Located in District Dera Ismail Khan (DIK), PLI focuses on natural resource management and non formal education as a means to improve people’s livelihoods in the arid/semi-arid zone that covers wide area of southern NWFP. The ecosystems are fragile in these regions and suffer from decreasing biodiversity, wind erosion and progressive desertification. Poverty of the inhabiting communities is oppressive. In the Project area, the farmers intercept monsoon water from hill torrents of the “Suleiman Range”, which they distribute through a system of terraces called Rudh Kohi. During the last few decades, the Rudh Kohi system has lost much of its efficiency due to natural deterioration, lack of maintenance and undermining of traditional rights. The project has conducted different studies on water user rights and water distribution. Based on this, a water management strategy has been developed, which covers social (strengthening of water users associations) as well as technical aspects (water management practices). The project aims at complementing traditional knowledge in plant production, livestock, water and rangeland management with external knowledge to address low productivity and water scarcity. This is mainly done through participatory approaches such as REFLECT , Participatory Technology Development and Farmer Field Schools, whereby partner NGOs facilitate interest groups in priority setting, planning, conducting and evaluating their own experiments/initiatives. External knowledge is brought in by linking young scientists (master students and young graduates) with the field and by closely collaborating with research centers. Thereby the NWFP Agricultural University Peshawar serves as the main institutional partner.

Besides serving as forums, where issues related to the community are debated, solutions are sought and ideas for joint initiatives are developed, REFLECT circles provide adults an opportunity to acquire literacy skills. Access to education for girls (not excluding boys) is assured through community based schools. Parent Teachers Associations are formed to contribute to school management and encourage enrolment. This as well as providing trainings to teachers on classroom management, child psychology, curriculum development and multi-grade teaching is contributing to the quality of education.

REFLECT is an innovative approach to adult learning and social change through strengthening the ability to communicate