Swiss News
29.01.2012 
Big business pushes for higher cocoa yields
An article released in swissinfo.ch describing the controversy of social programs offered by food companies trying to boost up the cocoa production in developing countries in order to satisfy the demand of chocolate in developed countries.
27.01.2012
Making use of technology for development: Better information on rice will help to stabilize food security in Asia PDF, 91 KB
The project “Remote sensing-based information and insurance for crops in emerging economies” (RIICE) uses remote sensing technology to observe the growth of rice and provides an independent and transparent tool to ascertain rice information in developing countries. The information is linked to insurance solutions to improve food security of small-holder farmers in developing countries in Asia.
26.01.2012
Informationsveranstaltung von DEZA und SNF zum neuen "Swiss Programme for Research on Global Issues for Development"
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) are creating the Swiss Programme for Research on Global Issues for Development (short: r4d.ch). An information and networking event for interested researchers and development co-operation experts will be held at the SNSF on 8 March 2012.
25.01.2012
Distancing markets from conventional thinking
Hint on two studies that implicate a rethinking on the topic of market access, found on the website of the syngentha foundation for sustainable agriculture
25.01.2012
Final Congress of the Carbon Credits for Sustainable Land Use Systems (CaLas) Project
Fibl executed a meta-analysis of global data on two parameters on climate impact of organic and non-organic agricultural systems. The results were presented at the final congress of the CaLas project (Carbon Credits from Sustainable Land Use Systems), held in December 15, 2011.
24.01.2012
Regulating biofuels production without impairing national food security
Presentation by Christian Häberli at the Third UNCTAD Global Commodities Forum on Globalization and Commodity Trade: Harnessing Development Gains from Commodity Production
19.01.2012
KFH-Development and Cooperation: 8th Call for Proposals
The program supports universities of applied sciences (UAS) and universities of teacher education working in cooperation with developing and transition countries on projects involving applied research and development.
Deadline for submission of project outlines: 2. March 2012
16.01.2012
Dossier Nachhaltige Entwicklung
The CDE has published a dossier on the Interportal website highlighting different aspects of sustainable development.
16.01.2012
Making a PAC: payments for agrobiodiversity conservation services
article published in the New Agriculturist
10.01.2012
Tell others about the value of your work through GFAR and New Agriculturist 01/2012
Call for articles
09.01.2012
New President of the KFPE
Laurent Goetschel is the new president of the Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE).
04.01.2012
Zwei neue ETH-Departemente
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, ETHZ opened two new departments, the department of Environmental Sciences, that comprises the former department of Agronomy and the department of Medicine/Pharmacology.
04.01.2012
Integrating Reduced Tillage and Green Manures in Organic Cropping Systems - New European Research Project Has Started
Media release by FIBL about the start of a European project “Reduced tillage and green manures for sustainable cropping systems” (TILMAN-ORG), in order to get knowledge how deep ploughing can be reduced in organic farming.
03.01.2012
Call for Scholarship: Scientific Partnership Côte d'Ivoire - Switzerland
The Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS) offers a new scholarship program for Swiss as well as Ivorian and West African researches affiliated with Swiss institutions and working in the area of natural resources, animal and human health or food security. Applications can be submitted on an ongoing basis until 20 February 2013
21.12..2011
Import of Bio Suisse Certified Oats from Ukraine
press release by FiBL about a collaboration between a Swiss importer, an Ukrainian farm and FiBL, initiated within the framework of the SECO project "Organic certification and market development in Ukraine"
15.12..2011
Newsletter 12/2011 - SDC Agriculture and Rural Development Network
news from the recent Extension Conference in Nairobi, opinions on Climate Smart Agriculture, recently approved SDC Projects, short portraits of A+RD Network members and much more
12.12..2011
Import Promotion from developing and transition countries
press release by SECO on the decision by the Swiss Government to continue to support the "Swiss Import Promotion Program" (SIPPO) for the period 2012-2015. The SIPPO program will foster imports from developing and transition countries and generate new business opportunities with these countries.
