ABSTRACT
The strong interrelationships between environment and development in mountain areas need no further reiteration. The major problem is still achieving the systematic integration of environment and development in day-to-day decision-making processes. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) was established ten years ago with the objective of promoting integrated development in the mountain areas of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas. Many parts of these mountains have passed through different stages of interaction between population, agriculture and the environment. Changes from outside have also played an important role, with improvements in access and increasing public sector programmes in mountain areas. Mountain societies have traditionally sustained relatively autonomous institutional mechanisms. The process of programme formulation and implementation at ICIMOD may be described as being primarily consultative and collaborative. ICIMOD must seek ways to enhance the capacity of its partner organisations to plan, monitor, organise, manage and evaluate mountain development activities.
