
Agriculture and food security

Hunger and malnutrition not only endanger the health of people but pose a significant threat to the overall development of a country. The SDC is committed to ensuring adequate, sufficient and good-quality food for all, taking into account the entire food value chain: from the fields where food is produced, to storage and processing, markets, trade, transport and up to consumers via diet.
The SDC works worldwide to secure the human right to adequate food. It designs its activities with the aim of giving poorer and disadvantaged population groups, such as smallholder farmers, women and young people, equal access to education, productive resources and markets. The SDC helps them to make productive but sustainable use of natural resources and supports them in dealing with the effects of climate change, with the storage and marketing of their produce and with continuous adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Throughout all these endeavors, the SDC persistently pays special attention to the preservation of the highly endangered biodiversity in each context. It also promotes needs-oriented research and advisory services.
In addition, the SDC encourages innovations all along the food value chain that provide consumers with a healthy and diverse diet by facilitating access to suitable foodstuffs, both in rural and in urban areas.
Sustainable agriculture ensures a healthy diet, preserves biodiversity, and is the basis for securing the human right to adequate food. With this goal in mind, Switzerland engages in international cooperation in the field of food security. The Swiss agriculture sector, with its multifunctional, family-based and environmentally-friendly food production geared to social and regional balance, acts as a role model.
Links
Documents
Global Programme Food Security: Programme Framework 2021–24 (PDF, 2.0 MB, English)
Food security: An SDC Global Programme (PDF, Number of pages 8, 1.7 MB, English)
Food security – a value-added chain (Multilaterale Akzente, September 2011, fr) (PDF, 2.2 MB)
Securing enough food for all (2007) (PDF, 6.2 MB)
Current projects
Improving farm productivity in Georgia through dual vocational education and training

01.09.2018
- 31.08.2022
Agriculture is Georgia's most important sector. However, farming remains uncompetitive as farmers' skills are out of step with the job market and technological developments. Switzerland is continuing to support vocational education and training to improve productivity, farm income and the employment situation for students of agriculture.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Georgia |
Vocational training Agriculture & food security Employment & economic development
Vocational training
Agricultural services & market
Rural development
|
01.09.2018 - 31.08.2022 |
CHF 7'303'140 |
Improved Access to Markets for Female and Male Fresh Fruits and Vegetable (FFV) Small Scale Producers

01.12.2017
- 30.11.2021
With focus on private sector-led agriculture and agribusiness, this program pursues systemic change in the agriculture sector and supports business modalities that favor small scale producers in the occupied Palestinian territory. The overall goal is to contribute to build a resilient economy with equitable agricultural growth, whilst contributing to protect small scale producers’ entitlements to natural resources and access to markets.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Palestinian Authority |
Agriculture & food security
Agricultural development
Agricultural services & market
Agricultural policy
|
01.12.2017 - 30.11.2021 |
CHF 4'700'000 |
Higher Income in the South Caucasus Thanks to Competitive Agricultural Products

01.04.2017
- 31.03.2022
Livestock farming is an important source of income for a large part of the rural population in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. But many farmers live from subsistence farming and produce just enough food for their own needs. The aims of the project are to strengthen smallholder farms and to provide them with access to markets. This way, farmers can sell their honey, meat, cheese and wool products, and sustainably increase their incomes.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
South Caucasus |
Employment & economic development Agriculture & food security
SME development
Agricultural development
|
01.04.2017 - 31.03.2022 |
CHF 5'100'000 |
Reform and Development of Markets, Value Chains and Producers’ Organisations

01.03.2017
- 31.08.2021
Private sector-led agriculture and agribusiness in the Palestinian occupied territory (oPT) can play a key role in building a resilient economy towards economic growth and in safeguarding rights and entitlements to natural resources and markets. This program aims at improving income and productivity in the agriculture sector, through improved access to markets, increased share of local market, enhanced competitiveness and profitability of Palestinian agribusinesses.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Palestinian Authority |
Agriculture & food security
Agricultural development
Agricultural policy
Agricultural co-operatives & farmers’ organisations
|
01.03.2017 - 31.08.2021 |
CHF 3'000'000 |
Sustainably managed pastures and healthy animals: Mongolia's 'green gold'

