International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development Kathmandu, Nepal ICIMOD’s Work on Sustainable Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction Michael Kollmair, Programme Manager SLPR

What makes the ‘Third Pole’ unique?

210 Million People 60% ‘Poor’

Understanding Mountain Poverty

Vulnerability and Adaptation Conceptual framework of vulnerability assessment Con Non-climatic factors Exposure Impacts (of climate change and other factors) Vulnerability (to climate and other factors) Sensitivity Adaptation Adaptive capacity Climate change and variability Physical cause-effect relationship Effect of human action Perception and interpretation of human action Functional relationship (A partly determines B) Adapted from Fuessel & Klein Vulnerability = Exposure + Sensitivity – Adaptive Capacity Climate Change is an additional stress factor intensifying others

Adaptation in the Mountain Context Mountain people are experienced in adaptation Local/autonomous adaptation is is central Understand to support local adaptation with planned adaptation NCVST 2009 (ISET)

ICIMOD’s Mission To enable and facilitate equitable and sustainable well-being of the mountain people of the Hindu-Kush Himalaya by supporting sustainable mountain development through active regional cooperation

Sustainable Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction Programme Action Area High Value Products and Value Chains (HVP/VC) Action Area Innovative Livelihood Options (ILOp) Division Economic Analysis (EAD) Division Gender and Governance (GGD) “Reducing vulnerability, improving adaptive capacity and enhancing resilience”

Innovative Livelihood Options Promotion of innovative livelihood practices and approaches through regional exchange Exploring the opportunities of remittances and pro- poor tourism

Migration and Development Central driver for mountain development Rural-Urban Migration (mnt-lowland) Labour Migration (within region and beyond)

Remittance Flow World Bank, 2010 Mio. US$

Feminisation of Mountain Livelihoods

Use of Remittances

High Value Products Promoting the development of mountain high value niche products (e.g. Non-Timber Forest Products, medicinal, aromatic plants, beekeeping) and increasing their value for mountain people

High Value Products Comparative Advantages: Highly diverse resource base in the mountains Traditional knowledge is available Less competition with plain areas High demand for products in emerging markets

Mountain Specific Value Chain Approach Key Features: Addressing mountain specifities Long value chains (often transboundary) Many traders, middlemen High diversity, but small quantities of products Inadequate infrastructure and policies

Mountain Specific Value Chain Approach Mountain Specifities Generic Value Chain Approach Accessibility, Fragility, Marginality, Diversity Unique niche products and services

ICIMOD’s regional VC pilots 6 own VC pilots, close to 20 partners Almost all HKH covered From agriculture, NTFP to service sector Focus cross-border VCs and comparison same product but from different RMC

Increasing Income of Poor Producers of Bay Leaves

Impact Pathway Bay Leaf – Uttarakhand, India Pro-poor mountain specific value chain methodology piloted (leverage point ‘policy’ identified) Pilot model for NTFP policy readjustment Co-management favoured by NFTP policy makers Collection permits for Bay Leaves issued Rotational mandis (markets) established Improved marketing and payment system benefit the poor producers Increased and secured income for collectors Sustainable harvesting from wild Government investment in up- scaling to other NTFPs ICIMOD OutputOutcomeImpact

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