The annual event of the Cecchini Institute at the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences BFH-HAFL focuses on what constitutes decent work in rangeland food systems. Framed within the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists and the International Year of the Woman Farmer, the event explores key dimensions such as workplace safety, human-centred technology, skills development, and equity. The programme includes a keynote, panel discussion, and interactive workshops, followed by a networking apero. The event is free and open to a broad audience.

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.

A coalition of Swiss NGOs and development organizations has released the manifesto “Locally owned. Globally backed. A Manifesto for Locally Led Action,” calling for a stronger shift toward locally led development approaches. The signatories commit to strengthening local ownership, promoting equitable partnerships, improving access to flexible financing, and addressing power imbalances in international cooperation. The manifesto also calls on donors to align funding and partnership practices with locally led action and aims to influence the future strategies and collaboration models of Swiss development actors.