On 22 - 25 October 2014, Thato Konstabole, the Agriculture,
Environment and Natural Resource Commission Coordinator for LCN,
attended the first African Mountains Regional Forum. The meeting
was convined by the Albertine Rift Conservation Society and the
African Partnership Champions Committee in partnership with the
East African Community, the UN Environment Programme, the Austrian
Development Cooperation and the Swiss Agency for Development and
Cooperation.
The forum was held in Arusha, Tanzania and attracted
participants from governments, civil society, research
institutions, the private sector and other key decision
makers from across Africa.
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Delegates at the African Mountains Regional Forum which was held in Arusha, Tanzania on 22 - 25 October 2014 |
African mountains provide indispensable goods and services for the
communities living in and around them, as well as for various
downstream users. Mountains also harbour a unique biodiversity,
provide non-timber forest products: water, food and energy security
at local, national, and regional levels. However, pressure from human
activities and climate change are leading to rapid mountain
biodiversity loss, land degradation and natural disasters which
jeopardize their ability to balance people's needs.
The primary objective of the forum was to enhance
collaboration and promote sustainable mountain development
in Africa. Topics were divided into 5 themes and comprised
of a series of presentations which were made by experts and
practitioners from across Africa. Issues addressed included:
1. Bio diversity and Eco system Services
2. Water Energy and Food security challenges in Africa
3. African mountains and Climate Change
4. Community Livelihoods and Development
5. African Mountains and Regional and Development Agenda
The delegation from Lesotho was made up of LCN, the Department
of Environment of the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Culture,
Ministry of Forestry and Land Reclamation, the Department of
Range Resource Management and the Ministry of Energy, Meteorology
and Water Affairs. They made a comprehensive presentation which
detailed 'Climate change adaptation measures in rangeland
management: removal of invasive shrubs in Lesotho'.
At the end of the 4 day gathering, the key outcome was adoption
of the Arusha Outcomes which participants hoped will raise the
profile of the African sustainable mountain development agenda.
Members of the forum agreed that they would return to their own
countries and lobby for the inclusion of mountain development
in their respective sub national, national, regional and
international development agenda's.
The team from Lesotho plan to meet at the beginning of November
to formulate a course of action and to identify how best to
engage a range of stakeholders from all areas of the country
who will work together to take the mountain agenda and related
activities forward.
LCN (AENRC) has committed to engage it's member NGOs
who operate in the mountains and include them in this new
network of mountain partners. If you feel that you have the
skills and knowledge to contribute to this network please
contact Mr Thato Konstabole at aenrc@lcn.org.ls
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