Helvetas Pakistan and its joint venture partner IDEA, acting as business mobilization partners for the KP government’s Planning & Development Department in the KP-RETP implementation, helped convene the first-ever General Body Meeting with the indigenous Kalash community in Rumbur Valley, resulting in the creation of the valley’s first women PFCO. The meeting marks a significant step toward enhancing women’s economic participation and community-led agribusiness development in Chitral.
The General Body Meeting brought together members of the Kalash community in Rumbur Valley, local stakeholders, and project facilitators to formalize collective arrangements for local production and marketing. The session is the first of its kind for the valley, reflecting growing engagement between indigenous communities and development partners in project planning and organization.
A key outcome of the meeting was the establishment of the first women PFCO under RCU Chitral. The PFCO, a community-based producer cooperative, is expected to provide women with a formal platform for organizing production, accessing markets, and participating in decision-making related to agribusiness activities. Creating a women-led cooperative aims to strengthen livelihoods by enabling collective action and improving economic opportunities for local women.
The facilitation role played by Helvetas Pakistan and IDEA underscores a collaborative approach between communities, the provincial planning department, and development partners. By supporting community-led institutions and women’s participation, the initiative seeks to promote sustainable livelihoods and inclusive growth in the region, while laying groundwork for further community-driven economic initiatives.
