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Lesotho
National Committee
In October 2001 Helvetas -Lesotho with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (Pretoria) led the formation of the Lesotho National Steering Committee for the International Year of Mountains. The National Steering Committee was responsible for celebrating and publicizing the International Year of Mountains throughout the country and encouraging new research projects in the mountain regions. The committee also made recommendations for the elaboration and implementation of a national sustainable mountain development programme, liaised with other organizations in Africa to share knowledge and experiences and, since the end of the International Year of Mountains, continues to ensure that sustainable mountain development remains a priority for the government. At the end of the year Helvetas handed over its Natural Resources Management programme - under which the Year's project was realized - to its new partner Serumula, a national NGO.
The National Steering Committee was chaired by the National Environment Secretariat within the Ministry of Environment, Gender and Youth Affairs. It included government agencies, NGOs and the research and academic community.
Activities and achievements during the International Year of Mountains
International
- The International Year of the Mountains Focal Point Meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development Delegation was held in Maseru (31 August). This meeting of African International Year of Mountains representatives (from Lesotho, South Africa, Tanzania, Swaziland and also Kyrgyzstan) aimed to formulate a contribution both to the Johannesburg and the Bishkek Summits in 2002. The Moshi Declaration provided, together with the Nairobi Declaration, a full picture on sustainable mountain development in the African continent for the Bishkek Summit.
Interregional:
- A cross-border event (5-6 September), in which a group of tourists visited from South Africa, aimed to promote jointly-managed community-based tourism as an alternative source of income. This experiment successfully showed that there is potential to develop packaged cross-border, community-based, fair tourism. It is intended that that Helvetas and Mokhoro Tours will work together in the future to develop more of these cross-border events.
National
- A National Symposium 'Ecotourism in the Mountains: a key to Sustainable Development and Poverty Alleviation', was attended by community representatives from the mountain districts of Lesotho and held at Tsehlanyane (22-24 October). The symposium was divided into four sub-themes; Traditional Culture, Tourism, Biodiversity and Community-based Natural Resources Management with the aim of laying the foundations for the realization of concrete projects and solutions to prevailing mountain problems. The participants issued a declaration.
- The National Seminar on Water Management was held in Bethel (22-23 August), including field visits to communities around Bethel, with the aim of bringing together relevant national stakeholders to share information and experiences concerning watershed management and sustainable mountain development. At the close of the seminar participants formed a network, 'Melupe'.
- The Seed Potato promotional event conveyed the important role that the cultivation of the potato could play in Lesotho, and particularly in the mountainous valleys, as a new income opportunity for mountain farmers and a new source of food.
Public awareness campaigns
- International Year of Mountains activities received significant press and radio coverage, in particular a radio broadcast on water management and a phone-in on mountain development.
- Member of the International Partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions
Beyond the International Year of Mountains
The International Year of Mountains was a considerable success and helped to generate awareness about the importance of mountains as a source of water, minerals and electricity, as well as promoting the long-term potential for economic growth through mountain tourism. There is still great potential to implement sustainable development in mountain areas and Helvetas intends to continue to advocate for sustainable development in the mountain regions of Lesotho. Since the end of the Year, plans have been laid for new projects on biodiversity conservation, ecotourism and sustainable agriculture. At the community level, institutions require training and capacity-building in areas such as sustainable agriculture, ecotourism and other income-generating projects in the mountains. The country still requires funding to strengthen these local initiatives, and fundraising has now become a priority activity.
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Contacts
For more information, please contact:
National Environment Secretariat
Ministry of Environment, Gender and Youth Affairs
Box 10993
Maseru
Lesotho
Phone: +266 22 311767
Or:
Mr. Gian Nicolay
Programme Director, Helvetas Lesotho
Box 708
Maseru 100
Lesotho
Phone/Fax: +266 22 317875
E-mail
