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The challenge of sustainable mountain
development
Pierre Antonios
Mountain people are more vulnerable to food insecurity
A major international initiative will help to meet the
challenge of agriculture and rural development in mountain
regions where high levels of malnutrition and hunger persist,
in a manner that protects the environment for present and
future generations, FAO announced today.
 Mountains
cover 22 percent of the world's land surface while 12 percent
of the world's population, or 720 million people, live in
mountain regions. Some 271 million mountain people, mostly
rural, are vulnerable to food insecurity and, of these, around
135 million are chronically hungry, according to FAO.
High levels of malnutrition and hunger in mountain areas have
much to do with the inaccessibility, complexity and fragility
of mountain environments, and the extent to which mountain
people are often marginalized, FAO experts say.
Following an international conference on Sustainable
Agriculture and Rural Development in Mountain Regions (Adelboden,
Switzerland, June 2002), the Johannesburg World Summit on
Sustainable Development (September 2002) and other recent
international meetings, FAO has now prepared a four-year
project to promote policies that favour sustainable
agriculture and rural development in mountain regions.
An excellent opportunity
The project, formulated with the support of Switzerland and
the participation of governments, NGOs and other
 international
organizations, will be presented at a meeting in Rome on 30
April 2004.
It represents an excellent opportunity for northern and
southern countries to tackle the challenges of sustainable
livelihoods in mountain regions.
Its long-term objective is to promote the formulation,
implementation and evaluation of sustainable agriculture and
rural development policies for mountain regions at national,
regional and community levels.
Awareness raising, capacity building and support to
implementation are key elements of the project, which targets
developing countries as well as transition and developed
countries.
With its focus on sustainable agriculture and rural
development in one of the most important and fragile
ecosystems, this project provides a unique opportunity for
stakeholders around the world to identify common priorities
and develop joint initiatives to achieve sustainable
development, according to FAO experts.
The Adelboden Group
About 200 representatives of mountain people from 57 countries
met in Adelboden in June 2002
 and
adopted a Declaration that called on governments,
international organizations and civil society to develop and
improve sustainable agriculture and rural development policies
and action for mountain regions in order to enhance the
livelihoods of their populations.
Among other issues, the Declaration recalled the importance of
Chapter 14 on sustainable agriculture and rural development
and Chapter 13 on sustainable mountain development of Agenda
21 adopted at the Rio Summit in 1992. FAO is task manager of
these two Chapters.
The Adelboden Declaration gave birth to the Adelboden Group,
which includes representatives from governments, civil society
and international organizations and is "a platform for
discussion of policies and policy instruments, exchange of
experience, and preparation of initiatives" for sustainable
development in mountain areas.
The Adelboden Group met for the first time in September 2003.
It will meet again in July 2004 to refine priorities and
action for follow-up to the international partnership on
sustainable development in mountain regions.
FAO
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