FAO's Current Engagement in Sustainable Mountain Development Author(s): Gérard Marquis, Tullia Baldassarri, Thomas Hofer, Rosalaura Romeo, and Petra Wolter Source: Mountain Research and Development, 32(2):226-230. 2012. Published By: International Mountain Society DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-12-00034.1 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-12-00034.1

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FAO’s Current Engagement in Sustainable Mountain Development

Mountain and watersheds approaches to address these Environment and Development in are essential for long-term sustainable challenges and need a prominent place Rio de Janeiro. Moreover, FAO was global development and poverty on the international agenda. designated as the lead agency by the alleviation and can make an important United Nations General Assembly for contribution to climate change Food and Agriculture the International Year of Mountains adaptation and mitigation. Freshwater, (IYM) 2002 and mandated to lead rich biodiversity, and other natural Organization programs on observance of International resources provided by mountains are sustainable mountain Mountain Day (IMD), every year on vital for the livelihood of billions of development 11 December. FAO hosts the people. However, recent environmental, Secretariat of the Mountain economic, and social developments With its mandate to work on natural Partnership, which was launched at such as climate change, increasing resource management, food security, the World Summit on Sustainable natural disasters, population growth, and livelihoods, and its attention to Development in Johannesburg in the expansion of commercial the social, economic, and 2002. Finally, FAO participated in agriculture, and urbanization environmental dimensions of drafting chapter 24 ‘‘Mountain compromise the ability of mountain sustainable development, the Food Ecosystems’’ of the Millennium ecosystems and watersheds to provide and Agriculture Organization of the Assessment, as well as the essential environmental goods and United Nations (FAO) has played a work program on mountain services. Degradation and decreasing leading role in sustainable mountain biological diversity of the water flows seriously affect agricultural development, watershed Convention on Biological Diversity. production and food security and management, and forest ecology Over time, FAO has progressively threaten the supply of water to large since the late 1970s. In 1992, the built up a conceptual and urban centers in the lowlands, while Organization was appointed task operational framework for watershed water, energy, and food are likely to be manager for chapter 13 of Agenda management, sustainable mountain the main scarcities in the coming 21, ‘‘Managing Fragile Ecosystems: development, and forest hydrology decades. Watershed management and Sustainable Mountain Development,’’ and for the interactions among these sustainable mountain development adopted on the occasion of the themes. Currently, FAO’s Watershed (SMD) are necessary and appropriate United Nations Conference on Management and Mountains

BOX 1: Ongoing field project 1: Fouta Djallon Highlands Integrated Natural Resources Management The Fouta Djallon Highlands Integrated Natural Resources Management Project has been developed and implemented in the framework of the Regional Program for the Integrated Development of the Fouta Djallon Highlands (FDH) of the African Union. It is conceived as a 10 year project to be implemented in a first phase of 4 years and a second phase of 6 years. The development objective of the project is to ensure the conservation and sustainable management of the FDH natural resources in a medium- to long-term time frame (until 2025) in order to improve the livelihoods of the rural population directly or indirectly connected to the FDH. The environmental objective of the project is to mitigate the causes and negative impacts of land degradation on the structural and functional integrity of the FDH ecosystems. The project started in July 2009 and is active in 8 countries: Gambia, , Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, , and . To enhance collaboration at the regional level, the project has supported the preparation of a regional legal and institutional framework convention on the transboundary management of the natural resources, which was adopted by the countries in November 2011. National laws and regulations are being reviewed and adapted to reflect the regional convention and to work toward harmonized legislation across the borders. The establishment of a regional observatory to systematically assess and monitor the status of the FDH natural resources and the trends in degradation is foreseen. To develop sustainable and community-based natural resources management approaches and to identify alternative income-generating activities, the project has established 29 pilot sites in small watershed areas and conducted interdisciplinary participatory diagnostics in these sites. Comprehensive watershed management plans are being prepared with the communities (Figure 1), and capacity building of various stakeholders in integrated management of natural resources is ongoing. Field activities have started in some pilot sites, focusing initially on the protection of steep slopes against and the sustainable intensification of agricultural production in the lowlands through improved water management for irrigation, introduction of animal traction, and introduction of multipurpose living hedges to protect agricultural plots against free grazing of animals. A rapid expansion of field activities within the area of intervention and preliminary results from pilot interventions are expected from 2012 onwards.

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FIGURE 1 Fouta Djallon: the local community participating in community planning, Guinea. (Photo by Thomas Hofer)

Programme is engaged in three main part of local socioeconomic mountain development, watershed areas of work. development processes. The management, and related subjects innovative aspects of the new in developing countries and coun- 1. FAO produces and disseminates approach are the focus on tries in transition. It puts its capacity-building and multistakeholder participation, mission into practice through technical materials on sustainable the recognized importance of small-scale catalytic projects as well mountain development, water- upstream–downstream linkages, as through the implementation of shed management, and forest hy- and long-term planning and large projects funded by multiple drology. Triggered by the Inter- financing. On the occasion of IMD donors, unilateral trust funds, or national Years of Mountains 2011, the program launched the international funds, such as the (2002) and Freshwater (2003) and publication ‘‘Why invest in sus- Global Environment Facility (GEF). in close collaboration with a large tainable mountain development?’’. In general, field projects combine number of experts and partners This booklet is addressed to those activities for the sustainable man- worldwide, FAO undertook a policymakers and decision agement of natural resources, ac- thorough review of past and cur- makers who are responsible for tivities to improve the livelihoods rent approaches to watershed finding a balance between socio- of local people, and policy advice. management with the objective economic development and envi- In the almost 20 years since Rio to formulate recommendations ronmental conservation thrusts de Janeiro 1992, FAO has for a new generation of watershed (download under http://www.fao. implemented 53 watershed man- management programs and org/docrep/015/i2370e/i2370e. agement and mountain develop- projects. One of the main char- pdf). ment projects in 41 countries in acteristics of this new paradigm is 2. The program is involved in identi- Asia, Latin America, Africa, the the emphasis on watershed fying, formulating, and backstop- Near East, and Europe. Examples natural resources management as ping field projects for sustainable of two large ongoing field

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BOX 2: Ongoing field project 2: BOX 3: The Mountain Framework Convention on Climate Chimborazo Natural Resources Partnership contribution to the Chance [UNFCCC], United Nations Management Project, Ecuador development of CSA Convention to Combat Desertification [UNCCD], United The Chimborazo Natural Resources The Mountain Partnership Secretariat Nations Convention on Biological Management Project was jointly developed an FAO-funded project in Diversity [UNCBD]) and in the conceived by the Chimborazo the framework of the Mountain Rio+20 process. Further, in Provincial Council (CHPC), other Partnership involving the Union of collaboration with relevant national partners, FAO, and the GEF. Rural Organizations in the North of partners, the Mountain Partnership The project’s global environment Cotopaxi (UNOCANC) in Ecuador, upon Secretariat has produced a number objective is to conserve and request of the national government. of publications on mountains sustainably manage the Chimborazo’s Among the main outcomes of the High and climate change, mountains and pa´ramos and the biodiversity of the Mountain Management for biodiversity, mountains and mountain ecosystems (Figure 2), and Sustainable Development in Cotopaxi drylands, and mountain to improve local livelihoods through project, running from 2009 to 2011, forests. strengthening of necessary policy, is the Manual of Organic Production of legal, and institutional frameworks Indigenous Crops. The book collects and local awareness, capacities, and information on traditional and Sustainable mountain incentives for participation in planning innovative techniques for the organic development: opportunities and sustainable management of production of Andean crops, based on and challenges natural resources. The project aims the ecological management of , also to re-establish and sustainably pest, and biodiversity, and on the use Mountain environmental services use the agro-biodiversity in the of the lunar phases for tillage One way to reduce the number of pa´ramos ecosystems and to improve practices (Figure 3). Andean crops hungry people living in mountain food security of the local indigenous cover an area of approximately areas is to empower them to protect population dependent on 150,000 ha in the Andes, and about mountain ecosystems and to promote Chimborazo’s mountain ecosystems 500,000 farm families rely on their stability in mountain regions. In fact, by applying modern watershed plots for consumption and it has been estimated that management approaches. The project occasionally for the sale of the agricultural growth has greater area includes five subwatersheds surplus. They are an excellent source poverty-reducing effects than any (including the Chimborazo Fauna of protein but are being replaced by nonagriculture sector. To address Reserve) within the Chambo and monocultures with negative this challenge, FAO is devoted to Chancha´n River basins, covering ecological and dietary impacts. recognizing the value of positive about 114,400 ha. Through this project, traditional Andean crops have been reintroduced externalities provided by into this area. mountainous ecosystems through market mechanisms. Schemes such as projects are presented in Boxes payment for environmental services 1and2. (PES) are increasingly being adopted 3. Lastly, the program coordinates in several FAO projects to reward several international processes The Mountain Partnership local populations and communities such as technical consultations Secretariat hosted by the Forestry for the sustainable management of and awareness-raising events. Department of FAO promotes natural resources that originate in Most recently, FAO hosted the exchange and collaboration among mountain areas and that benefit Second World Landslide Forum of its 194 members. Its constituency billions of people. the International Consortium on includes governments, The Watershed Management and Landslides (ICL) in October 2011. intergovernmental organizations, Mountains program addresses Under the overall slogan ‘‘putting and civil society groups. Despite the sustainable mountain development science into practice,’’ the event key role played by mountains in (SMD) through a holistic and brought together more than 800 supporting livelihoods, there is still a multisectoral approach that takes experts from different stakehold- serious lack of recognition for these into account upstream–downstream er groups in order to exchange ecosystems. The Mountain linkages and is a potential fertile views and experiences about a Partnership Secretariat is actively ground for the development of PES large variety of aspects related to engaged in including ‘‘mountains’’ in schemes. Using watersheds as landslide processes and, all international agenda and forums, planning units, the program on the whole, disaster risk such as in the 3 Rio de Janeiro implements its interventions reduction. conventions (United Nations focusing both on the mountain

