Frequently asked questions

Update on partnership initiatives

International mountain day 2005 — advance notice

Feature of the month

On-going events

Future events

Past events

Publications

New committee for mountain development in Argentina

Mountain issues have now been raised higher on the national agenda in Argentina with the establishment of a government committee dedicated specifically to mountain development. On 2 May, the Secretariat of Environment of the Government of Argentina organized an inauguration ceremony in the Salon Dorado, Palacio San Martín, Buenos Aires to establish the Committee for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions of Argentina (Comité para el Desarrollo Sustentable de las Regiones Montañosas de la República Argentina). The creation of this committee was motivated by the extensive work undertaken on mountain issues in the country during the International Year of Mountains (2002), as well as the efforts of the Cancilleria of Argentina as a member of the Mountain Partnership and an intensive three-year collaborative process with key government agencies and institutions. This new committee is set to play an integral role in the coordination of future government activities to develop mountain regions and in the definition of strategies that focus particular attention on mountain communities. For further information on the Committee for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions of Argentina, contact Gutiérrez Claudio Ricardo.

Development of the Caucasus mountains at the local level

The Caucasus mountains in the eastern borders of Europe face similar problems to many other mountain regions of the world: increasing poverty, outmigration to lowlands and the loss of traditional cultures, livelihoods and agricultural practices. This is despite the fact that the region has the potential to develop a modern economy with small- and medium-term enterprises, tourism and alternative energy sources. But how is this potential tapped? The Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (REC Caucasus) believes that solutions lie in developing a Local Agenda 21 for the Caucasus region.

Originating at the Earth Summit (1992), Local Agenda 21 recognizes that local governments, and the wider communities they represent, are ideally positioned to take the lead in achieving ecologically sustainable development through integrating environmental, social and economic goals on a local level. In response, REC Caucasus has developed “Pilot Projects for Sustainable Development of Mountain Regions of the Caucasus – Local Agenda 21”. Financed by the ministries of Environment of Germany and the Principality of Liechtenstein, the projects aim to develop Local Agenda 21 for the mountain regions of the Caucasus by involving a maximum number of villagers in planning processes. In its recently completed ‘zero phase’, the REC project has selected eight pilot villages in four Caucasus countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Russian Federation), undertaken preliminary analysis, collected information and undertaken preliminary activities in the villages. This has involved close cooperation with local authorities, local self-governments and national governments with a view to launching and implementing the project.

Visit the REC Web site and read ‘Caucasus News’ on the European Mountain Forum Web site.

You can find more about more about Agenda 21, Chapter 28, ‘Local Authorities’ Initiatives In Support of Agenda 21’ by clicking.

Mapping pathways of poverty across Kenya

The Government of Kenya on 23 June 2005 announced that it has enlisted Mountain Partnership member, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), to undertake an ambitious study investigating how, when and why Kenyan households move into and out of poverty. A better understanding of poverty dynamics will help government policy-makers and donor agencies better target and tailor pro-poor poverty interventions in this and other developing countries. ILRI has previously undertaken two similar studies on ‘Pathways out of Poverty and the Role of Livestock’, one in western Kenya and the other in Peru. These were undertaken in collaboration with the Pro-poor Livestock Policy Initiative of FAO and Dr. Anirudh Krishna of Duke University, in the USA, who developed the participatory methods used in the study for similar research he first conducted in India. Importantly, members of poor communities in India, Kenya and Peru all site the same factors that force households into poverty or help people climb out of poverty: the loss or acquisition of livestock is, respectively, key to both. The new study in Kenya will be conducted across the whole country and will include all three of the country’s major livestock systems: pastoral, agro-pastoral and mixed crop-and-livestock production. To read more about this story, visit the ILRI Web site.

Date palm from the mountains buds after 2,000 years

Many plants now found only in mountain habitats have disappeared from lowland regions, crowded out by human activities. Isolation and relative inaccessibility have helped protect and preserve biodiversity in mountains—from deer, eagles and llamas to wild varieties of mustard, cardamom, gooseberry and pumpkin. Now Israeli researchers say they have succeeded in growing a date palm from a 2,000-year-old seed. The seed—believed to be the oldest ever germinated—was one of several found during an excavation of the ancient mountain fortress of Masada. Researchers in Jerusalem have nicknamed the sapling Methuselah, after the biblical figure said to have lived for nearly 1,000 years. The palm is from a variety that became extinct in the Middle Ages and was reputed to have powerful medicinal properties. The plant is now nearly 30cm (12in) tall. Researcher Sarah Sallon of the Louis Borick Natural Medicine Research Centre in Jerusalem said that one of the plant’s leaves had been sent for analysis. Dates had “an enormous amount of use in ancient times for infections, for tumours” she told the Associated Press news agency. “We’re researching medicinal plants for all we’re worth, we think that ancient medicines of the past can be the medicines of the future,” she added. Source: BBC News Online, 13 June 2005.

