Biodiversity

Market with a big variety of vegetables.
Biodiversity ensures that people have the vitamins and minerals they need and is therefore crucial for food security. ©CGIAR

Our planet has remarkable biological diversity. Agrobiodiversity ensures that people have the vitamins and minerals they need and that the ecosystems used for food production function effectively. It is therefore crucial for food security. The SDC is committed to the preservation of agrobiodiversity and takes into account local knowledge and traditions in its projects.

The SDC's focus

Defined as the variety of plants and animals, biodiversity is a key factor in a balanced and healthy diet, by guaranteeing an adequate supply of nutrients through food. The SDC is not only committed to securing enough food for all, but also to a balanced and healthy diet for all. The preservation of agrobiodiversity plays a crucial role in this respect.

At the global level, the SDC participates in efforts to preserve seeds from the most frequently used crop varieties in seed banks. It also works to improve existing seed systems. In collaboration with Bioversity International, a research organisation active in South America, Asia and Africa, the SDC is helping local farmers to preserve and market local crop varieties.

Local people play an important role in the preservation of agrobiodiversity in each country, as they are the ones with knowledge about native plants and land use practices. The SDC takes this aspect into consideration in its biodiversity projects. It works with local, regional and global institutions to ensure that local populations in each country accept and maintain the sustainable use of ecological systems.

Background

The issues surrounding biodiversity are complex. On the one hand, the conversion of natural ecosystems into large tracts of agricultural land results in more agricultural production and a better food supply. On the other hand, however, these developments threaten species diversity and thereby the self-sufficiency of local populations. The challenge is to use agricultural land considerately for the benefit of all stakeholders. Biodiversity is also important for medical research since natural and wild plants are often the basis for developing medicines.

Worldwide, there are an estimated 7,000 different plant species used for human nutrition, but rice, maize and wheat now provide more than 50% of all calories obtained from plant sources. In 2019, 75% of the food consumed by people worldwide comes from just 12 plant and five animal species. The diversity of agricultural plant species and varieties has declined sharply over the last century. In China, for example, there were more than 10,000 local wheat varieties in 1949, while barely 1,000 are still cultivated today. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), humanity has already lost three quarters of plant diversity that originally contributed to our diet.

This focus on a small number of grain and vegetable crops is inherently risky. Sufficient genetic diversity of crops provides long-term protection against unexpected plant pests and diseases.

At the global level, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity is geared towards the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of biodiversity. The FAO's Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture focuses more specifically on agrobiodiversity issues.

Under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, Switzerland has pledged to double its international commitment within 10 years. As a country whose own species diversity is heavily threatened, Switzerland is thus contributing to global efforts to conserve biodiversity.

Links

Current projects

Object 1 – 12 of 19

Backstopping support for SDC’s Cluster Green thematic Knowledge Networks A+FS, CDE and RésEAU

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2028

As a globally active knowledge-based organisation, SDC is critically dependent on effective and efficient knowledge management. SDC’s thematic networks sit at the heart of this endeavour, rendering an essential service across the organisation and its partners by connecting network members, collecting and processing information, and retaining and distributing knowledge. State-of-the art backstopping services are essential to this activity, as is close cooperation between SDC’s thematic networks.


Contribution to Livelihood and Food Security Fund (LIFT)

01.01.2024 - 31.12.2028

The military coup in February 2021 and the escalating violence and conflict increased poverty and food insecurity among vulnerable populations, and decreased livelihood opportunities and agricultural production. The LIFT Strategy 2024-2028 tackles Myanmar’s food security and poverty crisis and aims to strengthen the resilience and the livelihoods of poor and vulnerable groups to withstand climate and other shocks. Switzerland adds value through its extensive experience in steering multi-donor funds, thematic expertise and its nexus expertise. 


Adaptation at Altitude

01.12.2023 - 31.01.2028

Mountain societies and ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to climate change and targeted adaptation measures are needed to increase their resilience. Building on SDC’s extensive expertise and experience as a leading player in the field, the programme will inform decision makers and practitioners about climate change impacts and adaptation solutions in mountains and support concerted cross-border collaboration in major mountain regions worldwide to advance adaptation policy, planning and implementation. 


