many ecosystem services they provide to much larger populations (Ko ¨rner and
Ohsawa 2005).
In 2002, many events were held throughout the mountains of Southeast Asia as
part of the International Year of Mountains. In the same year, the Mountain
Partnership was established, as a ‘voluntary alliance of partners dedicated to
improving the lives of mountain people and protecting mountain environments
around the world’ (www.mountainpartnership.org/about/en). As of 2012, it
includes nearly 200 members. However, few are from Southeast Asia: the Asian
Development Bank, the Government of Indonesia, and two NGOs based in the
Philippines.
In this context, this book is potentially of great importance. While it is based on
research in only two of Southeast Asia’s countries, it certainly contributes to both
programme areas of Chapter 13, and the in-depth research it reports should be of
use more widely, not only within the mountains of these two countries, but also of
others in the region. It is an excellent example of long-term and ‘North-South’ and
also ‘South-South’ collaboration across many disciplines. At the same time, this
book only presents some of the outcomes; many more, most of much wider
relevance, were presented at the final conference of the ‘Uplands Program’ in
April 2012. Critically, participants at this conference—including the representative
of the German Research Foundation, the main funder of the programme—
recognised the need for the valuable results of this research programme to be
widely disseminated not only through this book, but through many other means,
in order to reach not only the scientists and rural development experts who are the
major audience for this book, but also farmers, extension agents, decision-makers,
and many others concerned with sustainable mountain development. The focus of
the planned activities will primarily be in Thailand and Vietnam; I would urge far
wider dissemination across the mountains of Southeast Asia. More generally, I hope
that the collaboration developed through the Uplands Program, which has already
spread to Yunnan, can be more widely developed across the mountains of Southeast
Asia, recognising the benefits of learning from experience and sharing good
practices—and that this can be the beginning of effective and long-lasting cooperation to benefits the many millions of people living in, and dependent on, the
mountains of this important region.
Professor Martin Price
Director, Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College,
University of the Highlands and Islands, Scotland
Chairholder, UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Mountain Development
vi
Foreword
Ohsawa 2005).
In 2002, many events were held throughout the mountains of Southeast Asia as
part of the International Year of Mountains. In the same year, the Mountain
Partnership was established, as a ‘voluntary alliance of partners dedicated to
improving the lives of mountain people and protecting mountain environments
around the world’ (www.mountainpartnership.org/about/en). As of 2012, it
includes nearly 200 members. However, few are from Southeast Asia: the Asian
Development Bank, the Government of Indonesia, and two NGOs based in the
Philippines.
In this context, this book is potentially of great importance. While it is based on
research in only two of Southeast Asia’s countries, it certainly contributes to both
programme areas of Chapter 13, and the in-depth research it reports should be of
use more widely, not only within the mountains of these two countries, but also of
others in the region. It is an excellent example of long-term and ‘North-South’ and
also ‘South-South’ collaboration across many disciplines. At the same time, this
book only presents some of the outcomes; many more, most of much wider
relevance, were presented at the final conference of the ‘Uplands Program’ in
April 2012. Critically, participants at this conference—including the representative
of the German Research Foundation, the main funder of the programme—
recognised the need for the valuable results of this research programme to be
widely disseminated not only through this book, but through many other means,
in order to reach not only the scientists and rural development experts who are the
major audience for this book, but also farmers, extension agents, decision-makers,
and many others concerned with sustainable mountain development. The focus of
the planned activities will primarily be in Thailand and Vietnam; I would urge far
wider dissemination across the mountains of Southeast Asia. More generally, I hope
that the collaboration developed through the Uplands Program, which has already
spread to Yunnan, can be more widely developed across the mountains of Southeast
Asia, recognising the benefits of learning from experience and sharing good
practices—and that this can be the beginning of effective and long-lasting cooperation to benefits the many millions of people living in, and dependent on, the
mountains of this important region.
Professor Martin Price
Director, Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College,
University of the Highlands and Islands, Scotland
Chairholder, UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Mountain Development
vi
Foreword