IYM objectives

IYM's main goal of ensuring the well-being of mountain populations through sustainable development of mountain regions focuses and hinges on the following objectives:

• ensure present and future well-being of mountain communities by promoting conservation and sustainable development in mountain areas;
• increase awareness of, and knowledge on, mountain ecosystems, their dynamics and functioning, and their overriding importance in providing a number of strategic goods and services essential to the well-being of both rural and urban, highland and lowland people, particularly water supply and food security;
• promote and defend cultural heritage of mountain communities societies; and
• pay attention to frequent conflicts in mountain areas and promote peace-making in those regions.

Achievements of mentioned objectives are to be achieved through the following means:

• information generation and exchange;
• awareness raising and sensitization;
• education, training and extension;
• documentation of best practices and formulation of recommendations based on successful field case studies; and
• promotion of mountain-specific policy formulation and legislation.