Food systems

Development of climate-resilient, agroecological production systems for food security

Brief description of the project

With CROPS4HD, SWISSAID promotes the cultivation and consumption of traditional, climate-resilient and previously neglected crops (NUS). The project aims to improve food security and diversity, particularly for women, and to make farming systems more resilient to climate and market risks.

The PULL-PUSH-POLICY strategy links the supply and demand side with political measures:

• PUSH: Promotion of agroecological production methods, development of farmer seed systems and seed banks (FMSS)
• PULL: Building local value chains, consumer awareness and markets for NIS products
• POLICY: Political anchoring of agroecological approaches and FMSS in laws, strategies and national budgets

Through participatory research with FiBL, TARI and farmer groups, climate-resilient varieties are being further developed, tested and disseminated. In Dodoma, CROPS4HD is specifically interlinked with IFAD’s AFDP program in order to combine market development, policy dialogue and seed production.

Project goals

• Increase food diversity and security through locally adapted, nutrient-rich NUS
• Increasing the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate and market risks
• Anchoring local farmer seed systems (FMSS) institutionally and politically
• Strengthening demand, markets and confidence in NIS products
• Improve political framework conditions for agroecology and seed diversity.