It is a bit unusual for parents to proudly tell the teacher that their kids are glued to the television first thing in the morning. But when classrooms move to the TV screen, it is a great thing for a teacher to hear. But this is the kind of feedback Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKES,P) teachers are getting from across Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral since AKES,P launched its Digital Learning Programme on 11 May, in the wake of school shutdowns due to the Coronavirus.

In mountainous regions with limited agricultural lands, rugged topography, and large gradients, the preservation of agrobiodiversity and an appreciation of traditional knowledge about food systems are essential ingredients of a sustainable future. Therefore, the University of Central Asia’s Mountain Societies Research Institute has begun to engage in food systems research in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan.