For millions of people living in mountainous areas, hunger and the threat of hunger are nothing new. Harsh climates and the difficult, often inaccessible terrain, combined with political and social marginality make mountain peoples vulnerable to food shortages. One in three mountain people in developing countries is facing hunger and malnutrition. This study presents an updated geographic and demographic picture of the world’s mountain areas and assesses the vulnerability to food insecurity of mountain dwellers in developing countries, based on a specially designed model. The final section presents an alternative and complementary approach to assessing hunger by analyzing household surveys. The results show that the living conditions of mountain dwellers have continued to deteriorate in the last decade. Global progress and living standard improvements do not appear to have made their way up the mountains and many mountain communities lag way behind the full eradication of poverty and hunger. This publication gives voice to the plight of mountain people and sends a message to policy-makers on the importance of including mountain development in their agendas as well as specific measures and investments that could break the cycle of poverty and hunger of mountain communities and slow outmigration from mountain areas.

This study, the third of its type published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), adds further evidence that in mountain regions of developing countries, food insecurity, social isolation, environmental degradation, exposure to the risk of disasters and to the impacts of climate change, and limited access to basic services, especially in rural areas, are still prevalent and, under some circumstances, increasing. It also shows the technical challenges for producing more comprehensive and representative assessments based on scientific data, and providing a deeper understanding of the underlying factors of vulnerability of mountain people. Mountains cover 39 million km2, or 27 percent, of the world’s land surface. In 2017, the global mountain population reached nearly 1.1 billion, which is 15 percent of the world’s population, with an increase of 89 million people since 2012. The increase added almost entirely (86 million people) to the mountain population in developing countries, which reached one billion people in 2017. The population has increased in all the regions of the developing world. Only the areas at the highest mountain altitudes (above 3 500 m) continued to experience a depopulation trend in the last 17 years, while at all other elevations population increased. In all African subregions, in South America and in Central and Western Asia, the population density is higher in the mountains than in the lowlands. In developing countries, 648 million people (65 percent of the total mountain population) live in rural areas. Half of them – 346 million – were estimated to be vulnerable to food insecurity in 2017. In other words, one in two rural mountain dwellers in developing countries live in areas where the daily availability of calories and protein was estimated to be below the minimum threshold needed for a healthy life. In the five years from 2012 to 2017, the number of vulnerable people increased in the mountains of developing countries, approximately at the same pace as the total mountain population. Although the proportion of vulnerable people to the total mountain population did not change, the absolute number of vulnerable people increased globally by 40 million, representing an increment of 12.5 percent from 2012 to 2017.

Safeguarding Mountain Ecosystems: A Global Challenge provides an overview of the relevant research in mountain regions worldwide, identifying existing challenges and providing an understanding of the diversity of mountain ecosystems in different regions. Mountain ecosystems are increasingly vulnerable to modified climate conditions and other global changes (demographic, migration, urbanization). In this time of change, efforts for sustainable development in mountain ecosystems deserve all the attention, especially in synergy with the United Nations' International Frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement, and the New Urban Agenda.Sections underline the importance of mountain regions for humanity at global, regional and local scales, describe the challenges of safeguarding mountains and possible solutions worldwide, and scrutinize regional specificities of the major mountain ranges, describing the challenges and opportunities of each. Final sections reflect on applications and technologies that address and solve major problems. - Focuses on existing challenges for mountain regions around the world - Presents specific case studies of mountain ecosystems from major mountain ranges - Features contributions from representatives of UN Agencies and research experts from the addressed regions, offering a very interdisciplinary view on challenges and opportunities

Mountain food security and nutrition are core issues that can contribute positively to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals but paradoxically are often ignored in Zero Hunger and poverty reduction-related agenda. Under the overall leadership of José Graziano da Silva, the Former Director-General of FAO, sustainable mountain agriculture development is set as a priority in Asia and the Pacific, to effectively address this issue and assist Member Countries in tackling food insecurity and malnutrition in mountain regions. This comprehensive publication is the first of its kind that focuses on the multidimensional status, challenges, opportunities and solutions of sustainable mountain agriculture development for Zero Hunger in Asia. This publication is building on the ‘International Workshop and Regional Expert Consultation on Mountain Agriculture Development and Food Security and Nutrition Governance’, held by FAO RAP and UIR in November 2018 Beijing, in collaboration with partners from national governments, national agriculture institutes, universities, international organizations and international research institutes. The publication provides analysis with evidence on how mountain agriculture could contribute to satisfying all four dimensions of food security, to transform food systems to be nutrition-sensitive, climate-resilient, economically-viable and locally adaptable. From this food system perspective, the priority should be given to focus on specialty mountain product identification (e.g. Future Smart Food), production, processing, marketing and consumption, which would effectively expose the potential of mountain agriculture to contribute to Zero Hunger and poverty reduction. In addition, eight Asian country case studies not only identify context-specific challenges within biophysical-technical, policy, socio-economic and institutional dimensions.

Mapping Innovations – an outlook of stakeholders – Collection of Award Winning & Selected Essays – by various authors @ NSD2021BLR https://nationalscienceday.in NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY The National Science Day is celebrated on 28 February of every year since 1986. The day celebrates the discovery of scattering of light by the renowned Indian physicist Sir. C. V. Raman at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science in Kolkata, on 28″ February 1928. For this discovery, Sir. C.V. Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930. The importance of celebrating science day is to herald the significance of science and scientific temper in daily life, get inspired by scientists and their scientific contributions to human welfare. ABOUT NSD2021 BLR Across the world 2020-21 has impacted the life of this planet by Covid-19-Pandemic. The human race has been fighting hard to win this war with courage. The life has been turning normal or so-called new normal by adopting digital possibilities with grace. NSD 2021 BLR was conceptualised to continue uplifting the spirit of Science Communication amidst this situation. Copyright © SJR College for Women, Rajajinagar, Bengaluru Editors: Dr. Kamala Y. C, Dr. Prema Siddharaju, Smt. S. N. Manjula Edition: 2021 Cover & Book Design: Techfiz Inc. Printed book Publisher & Digitization Sponsor Sanchi Foundation ®, Bengaluru Ebook Digitization Partner & Ebook Publisher Techfiz Inc. Bengaluru

This open access volume is the first comprehensive assessment of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. It comprises important scientific research on the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable mountain development and will serve as a basis for evidence-based decision-making to safeguard the environment and advance people’s well-being. The compiled content is based on the collective knowledge of over 300 leading researchers, experts and policymakers, brought together by the Hindu Kush Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment Programme (HIMAP) under the coordination of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). This assessment was conducted between 2013 and 2017 as the first of a series of monitoring and assessment reports, under the guidance of the HIMAP Steering Committee: Eklabya Sharma (ICIMOD), Atiq Raman (Bangladesh), Yuba Raj Khatiwada (Nepal), Linxiu Zhang (China), Surendra Pratap Singh (India), Tandong Yao (China) and David Molden (ICIMOD and Chair of the HIMAP SC). This First HKH Assessment Report consists of 16 chapters, which comprehensively assess the current state of knowledge of the HKH region, increase the understanding of various drivers of change and their impacts, address critical data gaps and develop a set of evidence-based and actionable policy solutions and recommendations. These are linked to nine mountain priorities for the mountains and people of the HKH consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals. This book is a must-read for policy makers, academics and students interested in this important region and an essentially important resource for contributors to global assessments such as the IPCC reports.

The Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh has witnessed important changes linked to its geo-strategic importance, the rapid development of means of communication with other parts of India, socio-economic transformation processes and the effects of climate change. The sixteen chapters document these key changes, ranging from melting glaciers and extreme weather events to the exponential increase in infrastructure, tourist and military activities. The book examines the impact these changes are having on the environment and on the socio-economics and identity of Ladakhi communities. The book also attempts to evaluate the likely direction of future changes, identify some of the main environmental challenges faced by Ladakh in the 21st century, and provide perspectives for sustainable development of the high mountain region.