Issue 12
July 2005

The Mountain Partnership Newsletter

‘Peak to Peak’ is an opportunity to keep you up-to-date with the latest news, activities and events related to the Mountain Partnership. This monthly newsletter, prepared by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, is sent by e-mail to all members and other interested partners. An expanded, illustrated version can be read on-line. Help us share news, information and features on your activities with members by sending a message.

Frequently asked questions

How do I join the Mountain Partnership? What are members expected to do? What is the difference between a normal and a leading member of a Partnership Initiative? Visit the ‘What’s New’ section of the Mountain Partnership Web site to find out the answers to these and many other frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the Mountain Partnership.

Update on partnership initiatives

Gender

The Gender Initiative aims to enhance the understanding of mountain-specific gender issues and to further develop the competence, methods and tools for gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment in mountain areas. Members aim to do this through exchanging information and experience, and providing advisory support — on demand — for activities that have a gender-sensitive approach. The Gender Initiative, under the leadership of Women Organising for Change in Agriculture and NRM (WOCAN), has recently prepared a working document ‘Gender issues in mountain areas’ , which highlights the relevance of gender issues in mountain development, and outlines what the Gender Initiative hopes to achieve. Initiative members are now reviewing the document before its development into a brochure, which will be disseminated not only to Initiative members but also to the Partnership and the wider mountain community as a whole. If you are interested in joining the Gender Initiative and/or taking part in this activity, contact Jeannette Gurung (WOCAN).

Policy and Law

Which mountain-specific policies and laws exist and how are they affecting the development of mountain environments and their communities? Some leading members of the Policy and Law Initiative — the European Academy (EURAC), Unione Nazionale Comuni Comunità Enti Montani (UNCEM), World Mountain People’s Association (WMPA) and the Association européenne des élus de la montagne (AEM) — have joined forces to develop an activity that will further the understanding and analysis of existing policies and laws for mountain areas. This activity is being structured in four main phases. Firstly, a survey will be conducted amongst members of the Policy and Law Initiative to gather information on existing mountain policies and laws (e.g. mountain areas, levels of decentralization, environmental conditions, social contexts) at the international, national, regional and local levels. Members will then be requested to upload relevant documents directly onto a Web page specially developed for the purpose by EURAC and linked to the Web site of the Mountain Partnership. This compendium will then be analyzed and synthesized by the leading members of the Policy and Law Initiative, in order to identify the best practices and experiences that could be shared among Mountain Partnership members as a whole. If possible, a seminar will be organized in order to disseminate and further discuss the findings. The last phase of this exercise will consider the possibility of formulating project proposals for the Policy and Law Initiative, based on the results of the survey, analysis and seminar. For further information about this activity in the Policy and Law Initiative, contact Pier Carlo Sandei (EURAC).

Watershed Management

In many watersheds around the world, the availability of water for drinking and irrigation decreases during the dry season. One of the solutions is to practice water harvesting: capturing rain where it falls or capturing run-off during the wet season for later use during the dry season, and ensuring that the water remains in the catchment. But what are the most cost-effective ways to store water? What are the best options and the associated problems? Water harvesting is the opening topic for discussion on the recently launched ‘Mountain Partnership: Watershed Management Discussion Web-Board’. This is an activity pursued under the Watershed Management Initiative by FAO, in its capacity as leading member of this Initiative, in collaboration with the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia (Canada). As reported in the last issue of ‘Peak to Peak’, the Discussion Web-board is intended to allow watershed management teams to share information and ideas of successful (and not so successful) approaches based on practical experience in watershed management via the Internet. The discussion on water harvesting is open until July 30 and will be followed by sessions on other relevant themes, chosen by the participants in this discussion, such as water-well management and protection, climate change and adaptation strategies for mountain communities, sustainable livelihoods, social conflicts, forests and water, and transboundary issues. Summaries of all these discussions will be posted once the sessions are well underway and will be shared through the Mountain Partnership Web site.

Participation in the ‘Mountain Partnership: Watershed Management Discussion Web-board’ is voluntary. We encourage members of the Watershed Management Initiative to participate in the discussions and invite interested members of the Mountain Partnership to view the comments on the Web-board or participate directly.

Do you know of any watershed management field projects, research initiatives or networks with on-the-ground experience that could be shared with others? And do you or any of your colleagues wish to participate in the Discussion Web-board? If so, contact Peter DeBrine (Mountain Partnership Secretariat).

Hindu Kush Himalaya

Leading members of the Hindu Kush Himalaya Initiative are making progress in the organization of their first group e-consultation. Their six-week consultation on biodiversity conservation is scheduled to run between 22 August and 2 October and will be organized by the Mountain Forum. Members from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) have been assigned roles as moderators on specific sessions which revolve around topics as diverse as income generation and biodiversity, transboundary corridor landscapes, access and rights, and regional cooperation and learning. More details on this e-consultation will be released nearer the start date. For further information, contact Srabani Roy. Read ‘Hindu Kush-Himalayas in Focus’ in the Gender Initiative section of the Mountain Partnership Web site.

Survey on Initiatives

Members’ active participation in Initiatives enhances the effectiveness and impact of our unique Partnership. We invite you to join the Initiatives that you feel are most relevant to your work, needs and priorities and in which you consider your experience could most benefit Partnership members. You may also wish to propose new themes or topics where you see potential for collaborative action by members. The Mountain Partnership Secretariat has recently sent each member of the Partnership a survey which aims to discover members’ main areas of interest and gives you the opportunity to tell us what you would like to share and bring to the Initiatives in terms of relevant expertise, knowledge, skills and activities. At the Partnership Secretariat, we are using this information to help you build your particular Initiatives and ensure that we provide you with ready assistance when and how you need it. Read all about the 13 Initiatives.

International mountain day 2005 — advance notice

At the close of the International Year of Mountains (2002), the UN General Assembly designated 11 December, from 2003 onwards, as ‘International Mountain Day’, and designated FAO as the lead agency to coordinate world-wide observance of the Day. The theme chosen for International Mountain Day 2005 is: ‘Sustainable Tourism for Poverty Alleviation in Mountain Areas’. FAO will issue an official announcement about this year’s International Mountain Day and the arrangements and opportunities for observance at the national and international level in the very near future.

Feature of the month

The Gender and Diversity Program of the CGIAR

The following text on the CGIAR Gender and Diversity Program has been contributed by Antonia Okono, Communications Officer, CGIAR Gender and Diversity Program, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), who has also been sharing information and experiences with members of the Gender Initiative of the Mountain Partnership.

The Gender and Diversity Program (G&D) of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), is based in Nairobi, Kenya. The CGIAR G&D Program supports diversity and gender balance in the workforce of the Future Harvest Centers of the CGIAR. G&D promotes diversity-positive recruitment, mentoring, international teamwork, cross-cultural communications, and the advancement of women. Through our website, we share resources and results. For example, we have just announced the finalists for a brand-new fellowship program to enhance the careers of East African women scientists. The two-year program is supported by The Rockefeller Foundation and implemented by G&D.

G&D News, our free electronic newsletter, updates readers on our latest publications, as well as international events, workshops, emerging issues and latest trends in gender and diversity within the CGIAR and around the globe. Most of G&D’s events are open to both CGIAR staff as well as to our partners.

G&D also maintains a global database of women scientists and professionals. Our purpose for the database is two-fold: to inform women around the world, in a timely manner, about job vacancies in the CGIAR and other international organizations; and to ensure that women everywhere receive timely information on fellowships, scholarships and grants. Our overall goal is to increase the pool of qualified women who apply for research and managerial positions. If you are a woman scientist or professional with a Masters or PhD, please register online to receive the latest funding opportunities (through G&D’s Funding News) as well targeted international job vacancies.

Note: The Mountain Partnership has two CGIAR members, the Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the International Potato Centre (CIP).

On-going events

Dolomites of Peace (Trentino, Italy, 1 July – 24 August 2005)

Sites of past conflict can be used as sites for reconciliation and peace. This is the philosophy behind “Dolomites of Peace”—a series of nine events from 1 July to 24 August in the Dolomite mountains in Northern Italy—that are examining peace issues in the company of writers, philosophers, actors, clerics and experts. All events will take place on the Sentiero della Pace (or Peace Trail), a 300 kilometre path leading through the Dolomites along the battlegrounds of the First World War. The participants will include the author Alessandro Baricco, the head of United Nations Children’s Fund in Italy (UNICEF- Italia) Roberto Salvan, and Ali Mohamed Gedi, Prime Minister of Somalia. For further information, visit the Trentino Tourist Board Web site.

