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International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and 
Rural Development in Mountain Regions (SARD)

Highlights for Thursday, 20 June 2002 

On Thursday, participants met in plenary to discuss and adopt the Adelboden Declaration on SARD Mountains. Gerard Viatte, former OECD Director for Agriculture, outlined the drafting process and introduced the draft declaration. Manfred Boetsch, Director, Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, moderated the session. Delegates also met in informal meetings with stakeholders followed by a Roundtable discussion chaired by Jacques Paul Eckebil, Assistant Director General of FAO.
Above photos: Delegates rushing out of the plenary for a group picture

 
Closing Plenary: 

Gerard Viatte, former OECD Director for Agriculture, outlined the drafting process and introduced the draft declaration. Manfred Boetsch, Director, Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, moderated the session. Above photos L-R: The dias during the morning plenary, Manfred Boetsch moderated the session and discuss changes on the draft declaration. 


Eve Crowley, FAO explained that after Rio and in particular at the Eight Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development FAO had been given the mandate to bring governments and civil society together to discuss SARD issues. She recognized that although the SARD initiative was not just concerned with mountains, mountain initiatives might be used to catalyze progress in other areas.



Douglas McGuire, FAO, reported on an international partnership on sustainable development in mountain regions aimed at a more effective implementation of Agenda 21. He explained that as a result of negotiations in the lead up to the WSSD a document elaborating the partnership had been prepared and circulated to governments, and it would be presented at the WSSD. Informal Meetings with Stakeholders: Above photos: Informal meetings with Stakeholders dicussed the outcomes of the conference, future opportunities after Aldenboden and promote its follow-up. Roundtable Discussion:

Above photos L-R: The Roundtable discussion panel chaired by Jacques Paul Eckebil



Late Thursday afternoon, Jacques Paul Eckebil, Assistant Director General of FAO, presented his concluding remarks on the conference. He said that progress had been achieved on numerous issues on SARD in mountain regions, which if implemented would make a positive difference in the lives of mountain people. He added that agreement had been reached on a list of specific actions as well as on concrete initiatives such as SARD and the International Partnership for Sustainable Development.  He stressed that SARD-M2002 was a beginning rather than an end in itself. He noted agreement on bringing the declaration to the attention of the WSSD and Bishkek Mountain Summit and, establishing the Adelboden group on SARD. He added that opportunities existed both at Bishkek and WSSD to further explore the nature and functions of this group. Eckebil thanked the participants, Swiss authorities, FAO officials, Crea consultants and others.




Manfred Boetsch noted that SARD-M2002 was filled with "great moments, great events and interesting lively discussions." He noted that the work on preparing the Adelboden Declaration embodied the spirit of Adelboden. He thanked participants, organizers, translators, and assistants and declared the conference over at 6:45 pm.  



Official Website of SARD-Mountains Conference
Sustainable Developments coverage of the launching of the International Year of the Mountains
Official Website of the International Year of Mountains
FAO and the International Year of Mountains
 Mountain Institute


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