08.12..2011
Call: Best thesis on food security
The Foundation fiat panis invites submissions for the Josef G. Knoll European Science Award 2012 for the best PhD-thesis on the subject of food security and the Hans Hartwig Ruthenberg-Graduate-Award 2012 for the best diploma or master thesis in the same subject area. Deadline for submissions: 30 April 2011
05.12..2011
Nestlé partners with the Fair Labor Association
press release by Nestlé SA its new collaboration with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to investigate whether children are working on cocoa farms supplying its factories.
See also the comment by Berne Declaration on this issue.
01.12..2011
SNIS Award 2011 for best thesis in international studies
The Award of the Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS), valued at CHF 5'000, will be allotted for the best PhD thesis in International Studies submitted in a Swiss University. A wide range of disciplines are eligible. Deadline for submission: 31 January 2012
29.11.2011
Call: NGO Observers to EC Advisory Group on International Agriculture PDF, 44 KB
The Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission is calling for applications with a view to selecting NGOs active in the field of trade and development in relation to agriculture in order to participate in the "Advisory Group International Aspects of Agriculture". Deadline for applications: 9 December 2011
28.11.2011
Ein Viertel der weltweiten Landflächen geschädigt
article in NZZ about a new FAO study that observes a marked degradation of agricultural land worldwide due to erosion, water pollution and the loss of biodiversity.
21.11.2011
Call for a new YPARD Steering Committee Member PDF, 325 KB
The Young Professionals Platform for Agricultural Research for Development (YPARD) is seeking a new Steering Committee member from the private sector in agriculture to guide its strategic development.
16.11.2011
New Call: Personnel Exchange Programme India-Switzerland
The Programme aims at connecting ongoing research projects in India and Switzerland. Funding will be offered only for travel and living costs.
Deadline for submission: 15 February 2012
16.11.2011
International conference calls for moratorium on genetically modified foods
press release by Swissaid about a conference it hosted in Tanzania where a call was made to the Government to suspend plans to spread GM biotechnology across the country
04.11.2011
The fight against desertification continues
In October SDC represented Switzerland at the international conference on the convention to Combat Desertification in South Korea.
03.11.2011
International Roadmap for a Green Economy
Switzerland has submitted a proposal to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development for the adoption of an international roadmap towards a green economy.
03.11.2011
FiBL Opens African Office
FiBL has oppened an office in Mali with the intention to intensify research done within its “Syprobio” project.
03.11.2011
Mikro-Wetterversicherungen gegen Ernteausfälle in Entwicklungsländern
article by Ines Kapphan in ETH-Klimablog about how micro weather-insurance scheemes can help small-scale farmers to better cope with negative effects of climate change
03.11.2011
Call for Projects 2012 - Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS)
The SNIS offers project research grants in the order of 100’000 to 300’000 Swiss Francs for pluri-disciplinary projects in the area of international studies.
Deadline for project submissions: 16 January 2012
31.10.2011
Agriculture Index Insurance Initiative
Syngenta Foundation program in Kenya using mobile phones to help Kenyan small-scale farmers to deal with weather risks. Farming inputs can be insured by the farmer by taking photos of the bar code of the purchased input.
26.10.2011
Welternährungsausschuss berät Wege aus der Nahrungskrise
information by Alliance Sud
about the recent Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) where controversial issues such as investments in agricultural land or agricultural trade were discussed
25.10.2011
Call for Abstracts: Tech4Dev International Conference
The EPFL invites abstracts for their conference "Technologies for Sustainable Development". The abstracts can either offer examples or pilot experiences of concrete applications or provide reflections on these issues.
Deadline for submission: 15 December 2011
24.10.2011
Mountain Research and Development Volume 31, Issue 3
a new issue of the mrd-journal has been published
24.10.2011
Programme for the Study of International Governance
The new Programme for the Study of International Governance provides a forum for scholars of governance and international organisations to interact with practitioners from the policy world in order to analyze global governance arrangements across a variety of issues.
