Diversifying mountain economies

Description

Diversifying mountain economies involves developing a broader range of sustainable livelihood options beyond traditional sectors such as agriculture and mining. This strategy aims to reduce economic vulnerability, counteract outmigration, and enhance community resilience by promoting activities like eco-tourism, value-added local products, renewable energy, and digital services. By fostering innovation, improving infrastructure, and supporting local entrepreneurship, this approach remedies dependency on single industries and addresses the challenges of isolation, limited markets, and environmental degradation.

Implementation

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. Agenda 21 recommends diversifying such economies by, inter alia, creating and/or strengthening tourism in accordance with integrated management of mountain areas.