74 / 100
74
Policy and institutional frameworks
Inmost of the countries in the sub-region, the foundation
elements for policy and institutional arrangements
are in place which can be exploited to drive forward
a sustainable mountain ecosystem conservation
and development agenda, even though there are no
institutions that specifically address mountain issues
(with the exception of Kenya and Uganda).
• The implementation of policies is still limited
by poor institutional coordination, funding and
political meddling.
Key messages
• The implementation of climate-smart agriculture
policies tailored to national and regional contexts
is gaining momentum in East Africa.
• The absence of a mountain-focused convention is
partly blamed for the slow and largely ineffective
implementation of initiatives on sustainable
development in the mountainous areas of Africa.
However, use has been made of relevant sections
of other international and regional conventions
and protocols such as the Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD), the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) and the UNFCCC.
• Policymakers should recognize users of mountain
ecosystems as key partners when designing
adaptation strategies.
• Mountain ranges are mostly transboundary
and issues relating to them require cooperation
and appropriate institutional mechanisms at a
transnational level.
• Mountain Partnership Member countries need
to establish national sustainable mountain
development committees to handle mountain
issues at the national level and strengthen
partnerships at the transnational level.
• Mountain landscapes have valuable natural
capital whose benefits in terms of economic value
should be publicized to influence policy and
decision-making in the involvement of mountain
communities for sustainable development.
Programmes and implementation
• The development and implementation of mountain
and climate change specific programmes will
significantly improve both mountain ecosystem
conservation and the livelihoods of local communities.
• A wide range of projects and programmes relevant
to mountain ecosystems do not pay specific
attention to climate change.
• Information on programmes, projects and
activities implemented in East Africa is normally
available only in aggregate form, making it
difficult to identify the particular components
and investments that are dedicated to, or focus
on, mountain areas and communities. Even where
information is available on project implementation
in mountain regions, the proportion of investment
that directly benefits the community is either
difficult to determine or relatively small.
Young man with a heavy load of bananas, DRC