Agriculture and food security
Hunger and malnutrition not only endanger the health of people but pose a significant threat to the overall development of a country. The SDC is committed to ensuring adequate, sufficient and good-quality food for all, taking into account the entire food value chain: from the fields where food is produced, to storage and processing, markets, trade, transport and up to consumers via diet.
The SDC works worldwide to secure the human right to adequate food. It designs its activities with the aim of giving poorer and disadvantaged population groups, such as smallholder farmers, women and young people, equal access to education, productive resources and markets. The SDC helps them to make productive but sustainable use of natural resources and supports them in dealing with the effects of climate change, with the storage and marketing of their produce and with continuous adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Throughout all these endeavors, the SDC persistently pays special attention to the preservation of the highly endangered biodiversity in each context. It also promotes needs-oriented research and advisory services.
In addition, the SDC encourages innovations all along the food value chain that provide consumers with a healthy and diverse diet by facilitating access to suitable foodstuffs, both in rural and in urban areas.
Sustainable agriculture ensures a healthy diet, preserves biodiversity, and is the basis for securing the human right to adequate food. With this goal in mind, Switzerland engages in international cooperation in the field of food security. The Swiss agriculture sector, with its multifunctional, family-based and environmentally-friendly food production geared to social and regional balance, acts as a role model.
Links
Documents
Current projects
Selection
Soutien au Dispositif National de Prévention et de Gestion des Catastrophes et Crises Alimentaires au Niger (DNPGCCA) – Phase 5
01.05.2016
- 31.12.2020
Au Niger, plus de 3 millions de personnes sont affectées chaque année par l'insécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle. Ces crises entrainent les ménages dans un cercle vicieux de pauvreté et de vulnérabilité. Pour faire face à ce défi, les autorités du Niger ont créé un dispositif national de prévention et de gestion des catastrophes et crises alimentaires. La Suisse accompagne ce Dispositif afin de soutenir durablement la sécurité alimentaire des populations les plus vulnérables.
Water Security in the Middle East (Blue Peace)
01.04.2016
- 31.03.2021
In the Middle East, the increasingly precarious situation of water resources demands stronger regional cooperation than ever before. Set against this background, the Blue Peace approach aims at contributing to peace building through combined political and technical dialogues, which are substantiated in concrete regional projects and direct impact activities on the ground. Together with the Strategic Foresight Group (SFG) and local partners from academia, international organisations, civil society and private sector, SDC is able to promote policy and concrete solutions for sustainable development serving those threatened by water scarcity and conflict.
Support to the Global Land Project
01.04.2016
- 31.12.2021
Agriculture and Food Security Knowledge Network
01.04.2016
- 31.12.2020
The Agriculture and Food Security (A&FS) Network was launched in 2008 and is now well established. By mutually sharing relevant knowledge and expertise the network becomes a major content provider of knowledge to make SDC interventions more effective. The relevance of A&FS for SDC is high: more than 200 projects are currently implemented, with more than CHF 250 million of investment every year. These projects approximately reach 2 to 3 million beneficiaries. In the next five years the network aims at applying more shared expertise by network members, sharpening the thematic profile of the network and connecting all network members.
Swiss Bluetec Bridge: Swiss start-ups benefit disadvantaged populations
11.02.2016
- 31.05.2024
In addition to the sustainable management of resources and good governance, water-related challenges open up a wide field for technological innovation, particularly in the application of nanotechnologies for water treatment, especially ones which are energy-efficient. The challenge for Swiss Bluetec Bridge is to put these cutting-edge 'Swiss' technologies at the service of the poor and ensure that they are sustainably managed. To do this the project must seek to bridge the gap between public support for start-ups and private investment.
