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Around 80% of the world's poor live in rural areas. In many developing countries, food security and rural development are ongoing challenges and agricultural production and food systems are increasingly threatened by climate change and other setbacks.
For a large part of the rural population, agriculture is the basis of their livelihoods. However, for most small-scale farmers earning a living income is a daily struggle. Limited access to quality inputs, technologies and up to date knowledge results in low productivity and quality. Remoteness, low connectivity and low bargaining power leads to farmers being excluded from markets and having difficulties selling their products at reasonable prices. Furthermore, the needs of poor farmers are often neglected in existing policies and regulations. To improve farmers’ incomes, we work to address improved access to resources, strengthened market linkages, and more inclusive policies and regulations.
Agricultural systems are highly complex with a variety of factors that influence productivity and the functioning of market systems. We develop and implement our projects based on a thorough assessment of the agricultural system, and build on the incentives of local actors to address these challenges at three levels:
To develop viable and sustainable solutions which are anchored in the local systems, we always work closely with partners from the private sector, as well as public authorities and research institutions. We are convinced that inclusive and sustainable agricultural systems can only thrive in the long term if the private sector has an active role in driving change. We therefore seek to identify incentives and co-develop business models that work for the benefit of smallholder farmers and preserve or regenerate natural resources.
Swisscontact contributes to transforming agricultural systems for the benefit of farmers and ecosystems, with the aim of generating more income for smallholder farmers and strengthening their adaptive capacity, while regenerating natural resources and minimising greenhouse gas emissions.
Our projects:
Swisscontact builds the capacities and connectivity of all actors within an agricultural system. We offer support to improve agricultural and management practices, facilitate the introduction of improved climate-smart products and technologies to the market and strengthen the linkages with research. We create better support services and improve framework conditions by building partners’ capacities and fostering inclusive policies
Discover a wealth of resources and meet the most relevant partners to work with to develop and implement sustainable solutions that are anchored in local systems.