24.10.2011
In Bern gezüchtete Hirse soll in Afrika den Hunger stillen
article in TagesAnzeiger of the 13th of October on breeding research on tef a traditional grain crop in Ethiopia done at the University of Berne
17.10.2011
Guidelines to applicants
A guidelines to job applicants is newly published on the website of the Food an Agriculture Organisation.
13.10.2011
FiBL Launches New Organic Agriculture Research Advisory Institute in Hungary
information by FiBL on the launch of a new Institute as part of its project "Advancing Organic Agriculture Research in Hungary"
04.10.2011
ETH-SDC 3: Schweizer Know-how für die Entwicklungspfade im globalen Dorf
article in ETH Life about the 50th anniversary celebration of SDC at ETH Zurich attended - among others - by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mrs. Micheline Calmy-Rey , ETH President Ralph Eicher and SDC Director Martin Dahinden.
04.10.2011
ETH-SDC 2: Die ETH Zürich in der Nord-Süd-Kooperation
article in NZZ online on the current and future engagement of ETH Zurich in development cooperation
04.10.2011
ETH-SDC 1: The role of the ETH in the history of Swiss development cooperation
interview with Martin Menzi, former Head of the Postgraduate Studies on Developing Countries (NADEL)
26.09.2011
Programme on Gender and Global Change
The graduate Institute Geneva launches a new research initiative with one research focus on gender in agriculture. Especially research on the impacts of agricultural policies and international trade liberalisation on rural women, and health impacts resulting from agricultural restructuring will be focused on.
20.09.2011
SDC-SNSF Fund for Research on Global Issues - The Main Facts PDF, 52kb
information sheet by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss National Science Foundation giving an overview of the objective, structure, themes, size, eligibility and calls of their major new fund
15.09.2011
Grand Challenges Explorations - Round 8 Now Open
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $100 million to encourage scientists worldwide to expand the pipeline of ideas to fight our greatest health challenges. One topic in round 8 is "Protect Crop Plants from Biotic Stresses From Field to Market"
Deadline for submissions: 17 November 2011
13.09.2011
Sawiris Scholarships - Call for concept notes and project proposals
The grant scheme “Sawiris Scholarships – Science & Technology for the South” aims to promote the development of products or methods, which are directly relevant for improving the livelihoods of poor people in developing countries.
Deadline for submission of concept notes: 31 October 2011
13.09.2011
Wie kommen Menschenrechte in Handelsabkommen?
information by Bern Declaration about a public discussion on trade and human rights with Olivier De Schutter, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, who presented draft Guiding Principles on Human Rights Impact Assessement of Trade and Investment Agreements
06.09.2011
Wenn Syngenta die Forschung der ETH bezahlt
Critical comments by Bern Declaration about
the ETH Professorship for Sustainable Agroecosystems to be financed by Syngenta
01.09.2011
SDC Agriculture and Rural Development Programme Portfolio
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation invests around CHF 140 Mio per year in agriculture and rural development programmes. A short overview of SDC's portfolio in this area is now available on the SDC Agriculture and Rural Development Network website.
30.08.2011
Project Website Launched for Farming Systems Comparison in the Tropics
The Research Institute for Organic Agriculture (FiBL) has launched a new website about its long-term project "Farming Systems Comparison in the Tropics" with sites in Kenya, India and Bolivia
30.08.2011
Video: An African take on Swiss alpine farming
Swissinfo video journalist Julie Hunt accompanied Côte d’Ivoire-based NCCR North-South researcher Gilbert Fokou on a tour of Swiss alpine farms.
30.08.2011
E-Discussions on extension / advisory services and Young Professionals
In preparation of the international conference on extension in Nairobi in November, the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) and the Young Professional’s Platform for Agricultural Research for Development (YPARD) are organizing online discussions on issues surrounding youth and extension / advisory services, from 5th September to 30 October 2011.
