SARD in Mountain regions: A multi-stakeholder partnership starts activities in the field

The SARD-M Project now has the green light to initiate field activities in several mountain ranges thanks to the approval of the 2005 work plan and budget by the Project Steering Committee, which met for the first time at FAO headquarters on 22 February and endorsed most of the recommendations given in October 2004 by the consultative Adelboden Group, the project’s multi-stakeholder platform for discussing policies and policy instruments and exchanging experiences (see September 2004 update on the preparation of this meeting).

Regional focal points, chosen on the basis of their legitimacy in intervening at the regional level, experience in SARD issues, capacity to coordinate and integrate actions in mountain areas, and involvement in civil society, will act as a bridge between the global and national dimensions of the project. The following regional focal points will support the project ’s general and common activities (networking, sharing information, etc.), and contribute to work on its priorities: CIHEAM (International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies)-IAM Bari (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute) in collaboration with Plan Bleu for the Mediterranean R egion; CIP (International Potato Center) in collaboration with CONDESAN (Consortium for the Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion) for Latin America; EUROMONTANA for Europe; ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development) for Hindu Kush Himalaya/Asia; and PASOLAC ( Programme for Sustainable Agriculture on Sloping Lands in Central America) for Central America.

For more information on the SARD-M Project, please visit the project website at http://www.fao.org/sard/sard-m.

On project activities for 2005, please click here.

On the Steering Committee, click here.