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Advocating for Agro-Biodiversity

Project completed

This project supports small-scale farmer and farmer support organizations 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 the diverse forms of knowledge farmers develop and maintain. This project also helps farmers in defining the role they want to see State institutions play in protecting all of the above.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Agriculture & food security
Governance
Rule of Law - Democracy - Human rights
Agricultural policy
Decentralisation
01.07.2013 - 31.08.2016
 CHF  1’850’000
The project in brief
Background

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 having 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 consultative processes are organized, government representatives, small-scale farmer and farmer support organizations are frequently denied a voice. Yet, the impact that 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.
Objectives

The recognition in regional and national policies, laws, regulations and programs of 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.
Target groups

 

  • Small-scale farmer organizations and farmer support organizations in the SADC region
  • National governments in the region, as well as regional blocks (SADC, EAC, COMESA, ARIPO, AU)
  • Small-scale farmers in the region who rely for the most part on informal, marginally commercial seed systems for their living and manage local ecosystems for present and future generations

    •  
    Medium-term outcomes

  • A solid knowledge base on seed and soil fertility is available, and regularly accessed by small-scale farmer and farmer support organizations, policymakers and the general public in the region
  • Regional action-research and farmer support networks with a focus on seed and soil fertility strengthened and active at national and regional levels
  • Research and relevant information on seed and soil fertility policies, laws, regulations and programs shared among, and used by small-scale farmer and farmer support organizations in advocating and lobbying for agro-biodiversity for food security, farmers’ rights and agricultural R&D in line with their priorities
  • An innovative alert system in place, informing members of the network coordinated by the African Centre for Biosafety of new policy, legislative and regulatory initiatives related to seed, intellectual property and trade regimes in the region, and rapid response to alerts.

    		•
    Results

    Results from previous phases:  

    No previous SDC-supported phases. Main results of ACB’s work during last three years include: creation of open spaces for public consultation with NGOs and farmer groups on key legislation processes in the region; substantive comments and engagement with COMESA on the harmonization of Biosafety laws in Africa; regional workshop with NGOs and farmer groups focusing on SADC/COMESA seed trade laws and policies.
    Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
    Credit area Development cooperation
    Project partners Contract partner
    International or foreign NGO
    • African Centre for Biosafety (Outcomes 1-4) Third World Network (Outcome 4)


    Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    1’850’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’050’003
    Project phases Phase 3 01.09.2019 - 30.06.2024   (Completed) Phase 2 01.09.2016 - 31.08.2019   (Completed)

    Phase 1 01.07.2013 - 31.08.2016   (Completed)

    • Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation AGRICULTURE
      GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
      Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation
      Agricultural policy and administrative management
      Decentralisation and support to subnational government (incl. accountability)
      Cross-cutting topics The project promotes biodiversity as a priority.
      The project takes account of gender equality as a cross-cutting theme.
      The project takes account of democratisation, good governance and human rights as cross-cutting themes.
      Type of support Official development assistance (ODA)
      Type of collaboration Bilateral cooperation
      Finance type Aid grant
      Aid Type Mandate without fiduciary fund
      Project and programme contribution
      Tied/untied aid Untied aid
      Project number

      7F08780

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    Last update 27.11.2017