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political marginalization; lack of employment opportunities; and proneness
to natural disasters (Tiwari and Joshi 2012b, Jodha 1992, ICIMOD 2010).
It has been observed that the proportion of poor and vulnerable people
increases with elevation, and the ongoing process of globalization seems
to have further strengthened poverty imbalances between highlands and
lowlands (Hassan et al. 2005, Huddleston et al. 2003). There are indications
that poverty inequality between mountain people and those living in other
areas is currently increasing in Nepal (ICIMOD 2010).
Approximately, 271 million people which accounts for nearly 40%
of the mountain population in developing and transition countries have
been estimated to be highly vulnerable to food insecurity; of which about
50% are surviving under chronic hunger. Out of the total of 245 million
mountain rural population identifi ed as vulnerable food insecurity as much
as 87% live below 2500 m above mean sea level which constitute the most
densely populated transact of mountains specifi cally in Asia and Latin
America (Tiwari and Joshi 2012b). Although in higher mountains regions
the number of vulnerable rural population is comparatively small, but that
accounts for nearly 70% of the population living in high mountains above
2500 m. The lack of balanced diets reduces the supply of micronutrients in
mountain people which results in a very high level of malnutrition among
the local population (Huddleston et al. 2003). Furthermore, due to very
limited and no access to primary health-care and sanitation facilities and
increasing food defi ciencies the maternal and infant mortality rates have
been observed very high in mountain regions, particularly in developing
and underdeveloped countries (FAO 2008).
High dependency on natural resources and increasing marginalization
are some of the important factors for the prevailing poverty, food and
livelihood insecurity, poor community health, in mountains of developing
countries which are further increasing their vulnerability to long-term
impacts of global change (Tiwari and Joshi 2012b). The mountain population
is traditionally dependent on natural resources and agriculture constitutes
the prime source of rural livelihood in mountain environment (Huddleston
et al. 2003). At lower mountains, intensive mixed farming systems are
the most common form of agriculture, however, due to environmental
constraints such as unfavourable climatic conditions, poor-quality or
shallow soils, and sloping terrain, productivity is generally low and the
produces are not competitive in the global market (Huddleston et al. 2003).
Whereas, at higher elevations pastoralism is the most common livelihood
option as due to rising altitude, declining temperature and steeper slopes
restrict agricultural practices.
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