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.

ETH Zurich

Qualifications: Master’s degree in sustainability sciences, environmental engineering, data or computer sciences, bioscience engineering, or a closely related field, with excellent proficiency in English. Strong quantitative skills in statistical analysis, programming and big data handling are essential, along with experience in sustainability assessment methods such as life cycle assessment. Demonstrated interest or experience in food system sustainability, planetary boundaries, bioeconomy or data-driven modelling is highly valued, as are strong writing skills, interdisciplinary collaboration capacity, and motivation to contribute to future global food systems research.

Rethinking pleasure in food is an interactive evening workshop exploring how contemporary food cultures have shifted eating toward performance and function, often at the expense of enjoyment. Through an expert introduction, hands-on sensory workshop stations, and informal networking over an apéro, participants are invited to reflect on their relationship with food and rediscover the joy, mindfulness, and pleasure of eating in everyday life.

The Solution-Oriented Research for Development (SOR4D) programme is a joint programme of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). It invites researchers and non-academic actors from policy and practice to collaborate in transnational, transdisciplinary consortia on solution-oriented research addressing global challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals.