Economic Transformation Initiative a seven-year development program of Govt. of Gilgit-Baltistan, co-funded by IFAD with a total cost of Rs. 12 billion to boost regional economic activity through agriculture value-chain development. The program aims at improving income, reducing poverty and malnutrition in the rural area of Gilgit-Baltistan. The specific objectives are to improve production and productivity by bringing in additional 50,000 acres of irrigated land benefiting around 100,000 small landholders including women and landless; improving connectivity to market through construction and updating 400 km of farm to market roads and promotion of demand-driven value chains of regional products.

Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government formally launched a $120 million agriculture development project which would help irrigate around 50,000 acres of barren land in the mountainous region. The seven-year project, called the Economic Transformation Initiative, has been co-funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The initiative is expected to increase agricultural income of locals and provide employment for at least 100,000 rural households in the G-B. Over 90 per cent of the regions’ population is primarily engaged in agriculture.In addition to turning 50,000 acres of barren land into cultivatable farms, ETI will also construct 400 kilometers of roads which would link farmers to the markets. Through a process of social mobilisation, communities will be linked with the government and researchers and private sector services to enhance their current capacities.One of the objectives of the initiative is to organise small farmers and producers’ groups and devise a system to add value to the agricultural products.