The MPP initiative provides technical and financial support to small-holder mountain producers from developing countries to create enterprises, enhance their marketing skills and boost their livelihoods by improving the value chains of mountain products such as organic food, textiles and tourism services.

Currently, the initiative operates in 8 countries and includes 45 products. Goods marketed under the MPP label include a stingless bee honey from the Bolivian Andes and pink and purple rice cultivated by farmers in India's Himalayas, as well as tea, coffee, pulses and textiles.

The MPP label is a narrative label which tells the story of each product, enabling consumers to make informed purchases by learning about products' origins and cultivation, processing and preservation methods, nutritional value and role in local cultures.

Around 18 000 farmers have already been supported by the MPP scheme, 60 percent of whom are women, as young men often leave the mountains and move to cities in search of work.

To further support smallholder farmers in establishing quality assurance systems for their organic products valid for domestic markets, the MPP initiative has created the first-ever international network of mountain-specific Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS). With the publication of the "Ranikhet Declaration for a Global Mountain PGS Network" in April 2019, which is a commitment of the MPP initiative partners, the MPP initiative started a transition towards a PGS that will certify farming systems as ethical, fair and organic. The first regional training of trainers was carried out in Peru, Latin America, in November 2019. Click here to learn more about the declaration and endorse it.

Key Facts

• 18 000 farmers involved (60 percent women)

• 35 partnering producers organizations 

• 45 products were granted the MPP narrative label

• 8 countries involved: Bolivia, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Panama, Peru and the Philippines

• Capacity development on production techniques and product development

• Training on entrepreneurship and marketing

• Preservation of mountain agrobiodiversity and ancient varieties

• New market opportunities for Indigenous Peoples' crop varieties

The Mountain Partnership Product label was featured in a number of news articles, including Reuters Foundation and the New York Times. Access the articles through the following links:

o Expo Dubai (2022)

o La Repubblica (2021)

o El País (2021) 

o FAO (2021)

o Vogue (2021)

o Women's Wear Daily (2021) 

o La Repubblica (2020)

o El País (2020)

o FAO (2020)

o La Repubblica (2019)

o Il Sole 24 Ore (2019)

o La Stampa (2019)

o      FAO (Moving Forward 2018 Publication)

o Correo del Sur (2017)

o FAO (2016)

o Reuters (2016) 

o New York Times (2016)

o El País (2016)

o La Repubblica (2016)

o Agra Europe (2016)

o Food Navigator (2016)

o Institute for Agricultural Science for Southern Viet Nam (2016)

Radio interviews on the new Mountain label in English, French and Spanish.