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.