In the last few decades, has experienced rapid economic growth and socio-political change. These changes have brought many benefits and opportunities to both upland and lowland communities, while also presenting new challenges and threats. As elsewhere, environmental, socio-political and economic vulnerability are common characteristics of upland livelihoods. These and other characteristics of upland livelihoods are often not addressed in the formulation of government policies and development programs.ced to involve staff and professional agencies with local people. The structure will engage in a multi-sectoral approach with a full time professional young team from CBIK. The specialists from different disciplines will now have to work together in the field for facilitating the process for livelihood development.

The Community Livelihood Program anchors on the belief that the fine line between sustainable local livelihoods and biodiversity conservation lies in building of strong local stewardship and effective local governance in resource management. Local resources governance refers to the act, process, or power of administering, regulating, controlling, exercising deciding or determining influence on the uses, control of natural resources deemed valuable to the local communities.

The Program aims to promote effective approaches to improving livelihoods in upland areas of . In doing so, it recognizes that communities draw on a wealth of endogenous resources in adapting to both local and externally-derived changes. The program therefore focuses on seeking approaches in which externally-derived knowledge can complement local knowledge and priorities in the development of options for livelihood improvement. A core basis of such approaches is the effective governance of resources in ways that are responsive to community needs.

Priority areas for the Community Livelihoods program include:

2) The enhancement of local communities' awareness and access to formal laws and regulations that are relevant to the environment, natural resources and cultural heritages that their livelihoods depend upon.

3) The development of participatory approaches to the development of practical technologies (PTD);

4) Capacity building for research professionals in participatory action research on livelihood issues in the fields of ecotourism, rangeland management, community educations and energy efficiency, which are critical to community''''s livelihoods in NW Yunnan.

More about this projecthttp://www.ecoyunnan.org