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Sustainable bioeconomy in the Mountains

03.07.2018

The International Programme on Research and Training on Sustainable Management of Mountain Areas (IPROMO) 2018 came to a close this week after two weeks of lessons dedicated to sustainable mountain development in Ormea and Pieve Tesio, Italy.

“IPROMO is a great networking mechanism that allows practitioners from around the world to join forces for sustainable mountain development. The Mountain Partnership is proud to promote this training programme that cuts across sectors and borders,” said Rosalaura Romeo, Programme Officer of FAO's Mountain Partnership Secretariat.

This year, IPROMO focused on several aspects that contribute to the rewarding management of mountain areas in the framework of bio economy, ranging from environmental conservation and water supply, to income generation and food security. Emphasis was placed on the cooperation of local communities and authorities through a participatory approach.

“Sustainable bio economy in mountain areas has become a fundamental issue in recent years, as a response strategy to current global challenges, such as climate change, population growth, future energy and raw material supply,” said Michele Freppaz, Professor from UNITO. 

“Participants actively contributed to the general discussion and showed high competence and interest on the treated subjects, working groups also contributed to create a collaborative working environment, where there was a clear exchange of experiences and knowledge transfer,” said Freppaz

A field trip to Aosta Valley (in cooperation with the Institut Agricole Régional) allowed participants to discover different examples of mountain resources management. The interrelations between climate change and other global challenges in mountain areas were discussed during the course and working groups were formed, allowing participants to share their knowledge and build a network of experts.

On the final day, participants received their diploma as a testament to their hardwork and dedication to sustainable mountain development.

“Stay connected, keep the IPROMO network active, engage in the Mountain Partnership and together we can promote the development of mountain areas” –  was Romeo’s message to the participants.

The 11th IPROMO course was jointly organized by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat/FAO, the University of Turin, University of Tuscia and the city of Ormea. Course activities were organized by the University of Turin (DISAFA-NatRisk), in collaboration with the Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection (IRPI), a division of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and the Institut Agricole Régional. In Pieve Tesino, the course was also supported by the Centre of Alpine Studies of the University of Tuscia, the city of Pieve Tesino, the community of Valsugana and Tesino and the Autonomous Province of Trento.

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