01.01.2017
- 30.09.2021
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the number of livestock in Mongolia has nearly tripled – to the detriment of the country's grasslands. The SDC is supporting an array of measures to encourage the sustainable use of pastureland, and to improve animal health and the marketing of livestock products. These efforts are helping to safeguard the livelihoods of nomadic herder families.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Mongolia |
Agriculture & food security Employment & economic development
Agricultural land resources
Agricultural co-operatives & farmers’ organisations
SME development
Agricultural policy
|
01.01.2017 - 30.09.2021 |
CHF 8'676'000 |
Supporting livestock traceability in the South Caucasus

15.06.2016
- 31.12.2021
Identifying where animals have come from and recording information about their health is essential in modern agriculture to prevent the spread of diseases and stop products from diseased animals reaching the market. A system to ensure traceability will help to improve the incomes of farmers in the South Caucasus by increasing both herd productivity and the producers’ access to markets.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
South Caucasus |
Agriculture & food security
Agriculture value-chain development (til 2016)
|
15.06.2016 - 31.12.2021 |
CHF 5'935'000 |
Sustainable water and pasture management to alleviate the plight of Ethiopian pastoralists

01.06.2015
- 31.12.2021
Drought, fodder scarcity and conflicts over natural resources make life difficult for pastoralists in southern Ethiopia. The SDC has taken various measures to improve their food security and their resilience to crisis situations, ranging from the rehabilitation of pastureland and water points to the introduction of land use plans and the diversification of income sources for women.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Ethiopia |
Agriculture & food security Conflict & fragility Climate change and environment
Agricultural land resources
Household food security
Conflict prevention
Disaster risk reduction DRR
|
01.06.2015 - 31.12.2021 |
CHF 8'653'920 |
Livestock Development in the South of Armenia

01.09.2014
- 31.08.2021
In the provinces of Syunik and Vayots Dzor in southern Armenia, the agricultural sector mostly comprises subsistence farming where farmers are barely able to support their households. This project aims to help farmers increase their milk and meat production, and thus their incomes, by supporting local veterinary services (to improve animal health), facilitating access to milk and meat markets, and promoting the sharing of know-how among farmers.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Armenia |
Agriculture & food security
Agricultural development
Agricultural research
Agricultural services & market
|
01.09.2014 - 31.08.2021 |
CHF 10'995'756 |
Programme d’appui aux communes urbaines du Mali (PACUM)
01.01.2012
- 28.02.2021
Un des enjeux de la reconstruction du Mali se trouve dans la promotion de villes secondaires délivrant des services de base aux populations et redevables devant leurs citoyens. C’est l’objet de ce programme financé par la Banque Mondiale à hauteur de CHF 65’000'000. Sollicitée pour son savoir-faire en matière de développement local, la DDC apporte une contribution de CHF 18'200'000 (21% coût global) pour structurer la gouvernance à la base et soutenir les dotations d’investissement pour les villes de Koutiala et Tombouctou.
Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
---|---|---|---|
Mali |
Agriculture & food security Governance Education
Rural infrastructure (till 2016)
Decentralisation
Public sector policy
Primary education
|
01.01.2012 - 28.02.2021 |
CHF 18'220'000 |
Youth-Inclusive Rural Finance (YIRF)
01.09.2025
- 31.08.2028
Millions of Tanzanian young people living in rural areas, in particular young women, are affected by vulnerable employment. Building on successful Swiss experience in youth employment, this initiative aims at increasing gainful self-employment through enhanced financial inclusion. It will support the design, market entrance and upscaling of innovative digital financial products and services tailored to rural youth, including female youth. In order to ensure scale and sustainability, a partnership with the private sector will be developed.
Horn of Africa: One Health Units for Humans, Environment, Animals and Livelihoods
01.09.2024
- 30.06.2032
The project aims at improving the well-being of targeted pastoral communities challenged with inadequate access to basic health/veterinary services and environmental conditions in Somalia, Ethiopia and Northern Kenya through integrated health service delivery for both pastoralists and their livestock. The project will contribute to stability and vulnerability’s reduction of citizens in the region, thereby reducing their displacement/migration which is in the interest of Switzerland and the international community.
Programme d’appui à la commercialisation du bétail en Afrique de l’Ouest
01.07.2023
- 31.12.2028
Dans la région ouest africaine, le secteur de l’élevage est une grande opportunité d’intégration économique et de création de richesses pour les populations et les pays. En complément au soutien au secteur dans les pays prioritaires, ce programme vise le renforcement de la chaine de valeur régionale des produits animaux au profit des éleveurs. L’accent est mis sur le renforcement du secteur privé et l’amélioration des politiques et pratiques régionales d’échanges en produits animaux.