The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Swiss Federal Office of Agriculture organized the International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Mountain Regions, held in Switzerland, to report on the obstacles facing people living in mountain areas. Over 200 representatives of mountain regions and delegates from about 50 countries attended the Conference to discuss problems facing high-altitude regions, and suggest possible solutions.
FAO reported that many of the 770 million people living in mountain regions suffer poverty and lack access to education, housing and energy services. These problems are caused by isolation and harsh environmental conditions that make industrial growth difficult.
Fifty countries adopted the Adelboden Declaration, which stated that mountain regions should have greater access to markets, medical and financial services, and should receive better compensation for services rendered. FAO also said that these regions need more attention because isolation makes it difficult for them to develop their markets.
The Adelboden Declaration offers the development of agriculture and the diversification of local markets as solutions for stimulating growth in mountain economies. It also seeks to protect the rights of communities and indigenous peoples, and demands respect for the rights of women.