10.08.2011
Nestlé’s Nescafé Plan boosted by new investment in Vietnam
press release by Nestlé about its USD 270 million investment in a new coffee factory in Vietnam that will be fully operational by 2013 and will produce products under the Nescafé brand for both local consumption and export
26.07.2011
Famine and abundance rub shoulders in Ethiopia
article on swissinfo.ch: while millions of people in the Horn of Africa suffer a terrible drought, foreign investors are harvesting tonnes of cereals to be exported to Asia and the Gulf states
21.07.2011
Förderung der genetischen Vielfalt bei den Nutztieren 
press release by the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture about the launch of a programme to support the diversity of animal genetic resources started within the context of the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources adopted in Interlaken in 2007
13.07.2011
New SDC-SNSF Research Fund for Global Issues 
press release by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) on a new joint fund for research on global issues in and with developing and emerging countries
13.07.2011
GM cotton seeds a threat to Indian farmers
press release by FiBL on a national workshop about ways to overcome the present crisis in the supply of non-GM cotton seed in India and to support the considerable organic cotton production in the country
13.07.2011
ESRC-DFID Call for Research Proposals in International Development
The Department for International Development (DFID) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) provide joint funding of development research, among other in the area of Resource Scarcity, Growth and Poverty Reduction.
Deadline for applications: 27 September 2011
13.07.2011
How a Swiss scientist saved 20 million people
interview on swissinfo.ch with Hans Herren - winner of the 1995 World Food Prize and the subject of a new biography - about his work in tackling the devastating cassava mealybug crop pest in Africa
30.06.2011
Land-Grabbing: Genfer Firma verärgert afrikanische Bauern
programme on Swiss Television about the investments in sugar cane plantations for the production of biofuel in Sierra Leone by the Geneva based firm Addax, and about the negative consequences for local farmers
30.06.2011
New KFPE Guidelines for Research in Partnership - Draft for Consultation
the draft version of the new Guidelines for Research in Partnership consist of KFPE's revised 11 Principles and 6 fundamental questions for examining and reflecting on research in partnership. Feedback and comments are welcome. Deadline: 15 August 2011
29.06.2011
Dialogue between Alliance Sud and Nestlé: The case of Colombia 
report by Alliance Sud about the main outcomes of a five-year high-level dialogue on Nestlé's operations in Colombia.
16.06.2011
Experts seek new partnership models to solve world food crisis
information by Syngenta Foundation about a recent meeting in Zurich to discuss ways to increase the number and quality of Public-private partnerships (PPPs) addressing food security issues
16.06.2011
US-Elite-Unis investieren in "Landraub"
article by 20 Minuten about
a recent report claiming that the Universites of Harvard and Vanderbildt are investing in hedge funds that buy huge tracts of land in Africa with negativ consequence for farmers
16.06.2011
Addax setzt sich über Wasserrechte hinweg
information by Bread for All about a report revealing that the Geneva based firm Addax Bioenergy is endangering the livelihoods of farmers with their ethanol plantation project in Sierra Leone
14.06.2011
Spotlight turned on agro investment boom
article on swissinfo.ch about the second “jetfin AGRO” conference for investors with an eye on agriculture and water, and the arguments of the many critics of such investments
14.06.2011
Neuer Kompass für nachhaltige Bio-Energie
media release by SECO about the launch of a new electronic tool that allows producers in developing countries to calculate the sustainability - and especially greenouse gas emissions - of biofuels
14.06.2011
G20 will gegen Nahrungsmittelspekulation vorgehen
article by Caritas about rising food prices and the decision of the G20 to regulate speculation with food commodities
07.06.2011
KFH Development and Cooperation: Call for Proposals
The program supports universities of applied sciences (UAS) and universities of teacher education working in cooperation with developing and transition countries on projects involving applied research and development.
Deadline for submission of project outlines: 10. October 2011
07.06.2011
Support for innovative African- European partnerships
The Platform for African-European Partnership on Agricultural Research for Development (PAEPARD) supports the establishment of innovative partnerships of African and European stakeholders that engage in agricultural innovation and collaborative research.
Deadline for applications: 15 July 2011
25.05.2011
Be a student reporter at the Tropentag 2011 PDF, 161kb
“Tropentag”, the conference on tropical and subtropical agricultural and natural resource management, invites students to give an account of the event as student reporters contributing to to a multi‐author blog with text and visual content.
