remote sensing and GIS
• Smart irrigation systems
• Crop diversification and improved seeds

4. Policy, Institutions, and Financing Climate Resilience

• Climate financing and green investments
• Role of cooperatives and NGOs
• Public-private partnerships
• Role of markets

5. Community Engagement and Gender

• Empowering smallholder farmers
• Women and youth in resilience building
• Participatory planning
• Climate justice and equity

6. Cross-Border and Regional Cooperation

• Transboundary watershed management
• Regional knowledge-sharing
• Disaster risk reduction
• Case studies from mountain systems

Invited Speakers

• Prof. Dr. Sajjad Ahmad — Agri-Business Management Program & Sustainable Agriculture, School of Business and Sustainability Leadership, Lambton College, Sarnia, Canada
• Prof. Dr. Ejaz Qureshi — Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University, Australia
• Prof. Dr. Diana Chalil — Magister of Agribusiness, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia
• Prof. Dr. Harun Ucak — Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Türkiye
• Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq — Dean, Faculty of Management Studies, The University of Faisalabad, Pakistan
• Dr. Adeel Ahmed — Department of Economics and Finance, RMIT International University, Vietnam Campus
• Ms. Humaira Daniel — Climate Resilience Specialist, Aga Khan Development Network
• Dr. Jawad Ali — Deputy Country Director, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation Pakistan
• Mr. Sanaullah Khan — Chief Conservator (Retd.), Forest Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Call for Abstracts

We invite submissions of abstracts related to the conference themes. Submissions should be original and provide practical or theoretical contributions to climate resilient mountain agriculture. Abstracts should not exceed 300 words and must include a title, keywords, and author affiliations.

Registration

• Registration fee: Rs. 500 (University students)
• Registration fee: Rs. 3,000 (others)

Organisers

Patron-in-Chief: Prof. Dr. Dawood Jan, Vice Chancellor, The University of Agriculture Swat, Pakistan

Chief Organiser: Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zulfiqar

Programme Chairs: Prof. Dr. Farman Ullah, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Jamal Khan, Prof. Dr. Noor Ul Amin, Prof. Dr. Hidayat Ur Rahman

Conference Secretary: Dr. Irfan Ullah

Organising Committee: Prof. Dr. Shahid Sattar, Prof. Dr. Yousaf Hayat, Mr. Akbar Khan, Dr. Ibrar Ul Haq, Dr. Jawad Anwar, Dr. Hidayat Ullah, Dr. Misbah Ullah, Dr. Nazish, Dr. Mohammad Fayaz, Dr. Asfandyar Khan, Dr. Javed Iqbal Bangash, Dr. Khurram Nawaz Sadozai, Dr. Rizwan Ahmad, Dr. Farhana Gul, Dr. Durrishahwar, Dr. Abdul Waheed Khan, Dr. Riaz Alam, Engr. Khwaja Jawad, Mr. Shah Saud

Contact

Centre for Climate Resilient Mountain Agriculture, The University of Agriculture Swat, Pakistan
Email: crma25@uoas.edu.pk