Climate Resilience Develoipment in Tajikistan

15.11.2023 - 13.11.2027

The  contribution  to  the HELVETAS project  aims  at building  resilience  of  livelihoods  of  the  rural communities  of  Khatlon  region,  vulnerable  to  climate  change.  The  population  and  particularly women  and  youth  will  engage  in  management,  regeneration  and  protection  of  their  natural resources and biodiversity while implementing disaster risk reduction measures. 


WFP: Building Resiliency & Self-Reliance

15.11.2023 - 15.11.2025

The Swiss contribution to the World Food Programme’s Country Strategic Programme will foster and enhance resiliency through agricultural skilling and increased access to income, allowing for the Rohingya refugees to become more self-reliant and support their basic needs. As a contributor to a multi-donor framework, Switzerland can simultaneously leverage durable solutions advancement in the Rohingya response while ensuring service delivery for the most vulnerable in the refugee camps. 


Strengthening Civil Society in Myanmar – Paung Ku

01.07.2023 - 30.06.2027

In Myanmar, civic space has considerably shrunk since the military coup. In the absence of a legitimate government, networks of independent civil society organisations (CSOs) are essential actors for basic service provision and promotion of democratic values and human rights. Showing commitment to localisation, Switzerland will enable local CSOs to further support vulnerable communities and to protect the foundations of a pluralistic and inclusive society.  


Bamboo Climate Action

15.03.2023 - 31.03.2026

Aligned with Switzerland’s Climate Change and Environment and Social Cohesion priorities the project builds on existing market systems expertise to establish bamboo as a nature-based solution able to address the environmental and economic vulnerabilities of host and refugee communities in a protracted crisis. Thus, bamboo aims to enhance livelihoods and risk mitigation caused by the impacts of climate change and disasters. This nexus project supports Bangladesh’s Social Forestry initiatives and works across humanitarian and development axis. 


Community Action for Sustainable Forests (CASFor)

01.08.2022 - 31.12.2028

Building on SDC`s long-term experience in forest management this project contributes to Switzerland’s engagement on climate change. Together with UN agencies and NGOs, forest sector governance will be strengthened and community forest group members’ livelihoods will be improved. Forest degradation will be reduced by sustainable management of community forests in four provinces, leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to Cambodia’s Nationally Determined Contributions and the Agenda 2030.


Gulf of Mottama Project

01.01.2022 - 31.12.2024

The unique mudflat ecosystem of the Gulf of Mottama is one of the most important mudflat ecosystems in the world. Communities relying on it as a source of livelihood and the impact of climate change threaten its biological integrity. Building on Switzerland’s specific expertise in Southeast Myanmar, the project aims to conserve the wetland’s unique biodiversity, strengthen climate change adaptation and provide vulnerable communities with sustainable livelihoods and markets.


Green Agenda in Serbia: Get Started, Take Action and Scale Up

01.01.2022 - 30.06.2026

With this project SDC contributes to efficient, inclusive and sustainable implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, envisaged by the EU Green Deal. It will improve policy and base-conditions for its more efficient rolling-out and support pilot projects for future scaling-up. This contribution to UNDP will tackle these challenges with the aim to increase national and subnational government capacities, provide financial support for local public and private actions, and help Serbia reach its climate targets.


Enhanced resilience of viticulture in Abkhazia

01.12.2021 - 30.11.2026

A vast area in Abkhazia was contaminated by the explosion of an ammunition warehouse in 2017. Clearance efforts supported by international experts are about to be completed, enabling the restoration of the land for agricultural purposes. Endemic grape varieties will be reintroduced fostering biodiversity and resistance to disease. Growers’ resilience to climatic and economic shocks will be enhanced by setting a sector association and training in advanced agricultural practices.


BIOREST - Appui au développement d’une agriculture biologique durable et résiliente dans un contexte de changement climatique en Tunisie

01.11.2021 - 31.10.2025

A travers cette l’intervention, la Suisse consolide les efforts du gouvernement tunisien pour la résilience au changement climatique en accompagnant le développement des systèmes d’agriculture biologiques appliquant les principes de l’agriculture intelligente face au climat. L’appui portera sur les axes de la production végétale et animale, l’encadrement des acteurs et le système de contrôle de l’agriculture biologique. L’approche territoriale adoptée consolide la résilience alimentaire et environnementale des régions ciblées et de la Tunisie.

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