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Swiss development cooperation in the agricultural sector is having effects
The nearly CHF 1.2 billion deployed between 2003 and 2008 have helped to increase the production and the productivity of family-run agricultural enterprises, improve framework conditions for trade, and optimise the value chain between producers and consumers.
Food aid – risk reduction and crisis prevention
Global food crises, natural disasters and conflicts have increased food insecurity. Food aid is one crucial way in which the humanitarian mandate to save lives and to alleviate
suffering is put into practice. This is the first step on the path to sustainable food security.
Useful information
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The FAO estimates that 1.02 billion people in the world were underfed in 2009. |
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In trying to cope with the burden of consecutive food and economic crises, poor people reduce their dietary diversity and spending on essential items such as education and health care. |
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A healthy agricultural sector can provide an economic and employment buffer in times of crisis, especially in poorer countries. |
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The increasing food crisis as a result of price rises and poor harvests has led to unrest in various states in Africa. in various states in Africa. |
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"Manger en Paix (Eat in peace)" Remains the main requirement for projects in Africa. Natural disasters, armed conflicts in the regions of Darfur, South Sudan and the Horn of Africa (especially in Ethiopia and Somalia), in East Congo and in Zimbabwe have led to serious harvest failures, food insecurity and migration movements. |
The provision of food aid in acute and chronic crisis situations is the core task of Humanitarian Aid. However in recent years, a process of rethinking has taken place in this area. In the past, food security in periods of crisis was regarded as more or less identical to food aid. Today the emphasis is more on crisis prevention. All necessary measures are taken to prevent food crises or at least to limit their extent so that only a small amount of food aid is needed and only for a short period.
As part of its global response to continuing climate change and to other factors which will very probably lead to more, and to more serious, food crises, the SDC has strengthened its activity in the area food security. By providing food aid, Humanitarian Aid acts to alleviate the immediate impact of food crises on the poorest sections of the population. It also supports projects which help to prevent, or at least to alleviate, food crises. Long-term development cooperation promotes agriculture in developing countries and supports political measures that contribute to the improvement of international regulations and of conditions in target countries.
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In the focus of the SDC In the wake of acute crises, Humanitarian Aid aims to ensure rapid transition from emergency aid to the restoration of normal conditions of working and earning a living for local people. In rural areas the most important of these is the resumption of agricultural and livestock farming and of the work of local markets, including restoration of the necessary infrastructure. At the same time measures are supported to prevent similar crises in the future. SDC development programmes lead to higher private and public investments in agriculture, promote economic development especially in agrcicultural areas, broaden the locally available range of food and strengthen income and purchasing power. In this way they contribute to long-term food security. The SDC is concentrating on four specific lines of action:
The current SDC programme makes a substantial contribution to global food security. In 2009 a total of CHF 221 million was spent in this area: food aid ( CHF 45 m for the WFP), international agricultural research (CHF 13 m), contributions to programmes and projects in partner countries and direct implementation of projects (CHF 108 m). On top of this there are the food-relevant contributions by the SDC to UN organisations and to international financial institutions (CHF 55 m). Cooperation with the World Food Programme The World Food Programme is the main partner of Humanitarian Aid in the area of multilateral cooperation. In addition to providing food aid and to contributing to emergency aid programmes, Humanitarian Aid brings to bear its specialist knowledge and strengthens local capacities for crisis prevention as well as improving crisis resistance at the national, regional and village level. The use of new instruments such as local purchasing and processing of food as well as cash and voucher approaches receive particularly strong support.
Other topics regarding this field:
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Additional Information and Documents
DocumentsExternal Links
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FAO - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
http://www.fao.org -
FAO Hunger Portal
http://www.fao.org/hunger/en/ -
World Food Situation Portal
http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/en/ -
Report: Food aid and food assistance in emergency and transitional contexts - A review of current thinking
http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=4934&title=food-aid-food-assistance-emergency-transit ional-contexts-review-current-thinking