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FIGURE 2 Chimborazo: the Chimborazo Volcano, Ecuador. (Photo by Thomas Hofer)

FIGURE 3 Sustainable practices: conservation communities that provide ecosystem consequently, contributes to the agriculture in Cotopaxi, Ecuador. (Photo by Thomas Hofer) services and on the lowlands that supply of the mountain ecosystem benefit from those services. In this services that are essential building view, the management of natural blocks for long-term sustainable resources requires the participation global development, poverty of all stakeholders, such as alleviation, and a key in the politicians, technicians, local transition toward a green farmers, foresters, etc, and the economy. practices and points of view of local people have to be included in the Climate-smart agriculture in search for sustainable solutions. mountain areas Therefore, policies regulating the use In the context of a green economy, of natural resources become FAO is also supporting new particularly important, especially in investment opportunities that are developing countries where the emerging especially for renewable absence of official land-tenure rights energy and sustainable agriculture in for local farmers increases land mountain regions. This offers scope misuse and degradation of natural for economic development but also resources. This approach highlights places increased pressure on the need to give mountain mountain areas. Therefore, the communities access to local implementation of innovative resources in order to enhance their institutional arrangements, ensuring interest in managing natural a balanced development of social, resources in a sustainable way, which, ecological, and economic capital,

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is essential to protect fragile environmental issues, for example, Further reading mountain ecosystems while energy and water, as well as social enhancing mountain issues, such as gender and economic N economies. issues. It aims to achieve the four For a detailed overview of the As one of the main conference dimensions of food security approach endorsed by the Water- themes of Rio+20, FAO will explore (availability and access to of food, shed Management and Mountains the global resource footprints of utilization of food for adequate Programme, as well as to download agriculture and food systems, nutrition, and stability of food its normative products (eg publica- including different scenarios, supply) and make them the overall tions), collect any relevant infor- prospective challenges, and policy goal of food production and mation on ongoing projects and options, as part of its Greening the distribution systems in developing international processes, and find Economy with Agriculture (GEA) countries. CSA involves agricultural out about partnerships in which the initiative. The purpose of GEA is to growth for food security that program is involved, please visit ensure the right to adequate food, as incorporates necessary adaptation http://www.fao.org/forestry/ well as food and nutrition security—in and captures potential watershedmanagementandmountains/ terms of food availability, access, mitigation measures to climate N en/. stability, and utilization—and change. For further information on FAO contribute to the quality of rural Mountain agriculture is often engagement in the preparation of livelihoods, while efficiently managing equated with a high environmental Rio+20, please visit http://www.fao. natural resources and improving compatibility and a high product N org/rio20/fao-rio-20/en/. resilience and equity throughout the quality. Whilst mountain farms To learn more about the food supply chain, taking into account certainly benefit from a healthy, activities of the Mountain Part- countries’ individual circumstances. natural environment, the quality of nership and download its publi- GEA can be achieved by applying an products and environmentally cations, please visit http://www. ecosystem approach to agriculture, friendly and/or landscape-friendly mountainpartnership.org. forestry, and fisheries management in management rely basically on the a manner that addresses the farmer’s expertise and/or the multiplicity of societal needs and intensity of operation adapted to the AUTHORS desires, without jeopardizing the location. Mountain agriculture and Ge´rard Marquis1*, Tullia Baldassarri2, Thomas Hofer1, Rosalaura Romeo2, and options for future generations to forestry play a key role in supporting 1 benefit from the full range of people’s livelihoods with traditional Petra Wolter goods and services provided by (high-value) products, crops, timber, * Corresponding author: terrestrial, aquatic, and marine fodder, and minerals. For these [email protected] 1 Watershed Management and Mountains ecosystems. reasons, CSA in mountain areas Programme, United Nations Food and In this context, FAO is tends to promote income-generating Agriculture Organization, Viale delle Terme di contributing to the development of activities and micro-enterprises Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy 2 Mountain Partnership Secretariat, United Na- climate-smart agriculture (CSA), a respectful of natural resources in tions Food and Agriculture Organization, Viale holistic concept that unites various order to improve mountain people’s delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy issues related to agricultural livelihoods and reduce poverty, as development and other global well as preserve mountain Open access article: please credit the authors and development objectives. CSA covers environments. the full source.

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