The Food Systems Section is a thematic unit supporting the transformation towards sustainable, resilient, inclusive and efficient food systems, in line with agroecological principles to achieve food security and nutrition, realising the right to adequate food for all, in particular for women and young smallholder farmers and disadvantaged urban consumers in low- and middle-income countries.
Food Systems
The Section has three thematic entry points or components: agroecology, inclusive agricultural and food market systems and healthy diets for improved nutrition. An overarching component of global governance encompasses the three themes.
The Section:
- represents Switzerland in multilateral and international organizations to influence agenda setting and policy dialogue : International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Consultative Group for international Agricultural Research (CGIAR), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and Committee on World Food Security (CFS) together with the Federal Office of Agriculture and the Swiss mission in Rome,
- designs and co-creates innovative projects and programmes in line with agroecological principles to achieve food security and healthy, safe and diversified diets, realising the right to food for all,
- collaborates with grassroots organizations, international organizations, governments, the private sector and academic institutions,
- is responsible for the Agriculture and Food Systems network, which provides advisory services and promotes the exchange of knowledge between SDC’s head office, the representations abroad and external partners,
- contributes to the achievement of the Swiss 2030 Sustainable Development Strategy, and in particular the strategic objective of furthering the transformation to sustainable food systems in Switzerland and abroad.