Deadline for application: 1 July 2011.
19.05.2011
SDC Call for Project Proposals
The SDC Global Programme Food Security is looking for concept notes of project proposals. Projects should not be purely research focused and cover one of the following. subjects: 1) Sustainability of production systems, 2) Competing claims on natural resources, 3) Improved access to food, 4) Policy coherence, 5) Linking fragility, vulnerability to food security, 6) International trade regime.
Deadline for submission: 1 July 2011
18.05.2011
Conserving biodiversity: Switzerland signs two international agreements
press release by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment about the signing of the Nagoya Protocol regulating the use of genetic resources and of a supplementary protocol governing the liability for damage caused to biodiversity.
11.05.2011
Fairtrade im Aufwind
media release by Max Havelaar Switzerland about a substantive increase in sales of
fair trade products and the importance of fair trade as a model to improve the livelihood of small scale farmers
11.05.2011
Bessere Integration der ärmsten Länder in den Welthandel
media release by SECO about the signing of a treaty between Switzerland and the UN aiming to better integrate the Least Developed Countries in world trade
10.05.2011
Formation internationale: Innovation et développement en milieu rural PDF, 568kb
International Master Programme for students and professionals focusing on innovation and partnerships, organized by the University of Ouagadougou.
date: 3 October 2011 to 31 May 2012 , deadline for inscription: 31 May 2011
04.05.2011
Call for Applications: CAS in Management of Development Projects
This programme, organised by EPFL Lausanne, proposes an integrated and interdisciplinary approach and targets persons in both Northern and Southern countries who wish to pursue a career in development or international cooperation and/or who want to broaden their understanding of development issues.
Deadline for application: July 31, 2011
04.05.2011
Nahrungsmittelpreise als Risiko für Asien
article in NZZ about the negative consequences of increasing food prices in Asia, especially for net food importing countries, and about the catalizing effect of new consumption habits of a growing middle class
04.05.2011
New partnership innovates to raise smallholder incomes in Kenya PDF, 285kb
media release by Syngenta Foundation about a partnership with One Acre Fund to increase smallholders’ incomes in Kenya.
21.04.2011
Die Doha-Runde sollte abgebrochen werden
article by AllianceSud suggesting to abandon the Doha Round of the WTO and to implement an action plan with those measures in favor of developing countries, that are not disputed
14.04.2011
Berner Biologen verbessern Äthiopiens wichtigstes Getreide
media release by the University of Bern about a research project with the aim to improve the resilience of the Ethiopian staple crop Tef to harsh weather
13.04.2011
Global food prices and the shortcomings of development aid
interview with Jean-Louis Arcand, Professor of International Economics at the Graduate Institute, Geneva
31.03.2011
Research Fellow Partnership Programme (RFPP) - Call for proposals
The Research Fellow Partnership Programme for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources aims at generating development relevant knowledge, training young scientists and establishing research partnerships. Deadline for submission of PhD and Postdoc proposals is 30 June 2011
31.03.2011
DFID-ESRC Growth Programme - Call for applications
The Department for International Development (DFID) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) are partnering in a new programme on economic growth in developing countries. Among other, research related to the theme "Agriculture and Growth" is funded under this programme. Deadline for applications: 26 May 2011
31.03.2011
Schokolade: Ein Thema mit bitterem Nachgeschmack
information by Berne Declaration on problematic aspects of cocoa production, part of a new consumer information series by this NGO
31.03.2011
Better access for goods from developing countries
press release
by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO about the revision of origin rules for tariff preferences for developing countries that will enhance the access to the Swiss market for goods from these countries
17.03.2011
International Geneva Award 2011
The International Geneva Award prizes three papers published on a subject related to International Studies and deemed particularly relevant for International Organizations. The amount allocated to each prize is CHF 5’000. Deadline for submissions: 14 April 2011
17.03.2011
Blühende Flüsse in Nepal
short film about a project by Helvetas that introduces riverbed farming as a new source of income for poor farmers in the lowlands of Nepal
17.03.2011
Access and benefit sharing in the FAO Plant Treaty needs serious improvements
press release by Berne Declaration about two new studies by this NGO showing that the system of fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of plant genetic resources, as forseen in the FAO Treaty, doesn't work in practice up to now
16.03.2011
Lao PDR: New online information platform
The governments of Lao PDR and Switzerland have launched a new information platform with comprehensive spatial and statistical data with the aim to promote evidence- based socio-economic planning and decision- making in the Lao PDR
16.03.2011
Can “agro-ecology” feed the world?
