Transforming water resource management in Pakistan through innovation and climate finance

Pakistan’s water management systems are facing increasingly complex challenges due to climate change and limited access to sustainable financing, impacting public health, agriculture, and resilience to natural disasters. In response to these pressing water management challenges, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) launched an ambitious programme aimed at catalysing innovative solutions for water resource management and climate resilience across the country.

The Water Resource Accountability in Pakistan (WRAP) programme introduces a pioneering approach to addressing water security issues through a combination of innovative financing, technical assistance, and evidence-based learning. 

We are pleased to announce that we are leading a crucial component of this initiative, focusing on unlocking new financing pathways and supporting sustainable water management solutions.

"Pakistan's public and private sectors have tremendous potential for innovation in water resource management. This programme aims to unlock additional financing opportunities to help scale these solutions," said Rauf Khan, Country Director for OPM Pakistan.

Central to the initiative is a Catalytic Fund that will help design and support innovative solutions to water governance challenges with potential to be scaled up and adopted widely, develop an evidence base for nature-based solution work and help unlock financing for promising innovations in water service delivery, nature-based solutions, and humanitarian responses to climate-induced disasters. The fund will specifically focus on organisations that traditionally face barriers in accessing climate finance, including civil society organisations, private sector entities, and academic institutions.

Our technical assistance component, to be implemented through to the end of 2028, will focus on:

• Enhancing access to climate finance opportunities
• Supporting the development and scaling of innovative water management solutions
• Supporting the integration of nature-based solutions
• Fostering partnerships between public and private sectors and other donor funded programmes

The programme takes a collaborative approach, building on existing FCDO investments and aligning with other funder initiatives in Pakistan. We will be supported by our technical partners WaterSprint, OAKDF and Pegasys, who bring specialist expertise to complement our delivery of technical assistance and fund management.

"What makes this initiative particularly exciting is its potential for transformative impact," added Mujib Khan, Principal Consultant at Oxford Policy Management and CF- WRAP Programme Director. "By facilitating access to early-stage capital and providing technical support, we're helping build an ecosystem that can sustain and scale innovative water management solutions across Pakistan."

The programme will operate nationwide, offering opportunities for organisations across Pakistan to access support for innovative water management solutions. Through partnerships with government entities, development organisations, and private stakeholders, our goal is to support impactful, sustainable change that endures well beyond the project’s lifespan.

Click here for more information on our work in nature and environment.