A recent study by Spanish colleagues and Stéphane Saj at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) examined how different cocoa farming systems affect the environment over the long term, comparing conventional monoculture cocoa with agroforestry systems.

Across the 12-year study, diversified cocoa systems consistently showed better environmental performance and higher overall productivity when considering all crops, not just cocoa. Well-managed agroforestry systems can achieve competitive cocoa yields while improving income stability, resource efficiency, and climate resilience, making them a strong long-term alternative to monoculture. As Stéphane Saj puts it: “If we are thinking about cocoa sourcing in the medium to long term, the message is clear: agroforestry systems are the way forward.”

The research findings and the challenges of adopting sustainable cocoa production systems are further explored in an interview conducted by the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa.

Read the full interview with Stéphane Saj by clicking on "read more".

Experiences from Helvetas projects in Laos, Ethiopia and Mozambique show how biodiversity-based approaches can effectively manage agricultural pests while improving productivity. In Laos, farmers successfully combined biological control methods—such as the use of predatory insects—with locally produced solutions like tobacco sprays to combat the fall armyworm, significantly reducing crop losses and increasing yields. In Ethiopia, smallholder farmers are using mixtures of cattle urine and plant-based extracts (e.g. neem, garlic, aloe vera) alongside crop rotation and organic fertilization, resulting in healthier soils and reduced pressure on pollinators. In Mozambique, the application of “effective microorganisms” has helped suppress plant diseases, reduce pesticide dependence, and increase yields, while also creating new income opportunities through beekeeping. Across all cases, integrated pest management approaches that combine ecological knowledge with local practices contribute to more resilient farming systems and reduced environmental impact.

New data published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development show that Switzerland’s official development assistance (ODA) declined further in 2025, reaching approximately 0.36% of gross national income—well below the internationally agreed 0.7% target set by the United Nations.

According to Alliance Sud, Switzerland is now achieving only about half of this target, despite a favourable fiscal context. The country also failed to meet its own intermediate objective of 0.5%, raising questions about the political prioritisation of international cooperation.

This trend reflects a broader shift in global development financing. In recent months, major geopolitical developments—including the dismantling of United States Agency for International Development under the administration of Donald Trump—have contributed to a weakening of multilateral engagement. Several Western countries are increasingly reallocating public resources towards defence and domestic priorities, often at the expense of development cooperation.

The implications are significant for global agrifood systems. Reduced public financing risks undermining long-term investments in agricultural research, rural development, and food system transformation—particularly in low-income countries already facing compounded pressures from climate change, market volatility, and geopolitical instability.

At the same time, the debate remains politically contested. While a majority of the Swiss population reportedly supports maintaining or increasing development spending, current policy trajectories point in the opposite direction.

In this context, declining commitments to international cooperation raise broader concerns about the future of collective action on global challenges, including food security, sustainable agriculture, and the resilience of food systems worldwide.

The ongoing disruptions linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz are exposing the structural vulnerabilities of global agrifood systems, with significant impacts on food security in the Global South. According to SWISSAID, the crisis highlights the heavy dependence of agriculture on fossil fuels, particularly for fertilizer production and transport.

Rising energy prices are already affecting partner countries. In Tanzania, fuel prices have increased by over 33%, while in India, shortages of cooking gas are disrupting households and small businesses. In Chad, food prices have surged dramatically, with meat prices doubling and fuel costs also rising sharply. These dynamics are particularly severe in rural areas, where higher transport costs limit farmers’ access to markets and reduce incomes.

Beyond energy, a fertilizer crisis is emerging. Supply disruptions are occurring at a critical moment in the agricultural calendar, forcing farmers to reduce fertilizer use, switch crops, or abandon planting altogether. In many African countries, where agriculture relies heavily on imported inputs, this is expected to lead to lower yields, reduced incomes, and increased food insecurity.

The World Food Programme estimates that up to 45 million additional people could face food insecurity by the end of 2026 if the crisis persists.

SWISSAID emphasizes that these developments reflect deeper systemic issues, including the concentration of global agricultural inputs and reliance on external supply chains. As a response, the organization promotes agroecological approaches that rely on local resources, improve soil health, and reduce dependency on imported fertilizers and pesticides. Such approaches are presented as key to strengthening resilience and fostering more autonomous and sustainable food systems.

The World Food System Center has published its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting research, education, and dialogue activities aimed at advancing sustainable food systems. Key initiatives include projects on data-driven farm management, regenerative agriculture, and innovative food processing technologies. The report also emphasizes the Center’s role in fostering international dialogue and training future professionals through interdisciplinary education. With strengthened partnerships and new leadership, the Center aims to further accelerate food system transformation in the coming years.

A new partnership between Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the Obala Agricultural Institute (IAO) in Cameroon marks a significant step in strengthening agricultural research and training in Central Africa. Formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the support of Swiss and Cameroonian authorities, the collaboration aims to advance agroecology, education, and innovation across food systems. Together with partners such as Agroscope, the initiative will support applied research, academic exchange, and the development of an agroecology platform, contributing to long-term capacity building and sustainable agricultural development in the region.

At the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, a group of countries including Switzerland, Brazil, and New Zealand launched a new dialogue platform on emerging issues in agricultural trade. The initiative aims to foster exchange and build a shared understanding of challenges at the intersection of trade, sustainability, and food systems. Rather than opening new negotiations, the dialogue provides a forum to address topics such as food security, livelihoods, and environmental sustainability, reflecting growing interest in aligning agricultural trade policies with global sustainability goals.

Researchers involved in the “Agreement on Agriculture Re-Imagined” initiative, including Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi from Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), call for a fundamental redesign of global agricultural trade rules. Moving beyond reform of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, the group proposes a Model Treaty that aligns trade instruments – such as tariffs and subsidies – with sustainability, equity, and food system resilience. The initiative aims to address structural inequalities, strengthen local food systems, and better connect global trade governance with international frameworks on climate, biodiversity, and human rights.

An analysis by Biovision underscores how disruptions in energy markets – particularly linked to tensions in the Middle East – can cascade into global food systems. The article highlights the critical role of natural gas in fertilizer production and warns that supply disruptions can increase production costs, reduce yields, and drive up food prices, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, especially in Africa. It argues that agroecological approaches – such as diversified farming systems and the use of local inputs – can reduce dependence on fossil-based inputs and strengthen the resilience of food systems to geopolitical shocks.

A new synthesis by Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) highlights 16 years of research from the SysCom project in India, comparing organic and conventional cotton systems. The findings show that organic cotton can achieve up to 82–93 percent of conventional yields while delivering significant environmental and socio-economic benefits, including improved soil health, biodiversity, and farmer livelihoods. The study also emphasizes the importance of true cost accounting and continued research to support the transition toward sustainable agricultural systems in developing countries.

A feature by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations highlights how the AGRIS platform strengthens the link between research and practice in smallholder agriculture. Through the work of agronomist Mohamed Abdi Khaliif Isse at Kampala University, the article illustrates how open-access scientific knowledge supports soil fertility management, crop productivity, and climate-resilient practices in Uganda. By enabling researchers, students, and practitioners to access and share evidence globally, FAO AGRIS contributes to building local research capacity and improving agricultural outcomes in developing contexts.

New research from ETH Zurich shows that plant water uptake under drought conditions is primarily limited by soil properties rather than plant physiology. Published in Science, the study demonstrates that increasing capillary forces in drying soils prevent plants from extracting water, helping explain why efforts to breed drought-resistant crops have had limited success. These findings have important implications for global agriculture, suggesting that improving soil management and water retention may be more effective than focusing solely on plant genetics in addressing drought stress.

A project by SWISSAID in Ecuador and Colombia combines agroecology with participatory digital tools to support smallholder farmers’ adaptation to climate change. In response to concerns raised by International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) about the exclusionary and resource-intensive nature of mainstream agri-tech, the initiative develops farmer-driven solutions through “Agroecological Adaptation Labs.” A co-created digital platform enables farmers to share knowledge, document innovations, and strengthen local resilience, offering an alternative model of inclusive and sustainable technological change.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations warns that disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz are triggering a systemic shock across global agrifood systems. According to Chief Economist Máximo Torero, reduced tanker traffic is driving up energy and fertilizer prices, increasing production costs for farmers and threatening crop yields worldwide. The duration of the disruption will be decisive: prolonged instability could affect planting decisions, reduce yields for major crops, and intensify global food insecurity, particularly in import-dependent countries.

A project led by Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) examines the potential of dynamic agroforestry (DAF) systems as a sustainable alternative to cocoa monocultures. Focusing on case studies in Ecuador and Ghana, the project analyzes adoption patterns, economic viability, and key barriers faced by smallholder farmers. By assessing cost-benefit outcomes and sector dynamics, the initiative aims to generate evidence to support policy, investment, and programming decisions. Funded by the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa (SWISSCO) and Coop Switzerland, the project contributes to advancing resilient and environmentally sustainable cocoa value chains.

CDE researcher Gabi Sonderegger has received the Bernese Award for Environmental Research for her dissertation analysing how voluntary sustainability standards in agriculture address spillover effects beyond their immediate sphere of action. Her research systematically examined 100 major standards and 21 ecological, social, and economic spillover effects, highlighting important gaps—particularly regarding socio-economic impacts such as labour migration. The work contributes to ongoing debates on sustainability governance in globally interconnected agricultural systems and provides insights for policymakers and standard-setting organizations seeking to improve the effectiveness of sustainability instruments.

At the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Biovision convened a panel discussion on how agroecological enterprises can scale their impact and contribute to sustainable food systems. The discussion highlighted the importance of supportive political frameworks, visibility for successful agroecological businesses, and new tools such as Biovision’s Business Agroecology Criteria Tool (B-ACT) to assess alignment with agroecological principles. By showcasing enterprises that combine economic viability with environmental and social goals, Biovision aims to strengthen the case for agroecology in global food and agriculture policy debates.

FiBL has launched a new project to develop simple tools for monitoring soil health in cocoa production systems. The initiative aims to identify practical soil health indicators that farmers and advisers can use directly in the field, supporting more sustainable cocoa farming. An initial online workshop brought together international experts to discuss indicators and measurement approaches, with further workshops planned to refine the framework.

The latest data show continued global expansion of organic agriculture, with 98.9 million hectares under organic management and 4.8 million producers worldwide

While growth has stabilised in some regions, policy initiatives and research collaboration—particularly in agroecology and food systems transformation—are intensifying across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

These developments underline the increasing strategic relevance of organic and agroecological approaches within global food systems debates and international research cooperation.

Biovision and Slow Food Uganda are advancing a more resilient and equitable food system in Uganda by strengthening agroecological production, local markets, seed banks, and nutrition education. The project empowers smallholder farmers—particularly women and youth—while promoting biodiversity, healthy diets, and improved market access across multiple districts.

Certified production under voluntary sustainability standards now covers almost 10% of the global harvested area for key crops, confirming a decade-long growth trend. The 2025 edition of The State of Sustainable Markets, published by FiBL, ITC, and IISD with support from SECO, highlights strong expansion in cotton, cocoa, soybeans, oil palm, and sugarcane, while underlining the continued global importance of organic agriculture as the largest sustainability standard worldwide.

Community seed banks in Kenya are strengthening climate resilience and food security by safeguarding and exchanging local, climate-adapted seed varieties. Through the EmergenSeed project, farmer-managed seed systems in Turkana and Baringo help communities recover from climate shocks, reinforce seed sovereignty, and reduce dependence on external seed supply chains.

Helvetas outlines how it adapts its advocacy approaches in increasingly restrictive and fragile contexts marked by authoritarianism, conflict and digital surveillance. Drawing on experiences across countries, the organisation highlights risks linked to NGO registration, terminology sensitivities, AI-enabled monitoring, violent settings and partnerships, and explains how human rights–based approaches, rigorous due diligence, coalition-building and capacity development help mitigate these challenges. The article underscores Helvetas’ commitment to safeguarding staff and partners while sustaining effective, ethical advocacy for communities.