El Agua Nos Une – SuizAgua América Latina
01.01.2016
- 31.08.2021
Strategic partnerships for water management Water management is one of the main challenges of the 21st century. Thus, the knowledge generation to make decisions and better collaboration among sectors; are the axis of the present and future well-being of humanity. The initiative “El Agua Nos Une” articulates the work of public institutions, business associations and research centers. It aims at: i) scaling corporate water stewardship in Colombia; ii) strengthening knowledge on water uses, particularly in the agricultural sector; iii) contributing to the national water quality and quantity monitoring program; iv) developing an investment scheme in ecosystem services; and; v) facilitating a community of practice on water footprint and corporate water management in Latin America.
Decentralized Rural Infrastructure and Livelihood Project (DRILP) – Phase III
01.01.2016
- 31.07.2021
DRILP Phase 3 will support the Government of Nepal to accelerate recovery and reconstruction following the devastating earthquake of 25 April 2015 and the major aftershock of 12 May 2015. The project will provide the Technical Assistance (TA) to implement the Asian Development Bank (ADB) financed Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project in rebuilding 450 kms of damaged roads in 12 districts[1] of Nepal and rehabilitate 200 kms of trails in two[2] districts. [1] The 12 earthquake affected project districts are Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Kavre, Sindhuli, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Lamjung, Gorkha and Chitwan [2] Dolakha and Gorkha
Programme de développement social en milieu urbain (PDSU)Programme de développement économique local et de sécurité alimentaire à Koutiala
01.01.2016
- 30.06.2021
Le Programme Sigida Kura a permis d’améliorer les capacités de planification et de gestion des 37 collectivités territoriales du cercle de Koutiala qui ont réalisé des infrastructures permettant d’améliorer la sécurité alimentaire dans le cercle, d’augmenter les revenus des producteurs et de créer plus de 230 emplois permanents. Avec cette dernière phase, la DDC poursuit son accompagnement aux collectivités territoriales qui mettent en place un cadre durable de leur développement économique local.
PREST 5, Pistes rurales et désenclavement à l’Est
01.01.2016
- 31.12.2020
Les routes constituent un soutien à la croissance économique par la mobilité des personnes et des marchandises. Au Burkina Faso, elles demeurent en deçà des besoins et des référentiels de l’espace UEMOA. Partant de ce constat et sur l’expérience de la DDC, le gouvernement a souhaité que la Suisse finance conjointement un projet d’infrastructures et de mobilité avec la Banque Mondiale avec la méthode haute intensité de main d’œuvre (HIMO). Un inventaire des initiatives basées sur la méthode HIMO dans les 13 régions a été lancé en vue d’élaborer une politique nationale HIMO. La DDC s’engage à contribuer à ce projet et valorise la méthode HIMO à l’échelle nationale.
Access Agriculture: Videos for Farmers
01.12.2015
- 30.06.2021
Access Agriculture is a global web platform aiming at providing easy access to agricultural learning and training videos of quality. Over 250 quality training videos will be available and translated into more than 60 local languages. These videos are targeted at small-scale farmers in developing countries as well as research staff, service providers, private and public extension services, farmer organisations and rural tv stations. They enable learning from farmer to farmer to support sustainable agriculture.
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF)
01.11.2015
- 31.10.2024
Millions of Afghan women, men and children gained access to services and improved their income since the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund’s initiation (ARTF) in 2002. It also significantly contributed to the Afghan state’s capacity and legitimacy. ARTF constitutes a coordinated financing mechanism for the state's budget (Recurrent Cost Window) and for its priority national investment projects (Investment Window) in the areas of agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, education, health and governance.
Seeds and Access to Markets Project (SAMP) Phase 3
01.10.2015
- 31.12.2021
The project contributes to increased food and nutrition security of smallholder farmers by improving availability of and access to adequate quantities of quality seeds and planting material of suitable and diversified crop varieties. This enables smallholder farmers to produce enough food to sustain themselves, their communities, and earn higher incomes. The project strengthens national and local farmer-led institutions, supports community seed and commodity production and strengthens seed and commodity distribution networks.
