Central Asian annual forum 'Mountain Green product-challenges and opportunities for mountain communities of Central Asia'

The CAMP network agencies, under the support of Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany (BMU) and Mountain Partnership, initiate holding a Forum for sustainable development of Central Asian Communities ‘“Mountain Green Product – challenges and opportunities for mountain communities of Central Asia” on 28-30 September, 2011 in Kyrgyzstan. The network of CAMP (Central Asian Mountain Program) unites four agencies, working for the sustainable development of mountain villages in Central Asia: CAMP Alatoo in Kyrgyzstan, CAMP Kuhiston in Tajikistan, CAMP Consulting in Kazakhstan, and the Alliance of Central Asian Mountain Communities (AGOCA). Since 2002 the CAMP network annually holds a regional Forum, addressing various issues relevant for the development of Central Asian mountain regions. The implementing agency for the CAMP Forum 2011 is CAMP Alatoo, in close cooperation with AGOCA. As the event hosts, CAMP Alatoo and AGOCA believe that there is a strong need to address the topic of Green mountain production as a base for improving Central Asian mountain communities’ livelihood at the forthcoming forum. CAMP Forum 2011 is expected to contribute to addressing the knowledge gap in realizing the income possibilities of Green agricultural, livestock and forest products in mountain regions. New knowledge and practices on up-to-date technologies, marketing, certification, and others could help mountain communities to generate additional income and improve their livelihood. CAMP Forum 2011 goal is to provide a platform for the review and exchange of international, regional and local experience and expertise of green products value chain based on sustainable use of natural resources, and assess their efficiency for the mountain communities of Central Asia. The objectives of the forum are: 1) raising awareness of mountain communities of Central Asia on value chain of Green Products; 2) increasing the capacity of Central Asian mountain communities to produce compatible ecological products; 3) encouraging mountain communities in producing Green mountain products by using new approaches, technologies and practices, based on sustainable natural resources management; 4) exchange and replication of best practices; 5) elaboration of recommendations and ideas for pilot projects to enhance the use of best practices and technologies at community level. The event will include, among others, plenary discussions, field workshops and thematic sessions on the issues such as green pasture product, green forest product, green farming and green energy efficiency.