Helvetas highlights how sustained grassroots advocacy, combined with long-term technical support, led to landmark irrigation sector reforms in Kyrgyzstan. Farmer- and municipality-led campaigns successfully changed the national water law in 2021, enabling local authorities to take responsibility for irrigation systems and invest public funds. Building on this success, Helvetas continues to support implementation through the TIRIP project, helping municipalities secure funding, clarify roles and improve irrigation services, despite administrative reforms and renewed centralisation pressures.

Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) have released the 10th edition of The State of Sustainable Markets 2025, showing that certified agriculture now covers nearly 10% of the global harvested area for eight key crops. Based on 2023 data, the report highlights continued growth driven mainly by cotton, cocoa, oil palm, soybeans and sugarcane, while organic agriculture remains the largest sustainability standard worldwide. The publication, supported by Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), confirms the resilience and expanding role of voluntary sustainability standards despite recent geopolitical disruptions.

The ETH World Food System Center looks back on the many exchanges and new collaborations with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2025. Much of the cooperation has been boosted by the growing UN-ETH Partnership.

The SOR4D programme is entering a second round. The SNSF and the SDC support projects that combine research and practice to reduce poverty and strengthen sustainable development worldwide.

The ENANDES (Enhancing Adaptive Capacity of Andean Communities through Climate Services) and ENANDES+ projects, co-led by several international partners and supported by BFH-HAFL staff, promote co-designed climate services for smallholder farmers.

Dayana Andrade and Felipe Pasini both have many years of experience with syntropic agriculture – in practice, research, and knowledge transfer. FiBL is also exploring the potential of this type of agriculture and is working with the two experts, among others.

Interview with CDE scientist Henri Rueff, SFIAR member and coordinating lead author of the seventh edition of the United Nations Environment Programme’s flagship Global Environment Outlook report, GEO-7, the most comprehensive scientific assessment of the global environment to date.

Article by Biovision about getting agroecology officially represented with its own agenda item at the influential African Food System Forum (AFSF).

FiBL has released a new technical publication in three languages on cover crops in medicinal and aromatic plant production for trainers and farmers Kosovo. The publication is one in a series of practical guides that are developed within the EREA programme in Kosovo.

FiBL reports on new research and field initiatives demonstrating how smallholder farmers can transform palm oil processing waste into high-quality compost. The approach reduces environmental harm from discarded biomass, lowers fertilizer costs, and improves soil health. By adopting locally adapted composting techniques, farmers strengthen both the sustainability and profitability of palm-oil-based farming systems, offering a practical pathway to climate-smart production in tropical regions.

The World Food System Center’s 2025 Research Symposium brought together researchers, practitioners, and students to discuss cutting-edge work on global food system challenges. The event showcased interdisciplinary research on nutrition, sustainability transitions, resilience, and agricultural innovation, highlighting how diverse perspectives can jointly inform more sustainable and equitable food systems.

This CDE article reviews how global coffee markets have evolved over the past quarter century, tracing the sector’s shift from severe price crises to today’s historically high market values. It highlights structural drivers behind price volatility, the growing influence of major traders, and the implications for smallholder farmers in producing countries. The piece offers an accessible overview of long-term trends in a key tropical commodity that remains central to many agricultural livelihoods worldwide.

At the COP30 climate conference in Belém, FiBL underscores that agriculture must play a central role in addressing the climate crisis. Organic and agroecological approaches—such as humus formation, improved fertiliser management, agroforestry and adapted herd management—offer concrete pathways to strengthen climate resilience worldwide.

FiBL presented three research examples at its online COP30 side event, featuring results from carbon farming in Switzerland, agroforestry in the Sahel (Mali and Senegal), and emission reduction strategies in the Swiss dairy sector. This contribution brings Swiss and international research directly into global climate discussions.

In FiBL’s Voices on Climate series, Helmy Abouleish, CEO of Sekem Holding and president of Demeter International, explains how biodynamic agriculture in Egypt enhances resilience to climate change. He highlights how living soils, composting, agroforestry, and renewable energy help reduce water use, store carbon, and secure farmers’ livelihoods in arid environments. Sekem’s long-standing work demonstrates how agroecological practices can drive sustainable development in the Global South.

In a contribution to the University of Bern’s series “Sustainability – a bewildering (buzz)word”, historian Dr. Juri Auderset traces the evolution of the sustainability concept from its 18th-century forestry origins to today’s global discourse. He warns that the term’s overuse risks diluting its meaning and calls for renewed historical reflection on growth, justice, and environmental limits. His analysis offers valuable context for Agricultural Research for Development (ARD), reminding practitioners that sustainable food and land-use systems must address the long-standing tensions between resource exploitation, social equity, and ecological balance.

At the Nobel Talks during Expo 2025 in Osaka, Biovision President Hans Rudolf Herren explained why agroecology is a central lever for transforming global food systems. He highlighted how industrial agriculture drives hunger, inequality, and environmental damage, and outlined the political and societal shifts required for a fair and sustainable future.

A SWISSAID partner project in Karnataka has won the UNDP Equator Prize 2025. Since 2018, the Bibi Fatima Self-Help Group has revived millet cultivation, created community seed banks preserving 250+ indigenous varieties, and promoted agroecological practices across 30 villages. The initiative improves food security, nutrition, and women’s empowerment while reducing slash-and-burn farming.

FiBL-led EU project SustainSahel (2020–2025) supported over 5000 smallholder farmers in Mali, Senegal, and Burkina Faso with agroecological practices such as mulching, composting, and integrating local trees. Results show yield gains of up to 40 percent and improved resilience under climate stress. The “lead farmer” model created strong peer-to-peer learning effects. Final recommendations urge policymakers to integrate agroecology into national strategies and secure farmers’ rights to trees.

Biovision reports on a project in Kenya where three MSc students from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe, Nairobi) test push–pull strategies against the tomato pest Tuta absoluta. By examining plants such as rosemary and wild chili that can repel pests or attract natural enemies, and by analyzing social and economic aspects in local farming communities, the project links scientific innovation with practical benefits for smallholder farmers in a developing-country context.

A new SCNAT publication compiles perspectives from the Global South to inform the revision of the KFPE Guide on transboundary research partnerships. The study highlights priorities and expectations from partner institutions, aiming to strengthen equitable and impactful collaboration in international agricultural and development research.

FiBL highlights the importance of wetlands for agriculture and climate regulation. Protecting and restoring wetlands not only preserves biodiversity but also supports sustainable food systems and contributes to climate mitigation.

A new FiBL literature review finds that neither “land sparing” nor “land sharing” alone sufficiently protects biodiversity. The best outcomes come from combining sustainably managed farming landscapes with undisturbed natural habitats.

The changing online gallery presents photos from research in the field, illustrations about little-known aspects of science, as well as videos – always linked to short stories about sustainability or sustainable development.

Climate change is one of today’s biggest challenges, affecting many aspects of agriculture. In a new series, FiBL presents “Voices on Climate”: experts share diverse perspectives on climate and agriculture, highlighting both the role of organic farming and the challenges ahead.

A new toolkit helps assess policy coherence across six key domains of food systems governance. It evaluates both institutional mechanisms (like coordination bodies and pathways) and the content of agriculture, health, environment, trade, social, and economic policies. The tool, manual, scoring guide, and results from eight countries are now available.

The RUNRES project (Closing the loop – nutrient recovery from waste for agriculture) continues to develop circular economy solutions in Rwanda, DRC, Ethiopia, and South Africa. With over 30 innovations launched, the project turns organic waste into agricultural inputs while strengthening local businesses.

Updates from the Novel Protein for Food and Feed Flagship Project include new results from projects addressing food waste management using black soldier fly larvae and participation in the Global Symposium on Insects for Food, Feed and Food Security in Africa.

In April 2025, a team from FiBL initiated a partnership with the Virunga Foundation to support sustainable agriculture in North Kivu, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Mit der De-Facto-Auflösung von USAID entzieht die US-Regierung Millionen Menschen lebenswichtige Unterstützung. Weltweit wurden Programme für Gesundheit, Ernährung und Schutz gestoppt, allein im Sudan schlossen 900 Suppenküchen. Bis zu 79 Millionen Menschen verlieren Zugang zu Hilfe. Auch UNO, WFP und Gavi geraten in Finanznot. Die Schweiz muss den Multilateralismus jetzt aktiv verteidigen.

300 Milliarden für den Klimaschutz im Globalen Süden: Darauf einigte sich die Staatengemeinschaft an der COP29. Damit die Schweiz ihren fairen Beitrag leistet, braucht es mehr Klimafinanzierung. Wie diese aussehen kann, zeigt das Analysepapier von Alliance Sud.

Interview with CDE Board Member Anna-Katharina Hornidge, Director of the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), and CDE Director Sabin Bieri.

Water's role in food and nutrition security was the focus of a three-day course at FAO headquarters in Rome, where ETH Zurich students engaged in interactive learning organized by the World Food System Center.

Andrin Schilliger, a student at the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL), investigated various soil fertility parameters and potential influencing factors as part of his bachelor's thesis at FiBL.

With 850 participants from over 40 countries, the 2nd Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference, held in Nairobi at the end of March, called on farmers, policymakers, and consumers to drive food systems transformation. During the event, FiBL showcased that, when done right, agroecology boosts resilience, productivity, and sustainability.

The World Food System Center is launching the Food System Journey website, a platform allowing visitors to explore the challenges in our food system and discover innovative solutions from research at ETH Zurich through captivating graphics, videos, and stories.

In conversation with Fritz Brugger, Beatrice Maser Mallor discusses how the World Bank is adapting to address both poverty reduction and climate change.

Der Nationalrat hat am 20. März 2025 eine Motion zur Schaffung einer gesetzlichen Grundlage für die Ukraine-Hilfe abgelehnt. Der Bundesrat möchte trotzdem weiterhin einen Staatsvertrag durchboxen. Alliance Sud fordert mehr Transparenz und klare Regeln, damit die Unterstützung für den Wiederaufbau der Ukraine die lokale Wirtschaft stärkt und Entwicklungsgelder nicht zur Förderung von Schweizer Unternehmen zweckentfremdet werden.

Focusing on the highly productive Campo de Cartagena area in southeast Spain, a new interdisciplinary project seeks to enhance the understanding of how different crop rotation practices impact water and nitrogen balances under climate change scenarios.

Since water flows across administrative and national boundaries, managing water resources is most effective when it aligns with river basin boundaries. Integrated Water Resources Management can provide a backbone not only to manage water across sectors, but also to underpin climate action, reduce disasters and build communities’ resilience.

To maintain the credibility and quality of organic products, the European Union (EU) tightened its organic regulations at the beginning of 2025. This brings far-reaching changes, particularly for producer groups in the Global South, making it increasingly difficult for small farmers to maintain access to the premium organic market.

As part of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)-funded project, Helvetas collaborated with local partners to support war-affected Ukrainian farmers through training, internships, and business grants to help them rebuild their lives.

SDC Supported FAO in postharvest management on selected grains in Ethiopia. One of the key intervention model was promoting metal silos as an alternative storage structure.

Watch on YouTube.

Die Schweiz unterstützt die Entwicklungsländer, indem sie ihnen im Rahmen ihres Allgemeinen Präferenzensystems Zollpräferenzen gewährt. Am 29. Januar 2025 hat der Bundesrat beschlossen, das bestehende System zu aktualisieren, um den wirtschaftlichen Entwicklungen der letzten Jahre Rechnung zu tragen.