Future events

Banff Mountain Summit – ‘Cultures at Risk’ (The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Canada, 19-21, August 2005)

Mountain regions around the world are home for some of the globe’s most intact and ancient indigenous and traditional cultures. From Peru to Tibet to the Alps, mountain people maintain ways of life reflecting their mountain homes, and continuously adapt to the changing world around them. ‘Cultures at Risk’, organized by Mountain Partnership member, The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture, will explore and celebrate the mountain cultures of the world at a time when their pace of change seems faster than ever before. Traditional mountain cultures, are they threatened or thriving? Performances, exhibitions, panels and speakers will encourage you to decide. For more information about the event – including on-line ticketing, a preliminary programme, and presenter biographies, visit The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture Web site.

Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas of Europe: the Challenge of Interdisciplinary Research (Ioannina, Greece, 20 -24 September, 2005)

Current changes in agriculture and land use in Europe are affecting not only mountain biodiversity but also socioeconomic environments. This conference, ‘Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development in Mountain Areas of Europe: the Challenge of Interdisciplinary Research” will provide a forum for both ecological and socioeconomic scientists from throughout Europe to discuss the importance and value of interdisciplinary research for sustainable development, utilizing tools such as scenarios for the assessment of plans and policies on economic development and the conservation of the natural environment. The event is being organized around the European BioScene research project, “Scenarios for reconciling biodiversity conservation with declining agricultural use in the mountains of Europe”, which is funded by the European Union. For details on participation and registration, visit the the Conference Web site.

For more information on future mountain-related events around the world, browse the Mountain Calendar 2005, managed by the Mountain Forum.

Past events

High-level segment of the UN Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) (New York, USA, 29 June 2005)

Mountain Partnership member, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), has released an action plan to help achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through environmental management. ‘Depend on Nature — Ecosystem Services supporting Human Livelihoods’ was made available at the recent high-level segment of the UN Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC), which reviews the progress made and debates priority actions to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and proposes 23 priority actions to improve the governance, financing, and management of natural resources. The actions will help to achieve the internationally-agreed goal to ensure environmental sustainability (Millennium Development Goal 7), and contribute to the achievement of the other MDGs, including eradicating poverty and extreme hunger. “Environmental sustainability is the goose that lays the golden eggs. If you have goose for dinner you’ll only eat once,” says Jeff McNeely, co-author and IUCN Chief Scientist. The action plan is based on the fact that everyone, but especially the rural poor, depend on ecosystems for a range of goods (water, shelter, clothing, clean air) and services (climate regulation, crops pollination, recreation). According to the recently launched Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the benefits to humanity of ‘nature’ are estimated to be in the trillions of dollars each year. Improved management of natural resources can, by increasing these goods and services and by making them benefit the poor, greatly contribute to poverty alleviation and the other internationally-agreed goals. Conversely, the current degradation of 60% of ecosystem services puts the livelihoods of the world’s 1 billion poor at risk. Download ‘Depend on Nature — Ecosystem Services supporting Human Livelihoods’

Publications

Community-based enterprise development programme (CBED) guidelines

FAO promotes the creation of community-based tree and forest product enterprises to provide local communities with more opportunities to benefit from forest resources, while also having greater incentive to sustainably manage and protect those resources. Its new community-based enterprise development programme (CBED) guidelines, ‘Market Analysis and Development’, are designed to help small entrepreneurs in the field to identify and develop natural resource products-based small-scale enterprises. Whether you work for governmental or non-governmental development agencies, the guidelines provide easy-to-follow descriptions of practical methods and well-tested field tools, which can be used to help villagers turn into successful small-scale entrepreneurs. For further information about the CBED guidelines, as well as CBED projects in Columbia, Uganda and Gambia, click or contact Sophie Grouwels, Forestry Officer (CBED), FAO.

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Web site

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Web site, maintained by the World Bank’s Development Data Group (in association with numerous partners), has been updated with recent data from the World Development Indicators 2005 and new charting to compare and track progress. The MDGs set targets for reductions in poverty, improvements in health and education and protection of the environment. This Web site contains information about the goals themselves, data collection, statistical capacity-building, World Bank research and country studies relevant to the MDGs, and perspectives from various developing regions. Go to the Web site.

The Mountain Partnership Secretariat wishes to thank the following contributors to this issue: Gutiérrez Claudio Ricardo (Argentina), Antonia Okono (ICRAF) and the Mountain Forum.