Sustainable mountain development in East Africa in a changing climate

The Global Mountain Agenda (Agenda 21, Chapter 13) comprises of two programme areas: • Generating and strengthening knowledge of the ecology and sustainable development of mountain ecosystems; and • Promoting integrated watershed development and alternative livelihood opportunities. Making the Case for an East African mountain agenda The two areas are often addressed together under the framework of an integrated ecosystems approach to sustainable mountain development (Sène and MacGuire, 1997). A review of progress made in the implementation of the Agenda indicated that, over the 20 years of implementation, significant achievements have been made. This progress forms an important basis upon which an Agenda for East Africa can be developed and executed. Within the framework of the Mountain Agenda, global implementation efforts have focused on the following specific objectives:

• Raising awareness of, and improving understanding of, sustainable mountain development issues from global to national levels; • Protecting natural resources and developing technical and institutional arrangements for natural disaster reduction; • Strengthening information networks and databases for organizations, governments and individuals concerned with mountain issues; • Strengthening countries’ capacity to improve planning, implementation and monitoring of sustainable mountain development programmes and activities; • Combating poverty through the promotion of sustainable income-generation activities, particularly among local communities and indigenous people; and • Formulating and negotiating regional or subregional mountain conventions; and the possibility of developing a global mountain charter. Following the review of progress towards the implementation of the Mountain Agenda in East Africa, new priority and focus areas emerge; these require urgent action to further enhance the objectives of the Mountain Agenda. Proposals for these emerging priority areas for action are based on gaps and overlaps identified in the review of policies and institutional frameworks, and programmes and projects implemented in the mountain areas of the subregion.

African fish eagle, Kenya

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