On January 29, 2025, the Federal Council was informed about the implementation of the development cooperation cuts decided by Parliament: CHF 110 million in the 2025 budget and CHF 321 million in the 2026–2028 financial plan. Humanitarian aid, peace promotion, and support for Ukraine remain unaffected.

Die Informationsdrehscheibe für ökologische Landwirtschaft macht in Kenia wertvolles Wissen für alle zugänglich.

Nepal’s specialty coffee journey began in 1999 with the shop "Himalayan Java". While tea remains central to its culture, coffee demand is growing locally and internationally, with significant production potential still untapped.

A recent study by ETH student Alicia Luther found that improving agricultural training for Indian women requires a participative, demand-driven approach, focusing on participants' interests to enhance adoption potential.

In East Africa, millions of hectares face threats from the invasive tree species Prosopis juliflora. A seven-year international research project, including CDE scientists, focused on halting its spread. Interview with Albrecht Ehrensperger.

Blog post on main elements and outcomes of Helvetas’post-harvest engagement in Tanzania

Our changing online gallery presents photos from research in the field, illustrations about little-known aspects of science, as well as videos – always linked to short stories about sustainability or sustainable development.

FiBL Switzerland has collaborated with the Center of Agricultural Research and Ecological Studies (CARES) and FAO in the research and innovation project "Agroeconvert" on organic participatory guarantee systems (PGS) in vegetable production in Vietnam.

For the first time, the strategy covers all regions of the continent. The strategy prioritises peace and security, prosperity and competitiveness, the environment, and democracy and governance.

In November 2024, State Secretary Martina Hirayama led a scientific delegation to Kenya and Tanzania. The trip provided an opportunity to reinforce research and innovation cooperation with these two countries.

Lao PDR's Northern uplands, home to ethnic communities, demand sustainable management to balance livelihoods and growing land use pressures.

Den Zugang zu gesunden Lebensmitteln in Kenias Armenvierteln zu schaffen erfordert eine neue Lieferkette. Doch sowohl Bauernfamilien als auch Bewohner profitieren bereits.

Das Projekt Urban Nutrition setzt auf Kenias Strassenverkäuferinnen, die «Mama Mbogas». Eine von ihnen, Ann Gathoni Wangari (42), erklärt, warum Bio-Gemüse nicht teurer sein darf, und gibt Einblick in ihren Alltag.

Die syntropische Agroforstwirtschaft kombiniert Vorteile der Landwirtschaft mit jenen des Waldes. Doch was macht dieses System so besonders und was haben brache Kakaoplantagen in Brasilien und ein Schweizer Pionierforscher damit zu tun?

If we want more social inclusion, equality, equity, protection, security, stability, cohesion and justice, we need to invest in and leverage the suppressed potential and oppressed intrinsic self-empowerment of women.

How does gender impact Bhutan’s pursuit of Gross National Happiness? Men are generally happier than women due to gender barriers, but in a rural northern farming community, four female entrepreneurs are challenging these norms.

Zimbabwean farmers have faced hardships this year due to a severely dry rainy season, leading to failed harvests, especially for staple crops.

mit Patrick Elmer, ETH Nadel-Alumnus 2006

CDE’s Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi, a legal expert on sustainable trade, and environmental economist Astrid Zabel are researching ways of implementing the EU Deforestation Regulation so that producers and countries in the global South can also benefit

From 18 to 21 November 2024, Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, will travel to Kenya and Tanzania on a scientific mission.

Every year millions of Tanzanians are entering the workforce. The SDC, through its partner Swisscontact, supports the development of professional skills for these young people so that they can find gainful employment.

To support vulnerable communities in adapting to climate change, FDFA head Ignazio Cassis has pledged CHF 15 million to the Adaptation Fund under the Paris Agreement.

Loredana Sorg, bei Biovision Co-Leiterin des Bereichs Internationale Partnerschaften, spricht über die Auswirkungen auf langfristige Projekte, die Wichtigkeit stabiler Finanzierungen und darüber, wie die Internationale Zusammenarbeit auch und vor allem in Zeiten der Kritik eine zentrale Rolle in globalen Entwicklungsprozessen spielt.

Larson Didier is a farmer and father of three living in Migioko in the heart of Madagascar’s Sambirano Valley, a world-renowned growing region for cocoa. He begins each day with a major concern: how to preserve his cocoa farming business in the face of growing climate challenges ...

The social insurance programme TASAF aims to bring people – particularly women – together for their economic empowerment. In Dar es Salaam two groups of women have bundled their energy and created sustainable small businesses.

The EU is set to ban imports of certain raw materials and processed goods if their production is linked to deforestation. But what does this mean for hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers and for producer countries?

Helvetas blog post examining the significance of community seed banks and the farmers’ organizations that manage them, highlighting how they build resilience in the face of shifting climate conditions.

Laos' rice season was hit by droughts and flooding, highlighting climate change's growing impact on agriculture. Helvetas has supported sustainable farming there for two decades, recently reviewing its efforts.

Hosted by Eric Degila, Professor of Practice at the Geneva Graduate Institute, this series explores Africa's key challenges, from social justice to economic development, and highlights African contributions to reshaping a new world order through discussions with leaders, policymakers, and experts.

Through the Swiss-Ukrainian Program "Higher Value-Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine" Switzerland is supporting Ukrainian organic and dairy producers to showcase their products and explore new partnerships.

Talk mit Patricia Danzi (DEZA - Direktorin)

Researchers of CDE and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT have conducted a study in Peru to explore the difficulties and opportunities associated with implementation of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products.

In 2024, the four students representing BFH-HAFL at the FAO World Food Forum take on a bigger role with a “Swiss team spirit”.

ETH spin-off Terensis is able to forecast the harvest yield and climate risks such as droughts and frost with the help of satellites. This not only helps farmers to plan. Authorities and insurance companies can also predict damage more efficiently.

ETH agronomist Fridolin Stocker worked on Swiss farms before discovering his fascination for Africa. Today he manages a coffee farm in Zambia.

The latest International Agriculture Researcher Diary comes from Noah Rauser, a BFH-HAFL BSc student currently doing an internship in Cambodia.

Crises, climate change and the concentration of markets are driving up food prices. In Chad, for example, a kilo of rice now costs twice as much as it did a year ago.

Examples from two countries – North Macedonia and Tanzania

Der globale Getreidehandel wird enger: Bunge, neu ein Schweizer Konzern, übernimmt die Agrarsparte von Glencore.

History, results and impact of CIRAD from 1984-2024 (Brochure)

A food system fit for the future – enough healthy food for everyone, produced and consumed in environmentally and socially responsible ways: this is the underlying goal of the Biovision strategy 2024–2028.

International Agriculture scientific collaborator Dr Ingrid Fromm celebrates her 15th year at HAFL. She shares insights into a career involving cocoa and coffee value chains, farmer’s voices and student successes.

Coffee enthusiasts and traders are buzzing about one of the world’s finest brews: a specialty coffee made from 100% Arabica beans, cultivated and hand-picked by small farmers, often promoted as “made by women.” This exceptional coffee hails from Rwanda. But what lies beneath this appealing narrative? A research team from CDE delved into this question in Nyamasheke, the heart of Rwandan coffee cultivation. They explored how agricultural structural changes have affected the local community, especially women. Read the full CDE storymap.

Wer agrarökologisch wirtschaften will, braucht einen langen Atem. In Kenia und Uganda setzen sich bereits dutzende passionierte Unternehmer:innen trotz der Herausforderungen des Marktes für eine nachhaltige Wirtschaft ein. Biovision bietet zusammen mit der Partnerorganisation Shona Unterstützung und hilft beim Wissensaufbau, der Vernetzung und dem Zugang zu Kapital. Lesen Sie wie zwei Unternehmer:innen über das Neycha-Projekt Unterstützung fanden

SDC's "Nature Conservation Programme" in North Macedonia has convincingly demonstrated how nature conservation and local development can mutually reinforce each other.

The latest Researcher Diary features Elena Zähnler, a BFH-HAFL BSc in International Agriculture student currently doing an internship in Peru.

Climate change is having a major impact on the work of farmers in Colombia. Although agroecology is an effective solution to strengthen their resilience, it requires time and knowledge. A digital platform provides a remedy here: by sharing their experiences and advice, the farmers strengthen their agricultural skills.

In Tanzania, SWISSAID uses agroecological methods to improve the living conditions of smallholder farming families. Thanks to local materials and biopesticides, farmers have been able to improve their harvests and thus increase their income. Women benefit from greater recognition and economic advantages. Learn more in an interview with Veronica Massawe, head of the transnational CROPS4HD project in Tanzania and an expert in agroecology.

New CDE project that aims to identify enabling mechanisms that Swiss policymakers could use to develop and implement a smallholder-friendlier version of the EUDR, a new EU regulation on deforestation-free supply chains.

Pasang Sherpa from Nepal knows from his own experience how important bridges are. He trained as a bridge builder with a Swiss organization and has since been improving lives not only in his home country, but also in Africa. Learn more about the unique friendship of two men that started with the building of bridges.

Die Klimaerwärmung wird verstärkt zu Trockenheit führen. Eine globale Studie mit BFH-Beteiligung untersuchte die Folgen von Dürren für Grasland. Das Ergebnis: Das Pflanzenwachstum nimmt stärker ab als erwartet. Lesen Sie mehr über die weltweiten Entwicklungen.

With great perseverance, unconventional ideas and openness, projects can change lives for the better. This is shown in a study of Biovision's seven-year commitment to livestock breeders in Tanzania

Agroscope’s pilot initative of growing wet rice in flooded fields is becoming economically attractive. In addition to successful brands such as ‘Aare Riis’, natural paradises for rare wading birds, dragonflies and frogs are being created on drained land in need of rehabilitation. Learn more.

The EU has decided that researchers in Switzerland will be eligible to participate in the first three European Research Council calls for proposals for the 2025 programme year.

In a recent study CDE document less discussed side of the soy sector in Brazil. Learn more about how the soy sector turns local food systems upside down – and jeopardizes local access to sufficient healthy food in the recently published story.

The Hoffmann Centre for Global Sustainability will position itself as one of the leading research and policy hubs in Europe dedicated to integrated (nature positive and socially equitable) sustainability.

The CDE leads a Cluster of Research Excellence to promote sustainable use of water and land resources together with partners in East Africa. Read about this and many other projects in CDE's Annual Report 2023.

According to the NGO Public Eye, its new report about “Nescafé’s soluble promises” highlights the glaring discrepancies between Nestle’s purely profit-oriented purchasing policies and the effective advertizing appeal of its sustainability rhetoric.

Die Schweiz kann mit ihrer internationalen Zusammenarbeit mehr bewirken, wenn sie wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse stärker miteinbezieht.

The IC Annual Report 2023 shows examples of how Switzerland helps to provide concrete solutions to local, regional and global problems in different parts of the world.

On Tuesday 11 June, more than 120 in-person and online participants joined the celebration of youth in agriculture at the HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute’s fifth Annual Event in Zollikofen.

The annual report of the Institute combines project highlights and main stories from 2023.

The Swiss Sustainable Coffee Platform (SSCP) was launched in Bern on 6 June 2024 with the participation of Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin.

Press release from Alliance Sud, which criticises the Council of States' decision to take two billion francs away from development cooperation in favour of the army.

Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture Bangladesh has launched a pioneering initiative that utilizes carbon credits to support smallholder farmers through the implementation of horticultural agroforestry systems.

Three alumni of International Agriculture at BFH-HAFL (all from the same family) reflect on their experiences and the impact the BSc degree programme still has on their lives.

Chinwe Ifejika Speranza, professor at the University of Bern’s Institute of Geography, talks about an ERC research project that tries to highlight how small forest patches in West Africa’s highly fragmented agricultural landscapes support biodiversity and climate protection.

