2014 Theme: “Mountain Farming”
Covering around 27 percent of the earth’s land surface, mountains
play a critical role in moving the world towards sustainable economic
growth. They not only provide sustenance and wellbeing to 720 million
mountain people around the world, but indirectly benefit billions more
living downstream.
In particular, mountains provide freshwater, energy and food – resources that will be increasingly scarce in coming decades. However, mountains also have a high incidence of poverty and are extremely vulnerable to climate change, deforestation, land degradation and natural disasters.
The challenge is to identify new and sustainable opportunities that can bring benefits to both highland and lowland communities and help to eradicate poverty without contributing to the degradation of fragile mountain ecosystems.
In particular, mountains provide freshwater, energy and food – resources that will be increasingly scarce in coming decades. However, mountains also have a high incidence of poverty and are extremely vulnerable to climate change, deforestation, land degradation and natural disasters.
The challenge is to identify new and sustainable opportunities that can bring benefits to both highland and lowland communities and help to eradicate poverty without contributing to the degradation of fragile mountain ecosystems.
Mountain Farming
This year, the celebration of this Day aims to highlight Mountain
Farming. Here we have an opportunity to raise awareness about how
mountain agriculture, which is predominantly family farming, has been a
model for sustainable development for centuries.
Family farming in mountain regions is undergoing rapid
transformation due to population growth, economic globalization,
urbanization and the migration of men and youth to urban areas.
At the same time, these changes can provide opportunities for local development. People who reside in mountain areas can diversify their income by engaging activities such as tourism, high value mountain products and handicrafts. An enabling policy environment that includes tailored investments could improve farmers’ access to resources and increase their capacity to generate income.
At the same time, these changes can provide opportunities for local development. People who reside in mountain areas can diversify their income by engaging activities such as tourism, high value mountain products and handicrafts. An enabling policy environment that includes tailored investments could improve farmers’ access to resources and increase their capacity to generate income.
Commitment and will to advance this cause were strengthened
during the International Year of Mountains in 2002, and mountains have
gained an increasingly high profile on agendas at all levels.
The Year also led to the adoption of resolution 57/245,
in which the General Assembly designated 11 December as International
Mountain Day, and encouraged the international community to organize
events at all levels on that day to highlight the importance of
sustainable mountain development.