article on swissinfo.ch about
rising food and oil prices and about the possibilities of ecological agriculture to decrease dependence on oil and improve food security and sustainability
16.03.2011
Nestlé 2012 Prize in Creating Shared Value
The Prize offers advice and financial support of up to CHF 500,000 (more than USD 480,000) to an individual, non-government organisation, or small enterprise working in the field of nutrition, water, or rural development. Deadline for applications: 30 June 2011
16.03.2011
6e Prix CSRS 2011- délai de soumission prolongé PDF, 116kb
information by CSRS about the prolongation of the deadline to the 31st of March
for submissions to its research price for research partnerships with West Africa
09.03.2011
More than aid: for fifty years Switzerland has committed itself to fighting poverty
press release by SDC
09.03.2011
Gehen uns die Nahrungsmittel aus?
article in "Zeit-Fragen" discussing three basic questions: How to mitigate the world’s hunger and poverty problems? How to prevent the depletion of natural resources? How to assure food security?
07.03.2011
The seed has germinated: Swiss development cooperation in the agricultural sector is having effects
press release by SDC on the effectiveness of Swiss development cooperation
07.03.2011
Le retour attendu de la crise des prix alimentaires
An Interview with Professor Ronald Jaubert, about lessons not learnt about the food price crisis of the years 2007 and 2008
07.03.2011
Landnahme – Land Grabbing
the e-dossier compiled by alliance sud intends to clarify the term land grabbing
03.03.2011
Ernteversicherung für Kenyas Kleinbauern
in Kenya a novel agrarian insurance was launched, that allows African small farmers to insure their crops against damages caused by exteme weather events.
03.03.2011
Increase in Official Development Assistance
SDC statement on a decision of the Swiss parliament to increase official development assistance
02.03.2011
Organic Beekeeping and Market Trends
News released by FIBL on the market trends and figures on organic beekeeping were presented in the workshop "Organic beekeeping and market trends".
28.02.2011
Parlament erhöht Entwicklungshilfe
article by alliance sud about the decision of the the Swiss parliament to increase public development assistance.
24.02.2011
When grassroots reap dividends
feature on the website of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture about the demographic divide in India's rural population and what role grass-root organizations could play in overcoming this divide
23.02.2011
Globale Anbaufläche der GVO-Pfanzen wächst schnell
article in the "Bauernzeitung online" on the rapid growth of the area cultivated with genetically modified plants
23.02.2011
Der neue Newsletter der DEZA
the launch of the new SDC Newsletter is announced for March 9th
21.02.2011
Eine Milliarde hungert
article in the "Berner Zeitung" about the problem of hunger in the world
18.02.2011
Wir müssen unser Leben ändern
article in the "Bernern Zeitung", on the relation between our consumption habits and rising food prices
15.02.2011
Global Organic Area: Continued Growth
media release by FIBL on the growth of the agricultural area cultivated organically
15.02.2011
Merger Helvetas and Intercooperation
the newly established website www.Helvetas-Intercooperation.org is online
14.02.2011
FAO vor wichtiger Entscheidung
article in "St.Galler Tagblatt online" presenting the six candidates, who applied for successor of Mr. Diouf, Director general of the FAO.
10.02.2011
Bericht „Blue Peace Report: Rethinking Middle East Water“
press release by SDC on Micheline Calmy-Rey presenting the report “The Blue Peace: Rethinking Middle East Water” to the Swiss Press Club in Geneva
Newsletter
The SFIAR Newsletter provides you every other month with the latest news on agricultural research for development.
To subscribe, please enter your e-mail:
, Latest update: 01.02.2012