The Federal Council is requesting four credits from Parliament totalling CHF 11.27 billion for the period from 2025 to 2028. This budget will be used to finance the various pillars of international cooperation: humanitarian aid, development cooperation, economic cooperation, and the promotion of peace and human rights. Read more on the key takeaways from the new strategy.

Studien weisen darauf hin, dass Biolandbau im Globalen Süden ausgezeichnete Erträge liefern kann. Doch gibt es auch Stimmen, die im Biolandbau den Grund für Hungersnöte sehen. Hintergründe dazu liefert in dieser Podcast-Folge Beate Huber, langjährige Leiterin des Departements für internationale Zusammenarbeit am FiBL Schweiz.

Researchers at ETH Zurich have teamed up with the food industry to produce a whole-​fruit variety of chocolate. This helps increase the value creation of cocoa farming – and is healthier.

Biovision and its international partners organised an event in Kenya to integrate agroecological approaches into national biodiversity strategies. The initiative brought together key stakeholders and decision-makers from various countries. (read more in German)

2024 is the International Year of Camelids (IYC 2024). Learn more how the Camilk project aims to enhance the value of camel milk through improved feeding methods with by-products and the development of innovative dairy products.

ETH NADEL is offering a new course on the benefits and ethical challenges of using AI to promote sustainable and equitable development.

Moldova's agriculture is forced to adapt to changing circumstances. A local company seized the opportunity to develop a digital solution for agricultural management that is now widely used by farmers, thus securing an open pathway to European markets.

Consuming countries increasingly seek to ensure that value chains are deforestation-free. Learn more about the CDE project, which promotes deforestation-free requirements and traceability systems that prioritize the ecological, sociocultural, and economic well-being of producing countries. Solutions are being tested in designated pilot sites in Ethiopia, with a focus on the coffee sector.

Sudan, a nation with a rich history of agricultural cultivation, faces chronic food insecurity due to social and geopolitical issues. With 80% of the labor force engaged in agriculture or pastoralism, the decline in agricultural productivity has severely impacted livelihoods and overall food security. Learn more about how this dire situation is tackeled in a CIMMYT-led broad based consortium.

“Oh, it’s so vanilla” is a casual comment one sometimes hears to describe something bland or boring. Yet vanilla is far from boring – and perhaps people in the West take the familiar flavoring for granted. Demand for the spice is traditionally highest in North America and Europe (especially France), but is now growing in Asia, especially Japan.

A recent paper from the FiBL Switzerland demonstrates that organic production systems in the tropics are as profitable as conventional systems. The paper emphasises that organic farming does not solely rely on main cash crops for export to generate income. Associated and rotational crops play a crucial role in enhancing farm profitability.

Since 2021, ETH NADEL has conducted the Swiss Panel Global Cooperation survey to assess the Swiss public's attitudes and commitments towards development cooperation. Read more about the Swiss public's concerns about global poverty, their support for development funding and how they believe this spending should be allocated.

In this interview Odile Robert from the SDC offers insights into both the completed and successor programmes of RçD.

The Swiss Programme for Research on Global Issues for Development (r4d programme), run by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), ended on 25 April 2024. Its completion was the occasion for the two institutions to launch the new successor programme, SOR4D, which also focuses on health, food security, social conflicts, ecosystems, work and income in developing countries

In close collaboration with Agrocalidad, Ecuador's organic competent authority, FiBL Switzerland carried out a consultancy to provide training and technical support on the new EU organic regulation and to study its main implications for the organic sector in Ecuador. The final results have now been published in a detailed report in Spanish.

A transnational project, which is being implemented in four countries on two continents, is dedicated to the rediscovery and rehabilitation of traditional local seeds.

Switzerland has played a significant role in shaping the development cooperation landscape in Latin America and the Caribbean over the past six decades. This broad meta-analysis provides a comprehensive overview of SDC’s bilateral engagement in eight countries in Latin America over six decade. In 2025, Switzerland will embark on a new chapter of collaboration with Latin America and the Caribbean.

In 2024, the HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute Annual Event will be held in conjunction with celebrations for 30 Years of International Agriculture at BFH-HAFL. The event focusses on youth and features a keynote, International Agriculture and Cecchini Institute inputs, interactive group debates and an apéro.

Blog-post about the "Climate-Resilient Cocoa Landscapes” project implemented by Helvetas together with abroad range of partner in the Sambirano watershed in northwestern Madagascar.

The ETH World Food System Center's annual report has jus been published. It highlights the center's many research, education, and outreach activities focused on food system transformation.

The r4d programme was "ahead of its time" as an innovative research programme promoting sustainable development across borders. This is the result of the external evaluation of the r4d programme. Read more in the final evaluation report.

Learn more in the full report.

ETH Zürich Alumni Stories: Benjamin Gräub shares struggles and insights from his learning journey while developing a new app for farmers in Kenya in times of Covid, a project supported by a Center Ambassador Grant

Over a week in March, NICE country teams and representatives from six cities in Rwanda, Kenya, and Bangladesh joined in peer-​learning visits to Zurich and Geneva.

Public Eye field research in the federal state of Chiapas, Mexico, show that farming families participating in a Nestlé sustainability project are paid prices for their coffee that scarcely cover production costs

The results of the third representative survey of the ETH Swiss Panel Global Cooperation 2023 are in. More than 4,000 Swiss residents shared their views on global poverty, and on Switzerland’s funding and allocation of development cooperation.

Two new videos and a flyer explain the advantages and best practices of agroforestry in the Sahel region for farmers and extensionists. They have been developed by the Horizon 2020 project SustainSahel, which is coordinated by FiBL Switzerland.

Why, with whom and how Helvetas is pursuing a landscape approach in the Simiyu and Singida regions of central Tanzania.

The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) Bangladesh has launched a pioneering initiative that utilizes carbon credits to support smallholder farmers through the implementation of horticultural agroforestry systems. Carbon credits are a market-based system that incentivizes the reduction, removal, or avoidance of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, measured in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq). This initiative holds particular significance for Bangladesh, a country highly vulnerable to climate change and committed to sustainable development.

Portrait of Martina Graf, former student and staff member of international agriculture at BFH-HAFL, who emigrated to Canada and was recently appointed Global Manager of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists

To tackle the growing demand for land, water and other natural resources as well as climate change development practitioners are increasingly using a landscape approach. But what are key factors for successful landscape restoration? Helvetas pinpoints four critical elements based on their multi-stakeholder experience across projects in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Learn more in their blog.

Fish farming is a thriving source of income and nourishment. Learn more how these "swimmers" change the livelihood of people in the NICE project.

Syngenta Foundation's Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Systems in Africa (AVISA) project in Tanzania shows that smallholders do not only benefit from accessing better seed but also from producing it

Explore how, guided by a radio program from Farm Radio International and Biovision, Florian Kwaslema transformed his income and regenerated his land through sustainable agroecological practices. (Article only available in German)

The Syngenta Foundation Seeds2B team in Kenya is joining forces with the National Agricultural Research System to increase the availability of certified seed potatoes for smallholder farmers

Climate-smart Agriculture (CSA) adapts and transforms farming systems for sustainable development and food security. CSA aligns with the Chinese government's ambitious goals of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. Learn how a provincial partnership in Sichuan between TNC and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture promotes climate-smart agriculture for low carbon farming in Rice and Kiwi.

“Deliberative Diets” aims to bridge producers and consumers by developing sustainable food system scenarios using Ecuadorian cocoa and Spanish olive oil as examples. Stakeholders from Ecuador, Spain, and Switzerland collaboratively create future visions for success. CDE PhD student Léa Lamotte explores diverse food perspectives with students.It’s a creative, participatory way of knowledge building that generates refreshing and inspiring insights.

In an interview, Sonja Tschirren, SWISSAID’s Climate Officer, explains why Niger is especially hard hit by Climate Change, how bleak the outlook is, and what responsibility Switzerland must shoulder

In a recent webinar the Syngenta Foundation offered a comprehensive perspective on the complex relationship between agriculture and public health, with a focus on malaria and sustainable rice cultivation.

On the occasion of its 50th anniversary the Swiss Society for African Studies calls for proposals of panels addressing the theme "Sustainability and Transformations" in its broadest sense; deadline for submissions: 12 April 2024

interview with Martin Schmid, Co-Head of Development Projects at Biovision, about a cooperation with the organisation "Farm Radio International" to raise awareness of organic farming in Tanzania

Agronomist Samuel Guindo, the new Syngenta Foundation Country Program Manager in Mali, shares his views and future vision

This Wednesday the Federal Council presented the key figures for the 2025 budget. This includes a 1.4% cut in international cooperation (IC). Last year, in its dispatch on IC 25 - 28, it had planned an increase of 2.5% to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine. Read more in the media release from the development policy competence center Alliance Sud, which is supported by many major Swiss aid organizations.

Star anise is familiar to Western consumers as a component of mulled wine, various pastries and as a flavoring of spirits such as Pastis and Sambuca. It is far more widely used in Asian cuisine, being one of the key spices in Chinese five-spice powder, an essential component of the Vietnamese soup phở, and of various Indian curries. It also has medicinal uses, learn more about this interesting crop!

Many good initiatives struggle with scaling and true empowerment. Meet three farmers and learn how Farmers’ Hubs in Kenya led to more empowerment, scaling and a source of inspiration.

CDE is launching a new study programme. This cutting-edge MSc seeks to train students to become sustainability specialists. Students will be equipped to critically analyse sustainability issues in interconnected dimensions and develop comprehensive practical solutions at local, national, and international levels. The programme starts in the autumn semester of 2024.

FiBL summarises the latest scientific evidence on agroecology and organic agriculture in the tropics and offers 11 opportunities for change for decision-makers, policymakers, and experts in international cooperation.

The 25th edition of the yearbook "The World of Organic Agriculture", jointly published by FiBL and IFOAM, shows that the growth in area and number of farms in 2022 far exceeded that of previous years

Our member the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture and Heifer International launched a competition to build on the energy and creativity of young people in Senegal. It aims to help young agri-tech innovators to launch an agricultural renaissance. Read more about the competition.

Interview by Syngenta Foundation with Ghanian Professor for crop improvement and Africa Food Prize winner Eric Danquah about pathways to improve food security in Africa

At the end of the second call for projects of the Solution-Oriented Research for Development (SOR4D) programme, the SNSF selected eight projects, which will be funded with 7.5 million francs in total.

Interested to learn more about agroecological movement in West Africa? The "Green Vein" documentary showcases the “agroecology rising in West Africa” and what the world can learn from it. The documentary emerged from the Food Systems Caravan project coordinated by FiBL Switzerland, within the framework of the R4D programme.

Check out the newly released documentary in French and English.

Congratulations to Isabel Günther, who is the new president of our member: the Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE).

On the new Instagram channel @fibl_org, the most exciting projects, current events and the most beautiful pictures from FiBL are posted. In addition, reels and stories provide insights into everyday research. Follow them and get new insights into FiBL's work every day!

ETH-Alumni Joan Oñate Narciso shares how her work on kabog millet with communities in Cebu, Philippines has left a lasting impression on her life.

As the RUNRES project enters its second phase of developing and now upscaling innovations for circular economies in the rural-​urban nexus, private-​public-partnerships will continue to play an important role.

Learn how to bridge agricultural research with other disciplines. The course presents transdisciplinary research as a living experience. With a basis on sound theoretical and methodological background, five outstanding projects illustrate promising different ways of dealing with complex societal challenges. The start of the next learning group sessions is expected to be in the week of February 26, 2024.

Obituary of the Swiss agricultural engineer Martin Menzi, founding member and former president of Helvetas, SDC project manager in India and full professor and first director of NADEL at ETH Zurich

The adoption of the yellow maize hybrid seeds known as 'Kabamanoj' is revolutionizing maize production in Mali. This high-yielding maize variety has the potential to generate a remarkable 50-110% increase in yields compared to traditional maize varieties normally used by smallholder farmers.

