Publications

Mountain Farming is Family Farming

03.12.2013

Mountain farming takes many forms – forms as diverse as the world’s mountain landscapes – yet largely remains family farming. These mountain farming activities have traditionally fed and supported individual households although, today, they have begun to expand increasingly toward global markets. Yet, mountain farmers still tend to be driven by familial, cultural and ecological values rather than solely profit maximization.

This publication, featuring 25 case studies from across the mountain landscapes, gives an overview of the global changes affecting mountain farming and the strategies that mountain communities have developed to cope. Each study also presents a set of lessons and recommendations, meant to inform and benefit mountain communities, policy-makers, development experts and academics who work to support mountain farmers and to protect mountains. Enabling mountain communities to learn from each other’s experiences and gather inspirational ideas from around the world will help enhance their resilience.

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming. Thus, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat in collaboration with several Mountain Partnership members presents this publication for this International Year to shed light on the merits and challenges of family farming in mountains.

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