The Rural Development Programme for Mountainous and Highland Areas works to improve living conditions and raise incomes for mountain communities in a way that is sustainable, while helping protect and restore the environment.

The programme focuses on small-scale rural infrastructure development which mainly consists of the rehabilitation and construction of rural roads and bridges. These investments are consistent with, and complementary to, programme objectives and other on-going IFAD-financed programmes that support access to productive resources, financial assets and markets.

It is calculated that the programme provides benefits to about 9,800 rural households in terms of increased access to productive assets such as winter and summer pastures; increased livestock productivity; lower transport costs; lower costs for goods and services consumed at the local level; improved mobility; improved access to markets; increased school attendance, and access to health care facilities.
 

Source: IFAD