Final report by the World Trade Institute (WTI) on the outcome of its project "Repairing Broken Food Trade Routes Ukraine – Africa”

New CDE project that aims to foster peer learning and sharing of knowledge about pricing schemes targeting a living income in the cocoa value chain

The new EU organic regulation N° 2018/848 re-defines the rules for international organic production destined for the EU market. FIBL invites producer groups and companies exporting organic products to Europe, as well as organic traders in the EU and other stakeholders to participate in an international survey to collect data for a study on the implications of the new rules on smallholder supply chains.

Helvetas blog post with some surprising facts about cinnamon and about how international cooperation efforts can improve the lives of smallholder farmers and their natural environment.

Syngenta Foundation is facilitating the adoption of a new yellow maize variety that is revolutionizing maize production in Mali due to remarkable yields increases

The World Food Programme (WFP) launched a partnership with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, at COP28 on December 8.

The partnership will support private-sector innovators who are scaling climate-smart solutions across food, land and water systems in fragile and conflict-affected communities as part of the CGIAR Initiative on Fragility, Conflict and Migration (FCM).

Insurance can play a key role in farmers’ resilience. Its value greatly increases when combined with the right agricultural inputs. A Syngenta Foundation program in Zambia helps smallholders become progressively more professional.

Auf Sansibar stärkt Biovision eines der wichtigsten Ökosysteme Westafrikas, die Mangrovenwälder, und damit auch die afrikanische Honigbiene.

Interview with CDE scientist Tatenda Lemann on the theme of worldwide soil loss and soil degradation.

Soil is an essential, non-renewable resource for agriculture. Syngenta Foundation's Alva Kretschmer and Yuan Zhou write about what governments can do to adress soil degradation and what the foudation is doing.

Die Schweiz hat am Treffen des Lenkungsorgans des Internationalen Vertrags über pflanzengenetische Ressourcen für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft in Rom teilgenommen.

Medienmitteilung von Alliance Sud über eine Kampagne zur Stärkung der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, aus Anlass der Bestrebung des Bundesrates, den Wiederaufbau der Ukraine aus Geldern der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit zu finanzieren

This year's SFIAR Award Ceremony focuses on the theme "Producing food without consuming forests: how to reduce deforestation in Amazonia". It will be held at BFH-HAFL in Zollikofen on 12 December from 16:15–18:40. Presentations, panel discussion and apéro. Registration is free.

Improving the output of cassava planting material through seed-based innovation.

Potatoes, a vital staple and affordable food source in densely populated Bangladesh, are set to undergo a revolutionary transformation in farming practices thanks to a groundbreaking technique for producing high-quality seed potatoes.

Press release from Public Eye on how the Swiss insurance group made contracts with Brazilian farms that contributed to deforestation or are under investigation for armed violence and slave labor.

The annual research symposium of the World Food System Center highlighted the multifaceted research at ETH Zurich focused on food systems.

President of the FiBL Foundation Council Bernard Lehmann discusses solutions for organic agriculture and agroecology in this profile piece for FiBL's 50th anniversary.

Mit über 600 Gästen und rund 400 online Zuschauer:innen feierte Biovision ihr 25. Jubiläum.

Many city inhabitants worldwide eat unhealthily. A recent Learning Forum hosted by Syngenta Foundation gave an update on progress with improvements in Kenya and Rwanda. Awareness and agriculture both play a big role.

Join the webinar (15 November at 14:00 CET) on FiBL’s latest report, "Less, better and circular use – how to get rid of surplus nitrogen without endangering food security."

In the frame of the SIRED project to support producers in Kosovo in the transition to organic farming, FiBL created a 36-page technical guide (in English; free to download) on organic bush berry production.

Feiern Sie das 25-jährige Bestehen von Biovision! Begleiten Sie Biovision auf einer Reise durch die Zeit - von den Anfängen bis zur Zukunftsvision. Hier geht es zur Anmeldung für den Livestream.

An international consortium led by researchers at ETH Zurich investigated the cascading impacts after two consecutive hurricanes on smallholder banana farmers in the Dominican Republic.

This new CDE project aims at collectively engaging local stakeholders in the development of a sustainably managed landcape in the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar.

Four HAFL staff/students reflect on their time at the recent FAO World Food Forum in Rome.

Story about the NICE project’s Nutrition Farmers' Hubs, and the positive effect on Luna Akhter, who is now a vegetable seedling producer.

Urban food systems are confronted with questions of supply and demand to address malnutrition in all its forms. The Nutrition in Cities Ecosystems (NICE) Project aims to tackle such challenges

In-person attendance at the Biovision Symposium on sustainable food systems is fully booked, but you can still participate online on 18 November from 14:00-17:00. Click here for full programme and to register.

Brochure from SWISSAID on the the importance of crop diversity for the global food system.

The NICE project brings together urban dwellers, farmers, producers, and other food system players for the World Food Day 2023 commemoration in Bungoma County in line with the theme of water conservation.

Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS) promotes academic research in the interdisciplinary area of international studies with an interest in projects that transcend traditional nation-state boundaries. Pre-proposal deadline: 25 January 2024.

Syngenta Foundation article on the measures taken to increase rice yields in West Africa.

Members of a four-person youth delegation from BFH-HAFL share their thoughts about attending this massive week-long event under the theme “Agrifood systems transformation accelerates climate action.”

A joint initiative by the Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Biovision Foundation, and WWF to produce a handbook ahead of the 26th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 26; May 2024) on integrating agroecology into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

A KFPE position paper addressing funding, knowledge and power issues in north–south research partnerships.

October report by the World Trade Institute (WTI) on the outcome of its project "Repairing Broken Food Trade Routes Ukraine – Africa”

Interview with Sophary Long, Syngenta Foundation Project Manager in Cambodia, about the weather insurance scheme for smallholders taking off in Cambodia

Report from recent FiBL event at Tropentag in Berlin.

A paper from Agroscope's Konrad Metzger et al. details on-site soil sample testing using mobile devices.

Biovision Artikel: In Ostafrika werden die Rufe von Kleinbäuer:innen und der Zivilgesellschaft nach einer agrarökologischen Wende lauter.

MOOC for researchers in developing countries who want to improve their skills in developing grant proposals. 24 October 2023 - 27 November 2023.

Bäuerinnen und Bauern brauchen einen fairen Preis für ihre nachhaltig angebauten Produkte. Biovision setzt sich mit engagierten Unternehmen für die Stärkung des Biomarktes in Tansania ein.

Biovision Artikel: Der Bioverband Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement will den Landwirtschaftssektor eines ganzen Landes reformieren.

Article about Syngenta's NICE project which helps women entrepreneurs return from urban jobs to their farming villages to boost food production.

Obituary from The Guardian for AR4D titan and leader of India's green revolution M S Swaminathan, who passed away on 28 September.

CDE is involved in a survey on how to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Have your say!

The online public lecture series on agroecology and its role in the transformation of sustainable food systems returns on 10 October. Presented by the World Food System Center and Grassland Sciences Group. Next events 24 and 31 October.

Last week, the Swiss Federal Council approved a CHF 100 million package to demine civilian and agricultural areas in Ukraine and aid the country's recovery.

Zum fünfzigjährigen Jubiläum des FiBL haben sich Urs Niggli und Hartmut "Hardy" Vogtmann gemeinsam ins Podcast-Studio von FiBL Focus gesetzt und erzählen unter anderem davon, wie sie Prinz Charles zum Biolandbau bewegt haben.

Syngenta article on the Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Systems in Africa (AVISA) programme.

On overview of SWISSAID's October campaign of events addressing hunger, climate change and agrocecology, including the “Agroecology works!” Days.

Helvetas-Blogartikel von Patrik Berlinger über die Internationale Zusammenarbeit (IZA) 2025-2028.

Pflanzliche Getränke auf der Basis von Soja, Getreide, Samen oder Nüssen werden immer häufiger als Milchersatz konsumiert. Agroscope-Forschende haben Makro- sowie Mikronährstoffe dieser Getränke untersucht und grosse Unterschiede festgestellt.

Integrated breeding gives Vietnam’s smallholders a promising potato.

For CDE, it is unacceptable, that the Swiss government plans to shift CHF 1.5 billion from development cooperation to urgently needed support for Ukraine, and the proposal could also be more ambitious and more coherent regarding the implementation of the 2030 Agenda

Medienmitteilung der KFPE zur Stellungnahme der Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz zur Strategie der internationalen Zusammenarbeit 2025-2028

The SDC has launched a private sector engagement partnership to enable Georgian farmers to increase productivity and income from organic hazelnut production.

News by SNSF - Turling's work has been the basis for major progress in the understanding of plant-insect interactions. It has also opened up the way for developing new approaches in biological pest control.

Using a new analytical method, ETH Zurich doctoral student Julie Lestang aims to determine the chemical profile of cacao beans reliably and quickly. This forms the basis for controlled fermentation – and high-​quality chocolate.

Article from Helvetas about environmental, social, and climate standards in rural development, and the impacts of the SUSTAIN initiative.

Funding is helping several enterprising food producers in the region of Busia County, Kenya, to find deserved success.

BFH-HAFL-Student Stefan Roth reist auf den Spuren von Seidenraupen und Seidenproduzenten durch mehrere europäische Länder. Durch seinen Praktikumsbericht lässt sich «Internationale Landwirtschaft» für einmal hautnah miterleben.

Syngenta Foundation Bangladesh's project "Introducing Water-Efficient Technologies" aimed to minimize mango farmers’ use of groundwater by introducing Ultra High-Density Plantation practices combined with drip irrigation

Biovision will zusammen mit engagierten Unternehmerinnen und Unternehmern den Bio-Markt in Tansania aufbauen. Sie haben drei dieser Unternehmen besucht und erfahren, wie stark in diesem Land der der Bio-Sektor zu pulsieren beginnt.

Agroscope und ecoinvent arbeiten eng zusammen und fördern damit nachhaltige Praktiken in der Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft.

The latest issue of the SDC magazine "One World" focuses on food security.

Article from ETH spin-​off Gaia Tech, which transforms waste from olive oil production into high-​quality antioxidants for use in cosmetics or food.

Article from environmental scientist and politician Claudia Friedl as part of FiBL's series "Anniversary voices" celebrating the institute's 50th anniversary in 2023.

A new CDE project aims to improve the sustainability of land management and governance in Laos by means of enhanced knowledge, capacities, and processes in both government and the private sector.

An AFSA webinar series exploring the many ways agroecology can provide sustainable African solutions. The six webinars are 90 minutes long, in English and French.

Article from the Syngenta Foundation regarding rice-centric Myanmar and the various nutritional and diversification challenges it faces.

With the motto: "But don’t hear it from us – hear it from them!" the Syngenta Foundation has launched a short video series with farmers talking about their plans, challenges and collaboration with the Foundation.

Report from Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture following a recent symposium in Dakar on solutions and innovations that can bring forth sustainable agriculture.

Article from SWISSAID about the importance of staying in Niger during the military coup.

Podcast vom "FiBL Focus" Team diskutiert die dunklere Schokoladenseite und welche Schwierigkeiten es bei der Nachhaltigkeit in der Wertschöpfungskette für Schokolade noch gibt.

July report by the World Trade Institute (WTI) on the outcome of its project "Repairing Broken Food Trade Routes Ukraine – Africa”

The story of Tereza Kisku from Bangladesh, who was able to solve her family's financial problems by becoming an entrepreneur running a Farmers’ Hub in her village

The HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute ‘Snakes and Ladders on the way to Agroecology’ project in Tanzania and India recently ended. In this short video, project leader Prof. Gurbir S Bhullar from BFH-HAFL explains the board game and highlights the positive impact it's had on smallholder farming communities.

