Advocating Agro-Biodiversity


This project supports small-scale farmers and farmer organisations in the region in their efforts to foster democratic debate over legal frameworks having an impact on food security, and more specifically: agro-biodiversity, farmers' rights to use, save and exchange seeds, and in the diverse forms of knowledge farmers develop and maintain. This project helps farmers in defining the role they want to see State play in protecting all of the above.  

The overall goal of the project is to ensure the recognition in regional and national policies, laws, regulations, and programmes for women and men farmers' diverse forms of knowledge, their rights to save, use and exchange seed, the importance of maintaining agro-biodiversity for food security, and the role of state institutions in protecting the above.  

Pays/région Thème Période Budget
Communauté de développement d'Afrique australe (SADC)
Agriculture et sécurité alimentaire
Governance
État de droit - démocratie - droits de l’homme
Politique agricole
Décentralisation
01.07.2013 - 01.07.2016
CHF 1'850'000
Contexte

State institutions and regional bodies in southern Africa are having to come to terms with intellectual property and trade issues in relation to plant genetic resources for food, and simultaneously, with issues to do with farmers' rights and biodiversity. National governments and their constituencies often do not master the terms of the debate that many call for around these issues. In the rare event when consultative processes are organised, government representatives, small-scale farmers and farmer support organisations are frequently denied a voice. Yet the impact of pieces of legislation currently on the drafting board are likely to have on small-scale farmers and the economies they support is a matter of concern.  

Objectifs

The overal goal of the project is to ensure the recognition in regional and national policies, laws, regulations and programmes for women and men farmers' diverse forms of knowledge, their rights to save, use and exchange seed, the importance of maintaining agro-biodiversity for food security, and the role of state institutions in protecting the above.  

Groupes cibles
  • Small-scale farmer organisations and farmer support organisations in the SADC region
  • National governments in the region, as well as regional entities (e.g. SADC, COMESA, ARIPO)  
Effets à moyen terme
  • Capacity of farmer support organisations in networked action research on seed and soil fertility strenghthened
  •  Research and key issue papers on seed and soil fertility in the region developed and desseminated
  • Information on socio-economic, ecological and agronomic impacts of various seed systems and soil management options currently at the disposal of farmers in the region made available to women and men small-scale farmers
  • Policy recommendations and ammendments (proposed) to draft policies, laws, regulations and programmes that promote agro-biodiversity for food security and provide for farmers rights to use, save and exchange seed.  
Résultats

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Enhanced and more sustainable food and nutrition security in southern Africa through a shift towards agro-ecological farming systems.  


Direction/office fédéral responsable DDC
Crédit Coopération au développement
Partenaire de projet Partenaire contractuel
ONG internationale ou étrangère


Autres partenaires
  • African Centre for Biosafety (ACB)
  • Third World Network (TWN) 
Budget Phase en cours Budget de la Suisse CHF   1'850'000 Budget suisse déjà attribué CHF   1'050'003
Phases du projet Phase 3 01.09.2019 - 31.08.2023   (Phase en cours) Phase 2 01.09.2016 - 31.08.2019   (Completed) Phase 1 01.07.2013 - 31.08.2016   (Completed)