In Southeast Asia, there is a growing interest in organic production and certification of vegetables to provide local markets with safer products. In 2022, FiBL Switzerland and partners implemented a project related to organic vegetables in Vietnam.

In der Debatte um die internationale Zusammenarbeit werden Privatsektor und Nichtregierungsorganisationen oft gegeneinander ausgespielt. Das Analysepapier von Alliance Sud bietet eine differenzierte Sicht.

Kenyan farmers with disabilities are now benefiting from a sorghum program between Syngenta Foundation East Africa and Sightsavers.

An update from Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Interview with Markus Reubi and Christian Frutiger.

CDE's Annual Report 2022 includes an interview with their president and updates on international r4d projects.

Swissaid program manager in Myanmar, Daniele Polini, explains the current state of the country and reports on the progress of the projects.

SWISSAID has initiated a project to enhance the value of crops through agroecology, enabling farmers to envision a dignified future.

The ETH WFSC Flagship Project Enhancing Resilience in Food Systems seeks to directly contribute to food systems resilience by supporting decision-​​making in practice through stakeholder participation and academic education.

In the project “Agreement on Agriculture Reimagined – Towards a model Agreement on Agriculture Trade for Sustainable Development”, an international group of experts from the global North and global South is exploring ways to redesign global agricultural trade to support sustainable food systems in diverse contexts.

Retiring professors in the International Agriculture group Dominique Guenat and Christoph Studer have worked at BFH-HAFL for so long you could say they’re “part of the furniture”. Here they discuss their career highlights, achievements and future plans, plus their hopes for HAFL.

Media release by FOAG about the position of the Swiss delegation to the 43rd Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) taking place from 1 to 7 July 2023

Activities and projects from the Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE) in 2022.

The Agenda seeks to address common challenges, promote sustainable development, and strengthen partnerships in key sectors including agriculture. One key objective is to promote research collaboration and knowledge exchange between African and European institutions.

The FDFA and the EAER are publishing the draft International Cooperation Strategy 2025–28 as part of a voluntary public consultation process from June to September 2023.

150 participants came together on the 5th of May in Bern to discuss challenges and opportunities for decolonizing Swiss research collaborations. The summaries of the parallel sessions and the presenters’ slides are now available online

Study results from Syngenta Foundation Agri-Entrepreneur program which serves more than a million Indian smallholder farmers.

Policy brief and corresponding video consider how the results of three projects implemented by FiBL in the tropics can inform the debates on the future of organic agricultural development in Africa.

A delegation from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization visited food system researchers at ETH Zurich to discuss innovations for change.

In this interview, NADEL’s Jasmine Neve and Kimon Schneider talk about the findings of the recent "Future Trends and Competencies for the Swiss International Cooperation Sector" report

Key insights from an interactive virtual workshop underline the need for a profound reconfiguration of the current science system to integrate postcolonial thought and open science principles.

Syngenta Foundation's Executive Director for India, Rajendra Jog, stresses that better access to tools and services and rural entrepreneurship can improve the situation of smallholders, but policy also plays a major role

Article in ETHZ Globe Magazine by Felix Würsten on the impacts of climate change on the global water cycle. Inputs from Manuela Brunner, Daniel Farinotti and Christoph Schär.

the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) has recently published its "Strategy 2023-2026" where it defines its principles, priority themes - one being sustainable food systems with a focus on agroecology - and its priority countries

Register by 13 June for the HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute's Annual Event to be held in Zollikofen on 20 June 2023. The theme is: "Agroecology: Dreamy buzzword or practical solution for sustainable landscapes and food systems?" The Institute contributes to the development of sustainable smallholder agricultural, forest and food systems in low- and middle-income countries, mainly in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

article in the SDC magazine "One World" about how an SDC programme in the Goascorán River basin in Honduras has improved the livelihoods of smallholder farm families and reduced their vulnerability to climate change

news by Agrinatura on a call for experts launched by VCA4D to get an evidence-based comprehensive overview of the cocoa value chain in Liberia, deadline for the submissions of CVs: 31 May 2023

news by Syngenta Foundation featuring an interview with Chief Scientist Mike Robinson about the acheivements of the International Wheat Yield Partnership focusing on increasing the crop’s photosynthetic efficiency

Call for workshops at Tropentag 2023 "Competing pathways for equitable food systems transformation: trade-offs and synergies" (Berlin, September 20 - 22, 2023). Deadline for submissions: 20 May 2023

FAO published a new technical manual on „Sustainable Potato Production in Tajikistan”. Lukas Bertschinger of klb innovation had the lead in conceptualising the manual, coordinated its edition jointly with Tajik scientists and contributed several chapters

article for KFPE by O. Ravaka Andriamihaja of the University of Bern on how to combat the fact that North-South collaboration in research create dependence and invisibility, undermining the chances of finding solutions for global challenges

news by CDE about the contribution of its researchers and members to the upcoming IASC Conference “The commons we want: between historical legacies and future collective actions”

Registration for the HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute’s fourth annual event, to be held on 20 June at BFH-HAFL in Zollikofen, Switzerland, is now open. The theme of the event is: "Agroecology: Dreamy buzzword or practical solution for sustainable landscapes and food systems?" The full programme and registration form can be found in the link.

Bindu Ananth, Chair of Dvara Trust and a member of the Syngenta Foundation Board, writes about the Indian agricultural credit landscape.

Read a personal account from Dr Zenebe Uraguchi, who is now the Head of the HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute for International Cooperation and Development at the Bern University of Applied Sciences in Zollikofen. He was previously with Helvetas for 13 years.

interview with CDE director and KFPE president Thomas Breu about the need for Switzerland to open up to new approaches to research cooperation with Africa

interview with CDE scientist Ravaka Andriamihaja who investigated economic and political power imbalances and colonial patterns in North–South research collaboration

news by ETH about a recent trip of WFSC alumni to Colombia to explore together with local organizations how to involve the collective in agroecological projects and ensure long-term application

news by ETH about its participation in an international project in the Kasaï Basin, the largest tributary of the Congo River, investigating how erosion can cause carbon sinks in soils to become carbon sources

As a new project from FiBL, which runs for three years, the CARE r4d project will disseminate research evidence generated by five r4d projects to contribute to an emerging international network working towards an agroecological transition of the food systems in West Africa.

ETH Zurich researchers led a multidisciplinary project on optimizing organic bean production in North Macedonia. Findings are presented in a new video.

Das FiBL hat eine Reihe neuer Schulungsmaterialien veröffentlicht. Diese vermitteln in verschiedenen Formaten Ergebnisse aus drei Projekten des FiBL Schweiz in den Tropen.

World Trade Institute (WTI) and Making Agricultural Trade Sustainable (MATS) published the latest report from the project "Repairing Broken Food Trade Routes Ukraine – Africa”.

Four videos from FiBL's Selina Ulmann showing mechanization, tractors, and tillage and seeding equipment used in crop production in Ethiopia.

In dieser Präsentation werden Urs Niggli die wichtigsten Stationen in der 40-jährigen Geschichte des Schweizer Forschungsinstituts für biologischen Landbau FiBL aufgezeigt.

CABI has signed a MoU with the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The agreement, which includes creating a project office in Hanoi, aims to bolster Vietnam’s capacity to carry out long-term international cooperation in agricultural science and technology, including, for example, the sustainable management of crop pests and diseases.

Report from the Syngenta Foundation focusing on the importance of women and youth in transforming food systems, as part of the NICE (Nutrition in City Ecosystems) project presented at the recent Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference in Kenya.

Read about the CDE research project COMMONPATHS, which focuses on urban resources managed as commons – in Ghana and Switzerland – and how the collectives that manage them address overconsumption and inequality.

SWISSAID has initiated an emergency relief initiative to distribute seeds and food packages in Chad, which has been devastated by the heaviest downpours in three decades, stripping the people of their homes, farmlands, and crops. New seeds are needed to secure the upcoming harvest.

Registration is now open. Register by 28 April for the 5 May conference and five days in advance of the various workshops focusing on decolonizing North-South research.

The extraction of tannins has the potential to create new, sustainable income opportunities for the people of the Philippines. In a four-year project, researchers from the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) and the Philippines identified coconut husks as a promising source of large quantities of tannin.

In a new video, ETH Zurich researcher Christian Andres presents how dynamic agroforestry can contribute to healthy, sustainable cocoa farms and the livelihoods of farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast.

New open access report from IFPRI and Syngenta looks at opportunities for young agribusiness entrepreneurs in India.

CABI’s bioprotection resource, the CABI BioProtection Portal, has now been launched in Tanzania to give growers and advisors the information they need to help fight crop pests and diseases more sustainably.

The CSRS - Eremitage Fund Prize for Scientific Research in Partnership honors researchers for excellence in scientific research between scientific institutions in the North and in Côte d'Ivoire and/or in other countries of West Africa.

The World Food System Center at ETHZ released their Annual Report 2022, which highlights various research, education, and outreach activities focused on food system transformation.

Press release by Saatgut-Koalition about a decision by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Swiss National Council to remove a clause on plant variety protection from trade agreements negotiated by Switzerland in the future.

Bindu Ananth recently joined the Syngenta Board. She talks about her impressions of Syngenta, the ins and outs of micro-finance, and subsistence farming.

Bereits seit 2007 vergleicht das FiBL zusammen mit lokalen Partnern konventionellen und biologischen Landbau in Kenia, Indien und Bolivien im Programm SysCom (Farming Systems Comparison in the Tropics). Zu den Erkenntnissen aus den Langzeitversuchen sind in der Zeitschrift BioTOPP in den letzten Monaten zwei Artikel erschienen.

news by FiBL about the publication of a series training materials to communicate the results from three FiBL projects implemented in the tropics – SysCom, ProEcoAfrica and OFSA

news by NADEL about the results of the second survey of the ETH Swiss Panel Global Cooperation 2022 where over 3,000 Swiss residents shared their views on Swiss policies regarding global poverty, migration, and climate change

BFH-HAFL researcher dairy featuring Agathe Kunz, a BFH-HAFL Agriculture master’s student who spent two months in Cambodia in 2022

The BUILD Fund is an investment fund supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries. Its main objective is to contribute to poverty alleviation, reduce gender inequalities and promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth. One of the four investment sectors is food security, nutrition and agribusiness.

A Syngenta partnership has led to major improvements in a Kenyan seed-processing facility. The primary beneficiaries will be the country’s smallholders.

Profile of Peter Schmidt, who has worked in development aid for over 30 years. The turning point in his life came on his first visit to India, as part of an extended internship for the agricultural science degree programme at ETH Zurich.

A multidisciplinary project led by the AgroEcological Transition Group at ETH Zurich aims to understand the links between collective decision-making and ecological footprints in coffee and soybean value chains.

Im Biovision Projekt arbeiten Kleinbauern, Behörden und Wissenschaftlerinnen zusammen, um im semiariden Distrikt Kongwa in Zentraltansania wirkungsvolle agrarökologische Methoden gegen Trockenheit und Erosion zu erproben und umzusetzen.

news by Syngenta Foundation about its efforts across Africa and Asia to reduce some of the barriers rural women face when fulfilling their crucial role in the provision of food security

news by CDE about a new project that aims to help improve development pathways for small-scale farming in Laos and Cambodia through novel approaches in three areas: farming systems, scaling up pathways beyond the farm level, and education and capacity building

Ideas to boost sorghum production, innovate sorghum seed business or the sorghum food market, or to improve livelihoods for smallholder sorghum producers, can be proposed for presentation at the 21st Century Global Sorghum Conference, submission deadline: 24 April 2023

news by Agroscope about Lucius Tamm, a proven expert in organic farming and agroecology, joining Agroscope as responsible for the strategy process as preparation for the new 2026–2029 Work Programme, as well as for the further development of international collaborations

SFIAR offers awards for graduates and scientists of a Swiss institution who work in agricultural research for development. It recognizes new, innovative and result-oriented research. The best PostDoc/Team project wins CHF 10,000 and the best master's thesis CHF 1,000.

The CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator initiative announced 10 agribusinesses from East and Southern Africa at the launch event in Kigali, Rwanda, on 22 February 2023. The agribusinesses are located in Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, and Rwanda. The initiative aims to support climate-resilient agriculture.

news by the ETH World Food System Center about the continuation of its public lecture series providing a variety of perspectives on the topic of agroecology, with experts speaking about benefits as well as limitations

press release by FiBL about the publication of the latest edition of "The World of Organic Agriculture" showing a continued growth of organic farmland and retail sales worldwide

article in the latest issue of SDC's magazine "One World" about an SDC supported initiative aiming to mainstream ecological agriculture into national production systems in Africa by 2025

News by WTI on the publication of an updated report as part of the project "Repairing Broken Food Trade Routes Ukraine-Africa".

interview by CDE with Markus Giger - CDE scientist for 30 years, leading figure behind the global Land Matrix network and former SFIAR president - about his work and career

news by Syngenta Foundation about a presentation at a recent conference in India on how a public-private partnership can play a key role in making improved maize seeds available

The SOR4D review panel recently recommended seven projects for funding, including "Agroecology for Resilient Territories in Senegal" and "Dynamic cocoa agroforestry in action in Ghana". Second call for proposals closes 13 February 2023.

news by the ETH World Food System Center about some 2022 highlights from its projects across Africa to improve the resilience of city region food systems

The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub website has launched. Access various resources, upcoming events, the mandate, and biennal work plan.

Find out more about how the Syngenta Foundation is helping small-scale tea growers in India earn a better income.

Over the past year, HEKS/EPER worked on a new Strategy for the years 2023 to 2027, setting key priorities in the process to enable HEKS/EPER to deal with future developments and challenges.

In diesem FiBL Focus Talk: Die gesetzlichen Grundlagen werden im Moment sowohl in der EU als auch in der Schweiz neu verhandelt. Die drei Gäste sind die Wissenschaftlerin Monika Messmer vom FiBL, Martin Bossard von Bio Suisse, und Charlotte Aichholz, Pflanzenzüchterin bei Sativa Rheinau.

news by Syngenta Foundation about a recent workshop where stakeholders exchanged ideas on how to advance Nigeria’s agricultural R&D agenda

Carlo Gamper Cardinali from the Department of Crop Sciences at FiBL recently won an ISHS Young Minds Award for his project "Seed treatments for the control of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum and Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola in organic production of bean: establishing test prerequisites".

The Naga people of Myanmar have deep historic, cultural, and spiritual ties to their land, which they manage according to their customary tenure systems. One of these practices is called shifting cultivation or "Jhum". This nine-minute film was made by RRtIP and CDE.

news by the Word Trade Institute about its updated report as part of the project "Repairing Broken Food Trade Routes Ukraine – Africa"

news by Syngenta Foundation about a project in Myanmar where the foundation, together with partners, helps smallholders get better Groundnut (peanut) varieties – particularly those containing more oleic acid

story by BFH-HAFL with MSc in Life Sciences graduate Laura Kuonen discussing her recent paper, the publishing process and what she’s working on now

The Solution-oriented Research for Development (SOR4D) programme invites researchers and development actors from policy and practice to collaborate in transnational and transdisciplinary consortia. The submission deadline is 13 February 2023.

In the most recent issue of the University of Bern’s magazine, Sabin Bieri and Theresa Tribaldos of CDE call for a move away from standardized food production and processing in an interview which also touches on global food trade, industrialised monocultures and local food systems.

Blicken Sie noch einmal mit Helvetas zurück – mit zwölf Momentaufnahmen aus einem aussergewöhnlichen Jahr.

In collaboration with the Swiss Society for Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Sociology, the World Food System Center held a webinar in December discussing the needs and challenges of implementing social sustainability standards in our food systems.

New CIMMYT research sheds light on farmer maize preferences in Ethiopia and western Kenya.

news by Syngenta Foundaton about a recent study identifying initiatives, spending levels, and drivers of Indonesia’s public R&D spending on food and agriculture, investigating the gaps faced by low-income farmers and consumers and recommending how to tackle these gaps

HarvestPlus and Syngenta are partnering to increase the availability of biofortified seeds while developing the capacity of women as change-agents across the value chain. The collaboration will bring nutrition and livelihood benefits to smallholder farming households in several countries across Africa and Asia.

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) will provide funding for the NatureFinance project, to enable financial institutions in developing countries to give biological diversity more consideration when financing economic activities.

In the latest Swiss Society for African studies newsletter, Anja Soldat summarizes discussions at the Swiss Researching Africa Days on how to decolonize Swiss-Africa research collaborations.

Helvetas welcomes the historic agreement on biodiversity and will closely monitor its implementation. As strong proponents of agroecology – entailing the minimization of agro-chemical use - they nevertheless believe that the demand to halve the use of hazardous chemicals by 2030 is insufficient.

The "Biodiversity boost through regenerative organic agroforestry in Central Ghana" project from FiBL aims to improve farm resilience and biodiversity by implementing agroforestry in current monoculture orange plantations. It also focuses on finding a viable waste management solution for the by-products from orange peel processing.

press release by BFH about the closing event of the Pinoy Tannin project aiming to add value to side streams from the local forestry and agriculture value chains in the Philippines

Article in the magazine "Global" about the necessity to correct imbalances of power in North-South research cooperation, where countries of the South are mostly researched with research funds and concepts from the North.

The European Commission has published the Horizon Europe 2023-2024 Work Programmes containing the funding opportunities in Horizon Europe for the next two years. They cover all major domains including food and agriculture.

news by ETH World Food System Center about the launch of a partnership with Bayer focused on sustainable agricultural systems and production practices; Bayer will be supporting interdisciplinary research projects with a total donation of 1.1 million Swiss francs over the next four years

In an interview in the latest issue of the University of Bern’s magazine, Sabin Bieri and Theresa Tribaldos of CDE call for a move away from standardized food production and processing.

A staggering 828 million people worldwide are currently hungry. The FDFA's article describes how climate change, conflicts, COVID-19, and economic crises have created this global food shortage.

Jane Carter's blog for Helvetas describes a project which aims to improve the livelihoods of rural communities through enhanced income from non-timber forest products as well as promoting sustainable natural resource management.

news by BFH-HAFL about the publication of a joint ebook by BFH-HAFL and University of Bern staff showcasing regeneration processes by local villagers in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco

blog post by Syngenta Foundation executive director Simon Winter about the plight and needs of smallholders and the opportunities for supporting them

In October, farmers in the Philippine Province of Antique harvested a substantial amount of beta-carotene-enriched Golden Rice for the first time – namely a total of 67 tonnes from 17 fields. ETH Professor Emeritus Ingo Potrykus, the father and inventor of Golden Rice, sees its cultivation in the Philippines as a breakthrough.

news by SDC about the consequences of the drought in East Africa and about its activities in the region, supporting development projects and humanitarian relief efforts to mitigate the crisis

news by ETH about the RUNRES project in which ETH researchers together with African partners are creating circular economies that use processed organic waste and human excreta as fertilizer or animal feed, resulting in higher crop yields and new jobs.

Das neue kostenlose und benutzerfreundliche Risikoanalyse-Tool der Berner Fachhochschule BFH-HAFL und der AGRIDEA hilft die Situation des Bauernhofs diesbezüglich umfassend einzuschätzen. Am FarmXchange 2022 vom 2. Dezember wird das Tool in der Praxis eingesetzt.

Food Day @ETH 2022 brought together a diverse audience from academia, industry, government and international organizations for interactive discussions and workshops on food systems innovation and research. The proceedings and other outcomes are now available.

news by BFH-HAFL about an event that focused on strengthening collaboration and exchange between Swiss and Cambodian Universities and members of the Swiss institutions based in Cambodia

FiBL's "Faces of Organic Cotton" series aims to make the people more visible, whose lives are closely linked to organic cotton and the SysCom-Project. The result is eleven portraits in which people provide a very personal insight into their everyday lives.

An article from Agrinatura examines how the platform of an alliance of stakeholders can improve the implementation of the Africa Union – European Union Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) Roadmap through a sustainable governance and funding mechanism.

An interview by the Syngenta Foundation with John Mundy, Head of Climate Finance and Technology Partnerships at One Acre Fund, examines which companies and technologies could most help smallholders, and where is remote sensing headed in smallholder farming.

post in ETH Zukunftsblog in which Prof. Robert Finger outlines the most important fields of action to make the food system more sustainable

Videos from an ETH public lecture series on agroecology highlighting the principles of biodiversity, animal health, social values, participation, and land and natural resource use governance

The public lecture series published online by ETH World Food System Center highlights the principles of biodiversity, animal health, social values, participation, and land and natural resource use governance.

Experts of FiBL, together with specialists from Africa, have compiled an extensive manual for trainers on animal-friendly, small to medium organic chicken husbandry. The manual and the associated PowerPoint presentation are available for free download.

news by ETH about two studies revealing the inadequacy of voluntary commitments to avoid buying Brazilian soybeans grown in areas that have recently been deforested

article about a visit to a new generation of coffee farmers in Peru by Samuel Brülisauer, doctoral student at CDE and contributor to the COMPASS project studying cocoa and coffee value chains in Peru and Switzerland

An article from Swissaid examines the findings of the food report published by the Sufosec Alliance on the occasion of World Food Day.

The new technical guide elaborated by FiBL experts provides information for the choice of the suitable seedling production system to those who want to start with organic seedling production, and valuable recommendations for improvements to farmers who are already growing seedlings.

news by ETH World Food System Center in the context of the world food day, highlighting the importance of youth engagement to achieve sustainable food systems in Switzerland and around the world

news by Syngenta Foundation highlighting the stories of some of the women farmers the foundation works with in rural western Kenya

A news article from ETH WFSC showcases how new collaborative research looking at planting densities and nutrient management to create a site-specific decision support tool for farmer in Nigeria.

media release by FiBL about the release of two new organic cotton varieties after more than ten years of breeding within a decentralised organic participatory breeding program of FiBL Switzerland and partners (winner of SFIAR Award 2021)

news by Syngenta Foundation about a $300,000 competitive grant awarded together with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) to World Vision to unlock agriculture’s potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

An article from the World Trade Institute on three days of debates between academics, policy-makers, agricultural production and trade specialists, from 6 to 8 September 2022 in Tashkent.

A project showcase from biovision on building an enabling environment for agroecological enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa.

An article from the ETH World Food System Center providing a project update and showcasing a recent workshop with local stakeholders in Ghana focused on increasing the adoption of agroforestry on farms.

An article from Swissaid on emergency aid project in the south of Niger. The farmers in need have received food packages and have been able to plant fast-growing seeds for almost immediate consumption. Beyond the emergency, the project has allowed a conversion to more resistant and quality crops for fight against the climate change.

news by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) about its new structure with three geographical divisions, one thematic division and one multilateral division, which is valid from September 1st

An article from the Syngenta Foundation on a recent workshop aimed to set a sector-wide agenda aligned with Cambodia’s fishery policies.

news by Syngenta Foundation about a new cowpea variety that is on its way to Nigerian smallholders through a licensing agreement facilitated by the Foundation and New Markets Lab

An article from Helvetas describes a project that facilitates and promotes micro-initiatives for nutrition sensitive agriculture, processing and marketing practices on local and national levels. Helvetas advisory services support country offices of Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan which implement the project components in these countries.

An interview published by SNSF with Johanna Jacobi, an Assistant Professor for Agroecological Transitions at ETH Zurich, who through her scientific work aims to bring us closer to ecology.

An article from ETH World Food System Center with impressions from an open discussion about sustainable pest management systems and the exchange among interdisciplinary experts from agronomy, agroecology, human toxicology, ecotoxicology and agricultural economics and policy.

A policy brief from Helvetas on the global food price crisis that includes insights on how the crisis is affecting Helvetas' partner countries, and urgent measures that need to be taken.

FiBL announces that the sixth edition of the State of Sustainable Markets report was launched in September 2021 as an e-book and is now available as a PDF. Furthermore, data and statistics are available online in an interactive format at the ITC’s Standards Map website.

News from FiBL on a visit of nearly 30 Indian delegates with various political representatives to FiBL in Frick. The visit was organized by the International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA). The purpose of this visit was the promotion of organic agriculture in three Indian states.

news by SDC with Swiss ambassador Nathalie Chuard sharing insights into Switzerland's activities in Bangladesh, such as an initiative to help small farmers on river islands

news by the Syngenta Foundation about its efforts for seed sector development in Myanmar and specifically its support to the Myanmar Seeds Association

news by the World Trade Institute about the first outcome of the project "Repairing Broken Food Trade Routes Ukraine – Africa", providing an overview of the pre-war Ukraine's exports of wheat, barley, corn and sunflower oil

news by Syngenta Foundation about its efforts to make tractors accessible for smallholders, working with a leasing company and a provider of loans

news by the ETH about the identiification by researchers from ETH , the United States and Uganda of the gene responsible for resistance in certain cassava cultivars against the devastating cassava mosaic disease

A playlist of video highlights from World Food System Center research projects, including such projects as "Enhancing smallholder farmers` climate resilience" in the tropics.

A newly funded interdisciplinary project will focus on using smartphone images of fields to create visualizations of past and future crop development. This project is the first funded through the research initiative launched by the World Food System Center and fenaco cooperative on the topic of Smart Sustainable Farming.

Applications are open for two new fully online course. The deadline to register for the courses has been extended to 31 July 2022. Each programme is organized around thematic topics towards practical ICM solutions. They are led by ICM experts from the co-organising institutions (CABI and the University of Neuchâtel).

News release by University of Zurich about an international study with UZH participation showing that when a plant community is exposed to drought, the different species undergo evolutionary changes which leads to improved resilience to future drought stress over time

interview with Alessandra Roversi of the SDC Global Programme Food Security about humanitarian action in Ukraine and the need to strengthen systemic approaches to healthy and sustainable food systems.

media release by Public Eye about a new report by the coalition «No Patents on Seeds» highlighting that patents on genes and genetic variations can block access to biological diversity for plant breeding

In diesem "FiBL Focus Talk": Zwei Biobauern aus der Ukraine erzählen, was sie in diesen ersten Kriegsmonaten erlebt haben und wie es ihnen und ihren Höfen heute geht.

news by BFH-HAFL about the international project "Going Bananas" within which it supports farming families in the Carmen region of the Philippines in establishing a sustainable farming system.

new website by KFPE documenting the outcomes of a workshop with researchers from the Global South and the Global North discussing opportunities and challenges of digitalisation for global research collaboration

Post in ETH "Zukunfts" blog by ETH Professor Achim Walter calling for a food system that is plant based, low on waste and rich in variety.

news by SNSF about the 12 newly approved projects under its Swiss Programme for International Research by Scientific Investigation Teams (SPIRIT)

Interview by Syngenta Foundation with Katrin Kuhlmann of New Markets Lab about two studies on African seed systems, future needs in seed markets, and further aspects of international trade legislation.

news from CDE about a new game designed for students in Switzerland and Laos offering an in-depth learning experience of the system dynamics of a global agricultural commodity value chain

An article from Swissaid describes a project launched by the Colombian alliance “Guardianas de los Páramos”, of which SWISSAID is a member, which aims to protect the ecosystems of six municipalities in the Boyacá region.

In the framework of the RUNRES project, ETH Zurich doctoral student Mélanie Surchat seeks to understand, from the workers’ perspective, the potential of the biowaste economy to create decent work opportunities (especially for youth and women).

Article in the SDC magazine "One World" about the Aceli Africa programme that supports small and medium agri-enterprises in Africa with a mix of financial incentives and promotes gender inclusion and the creation of jobs.

CDE researcher Nicole Harari on the relevance of the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the contribution of CDE to the ongoing Conference of the Parties

interview by CDE with Elena Zepharovich about her dissertation on deforestation and environmental justice in the Argentinean Chaco

In diesem "FiBL Focus Talk": Die Ukraine ist einer der wichtigsten Lebens- und Futtermittelexporteure weltweit. Mit Russland erzeugt sie ein Drittel des globalen Weizens.

The SDC is in the process of conducting an external evaluation of phase 1 for the RUNRES project (The rural-urban nexus: Establishing a nutrient loop to improve city region food system resilience). Deadline for proposals: 6 May 2022

TedX-Talk organized by IHEID in which Frank Eyhorn, CEO of Biovision, argues that food is currently one of the most powerful levers for changing things for good

A blog post from Helvetas that describes how by addressing supply chain constraints and food environment weaknesses, the Leadership to Ensure Adequate Nutrition project, implemented by a consortium of NGOs, has triggered positive changes that benefit the most disadvantaged communities.

An interview from the Syngenta Foundation with Lucy Kioko, its latest Regional Director for East Africa. She talks about why she joined the organisation, and where she sees her work heading. Lucy also talked about women in agriculture, East African examples to others, and why ugali is hard to beat…

An update from FiBL on the organisation's response plan to help the organic sector of Ukraine mitigate the effects of recent events.

The newsletter shares information about our 10+ Years of Collaboration celebrations plus other education and outreach activities.

interview by Syngenta Foundation with Salif Kante, its country director in Mali, on how his typical day looks like, on the challenges he and the team are currently facing, and where we could be in 2030

news by CDE about the results of a doctoral study in Laos on the effects of land aquisitions by private investors

An article from SWISSAID on the effects of the war in Ukraine, and the fall of what exports on the most vulnerable populations in African countries.

news by Syngenta Foundation about the Nutrition in City Ecosystems (NICE) project that started recently in Bangladesh, Kenya, and Rwanda with the goal to improve urban nutrition and health and to reduce poverty

press release by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs on the International Cooperation Forum 2022 taking place in Geneva and aiming to find new solutions to the problems caused by climate change and challenges facing international cooperation

ETH World Food System Center's Annual Report 2021, summarizes highlights from WFSC's research, education, and outreach activities over the past year.

An article from ETH World Food Systems Center about a recently-hosted short course for food systems professionals on designing for food systems resilience using a circular approach. During the 4-day course, 34 professionals from 21 countries came together to learn and collaborate in a highly interactive online program.

Yuan Zhou, leader of Syngenta Foundation's policy research and China Program, talks on three studies on subsidies and soil health in China published by the Foundation togehter with The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

The Africa Strategy 2021-2025, which has recently been published, positions the Research Institute of Oranic Agriculture FiBL as a bridge builder between research and development and is considered a guideline for work in and with Africa.

An article from the Syngenta Foundation showcases a recent study of the consequences of climate change for coffee, avocado and cashew crops that generated an international media response. The study is based on calculations made with CONSUS, an agricultural planning tool developed with the Syngenta Foundation support.

press release by SDC and SECO, referring to the 62 project entries from young people for this year's Youth and Future Prize, the winners of which will be presented on 31 March 2022 at the International Cooperation Forum in Geneva

article by Swissaid criticizing the new genetic engineering technologies and the power relations as well as the industrial agricultural system behind them, and advocating instead for a change towards sustainable and equitable agriculture

article by Syngenta Foundation about a new partnership between Agri-Entrepreneur Growth Foundation and the Indo-Swiss food company Innoterra to provide smallholders with digital services, including the possibility to lease farm animals

Kleinbäuer*innen im globalen Süden produzieren meist klimafreundlich und sind gleichzeitig stark von den Auswirkungen des Klimawandels betroffen. Solidar unterstützt sie in El Salvador und Burkina Faso mit agrarökologischen Methoden.

as part of their annual international conference KFPE and SUDAC host a series of digital workshops in the period before and after the event, Swiss North-South research actors can submit workshop proposal until 25 March 2022

An article from SWISSAID showcasing its rapid and targeted emergency aid to the Dosso region of Niger, as part of which the organisation procured and distributed 62 kilograms of fast-growing seeds that the farmers needed to survive over the next few months.

news by BFH-HAFL about the international agriculture student's experiences and impressions of their 6-month field assignments in Asia, Africa and Latin America

A news release from FiBL shares the findings of the 23rd edition of "The World of Organic Agriculture" and shows a positive trend seen in organic farmland and retail sales growth worldwide.

In 2020, the r4d programme funded seven initiatives to enable the implementation of research findings. A new series of seven overview articles, illustrate how r4d research contributes to sustainable development.

news by Syngenta Foundation about its efforts In Nigeria to help smallholders raise their yields by facilitatating licensing of newly approved cowpea varieties

A news release from CDE on the report released in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) that launches a call to action for policymakers worldwide seeking to develop sustainable and equitable solutions to the most urgent global challenges.

A spotlight story from CDE about a project analysing Nepal’s cardamom value chain.

The World Food Systems Center at ETH shares a news update on the Flagship Project Enhancing Resilience in Food Systems. In 2021 the project continued to move forward, holding stakeholder workshops and publishing results aimed at creating operational approaches for decision-makers to design food systems resilience.

in this ETH World Food System Center news article Jaboury Ghazoul, Professor of Ecosystem Management at ETH Zurich, comments on the importance of soil health to agricultural sustainability and how agribusinesses can help feed microbes as well as people

A news article from Solidar Suisse on joining as a new member of Alliance Sud, the joint platform for development policy of the most important Swiss NGOs.

FAO & the International Association of students in Agricultural and related Sciences (IAAS) are launching the Youth for Climate-Resilient Agriculture Competition to support young actors of better food systems.

This digital map, developed by KFPE and the r4d programme, is a new tool that aims to comprehensively document and visualise the diverse Swiss research partnerships with institutions in low- and middle-income countries.

An interview with Swissinfo, Prof. Em. Thomas Cottier, former Managing Director of the WTI, in which he talks about the significant environmental impact of the production and trade of goods in a globalised market.

The SNSF and SDC have launched the Solution-oriented Research for Development Programme (SOR4D) It will support transdisciplinary research and it will last from 2022 to 2026. The call for projects will be published in the first quarter of 2022.

The report on the SECO Roundtable on Trade, Climate Change and the SDGs has been published.

The roundtable was jointly organised by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) and the World Trade Institute (WTI).

An article from the Syngenta Foundation on the successes of its entrepreneur program in Bangladesh, Changing Economics of Santals Through Agriculture (ChESTA).

news by SDC about its Nutrition in Mountain Agroecosystems project, carried out by IFOAM, through which hundreds of mountain farmers have received training on a more diversified and ecologically sound approach to agriculture

The SFIAR Award Ceremony scheduled for 15 December 2021 under the title "How to ensure sustainable & inclusive value chains: Examples of cotton and cocoa" will now be held ONLINE. Deadline for registrations: 13 December 2021

media release by the Swiss Coalition for the Right to Seed calling for the abolition of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) on the occasion of its 60th birthday

An article from FiBL Switzerland on an intertnational workshop to disseminate the results of its SysCom programme, comparing organic and conventional cocoa cultivation in monoculture and agroforestry systems in Bolivia.

SECO, UBS Optimus Foundation, Credit Suisse Foundation and SDC launched the Sustainable Development Goals Impact Finance Initiative aiming to mobilize up to one billion Swiss francs in private capital to advance measurable impact in developing countries

news by CDE about the Cluster of Cooperation (CLOC) East Africa and the Horn, a network of researchers and institutions that aims to foster North–South partnerships for research and education