Biovision – Foundation for ecological development
Annual Report 2011
A future for all, naturally Un avenir pour tous, naturellement Eine Zukunft für alle, natürlich
TABLE OF CONTENTS President’s Foreword
3
Management Report
4
Project Areas Human Health Animal Health Plant Health Environmental Health Knowledge Dissemination Advocacy
6 8 10 12 14 16
Biovision Portrait
18
Financial Report Income Statement Operational Costs Project Expenditure
20 22 23
Efficiency Report Objectives of the Foundation Organisation
24 24
Partners
27
Thanks
29
Highlights 2011
30
Foreword | 3
Dr. Hans R. Herren World Food Prize laureate and President of Biovision
Dear Supporters, In the last two years the Biovision Foundation has been heavily involved in preparatory sessions for the important UN conference “Rio +20” on sustainable development. It is important to us that environmentally compatible and socially fair agriculture should at last be recognised and promoted in the highest circles of government as the essential foundation for a green economy. With some 525 million smallholdings worldwide producing 70 per cent of all food, small-holder agriculture is today the biggest employer – and this by a large margin. These family enterprises will be able to feed the ever-growing populations of developing countries and give them decent work without overexploiting the soils and water resources, without clearing forests or destroying other valuable ecosystems. As Biovision’s experiences in East Africa prove – and as do countless other projects in tropical and subtropical regions – by using ecological methods these small farms can increase their yields by 50 to 150 per cent. But the most decisive factor is long-term improvements in production through the sustainable upgrading of soil fertility. Representatives of the agroindustry sector and of industrial agriculture claim that the ecological agriculture promoted in Biovision’s grassroots projects is an antiquated concept which puts food security in the South at risk. But they ignore three facts about organic farming in Africa: firstly, that it is only just beginning, secondly, that it is not widely promoted, and thirdly, that is clearly superior to traditional practices. For African smallholders, the methods of conventional agriculture – with their need for huge investments in high yielding varieties, fossil fuels, artificial fertilisers, pesticides and medicines – are normally financially far out of reach. Ecological farming is a viable alternative for smallholders’ survival: it gives good yields while enabling the natural resources on which their existence depends to keep regenerating themselves by keeping nutrient cycles as closed as possible.
In contrast to an ecological approach, in many places industrial agriculture leaves behind degraded soils, depleted and polluted ground water, over-fertilised and contaminated surface water, a diminishing range of varieties with less robust plants and dramatic species loss. Because this short-sighted business model is destroying its own foundations, the Agriculture at a Crossroad Report series calls for a global change towards an ecological approach to agriculture. Biovision wants to help shape this epoch-making change. That is why we are involved in both global and national policy discussions, in order to advocate ecological development. Alongside the words, our actions continue to be our strength. The self-help projects in Africa supported by our foundation are a demonstration of what we are talking about. We are very motivated by, and grateful for your valuable support to expand our development activities in the future.
With sincere thanks,
Dr. Hans Rudolf Herren
4 | MANAGEMENT REPORT
Andreas Schriber Co-Founder and CEO Biovision Foundation
Activity report
Reaching the goal together through strong partnerships In their search for a memorable name for the first Kiswahili edition of the Biovision farmer’s newspaper, just before it went to press our project team in Kenya and Tanzania agreed unanimously on “Mkulima Mbunifu”. The newspaper has been appearing every two months since July 2011 in a print run initially limited to 8,000 (> page 15). Loosely translated, the name of what is so far the only magazine in Tanzania’s national language offering practical advice to small-scale farming families means “The smart and innovative farmer” and that is exactly what it is about. East Africa is not the only place where most smallholding families are left to take care of themselves without outside help. They put their trust in their experience and live in the hope that the rains will not fail, and that they can sell their surplus produce at the market for a fair price. In the world as a whole, millions of these small farms produce the lion share of all food. For Biovision this impressive achievement is grounds enough to invest in training farmers and increasing their practical knowledge, so as to put them in a position where they can improve the productivity of their fields on their own. Boosting rural areas The development projects supported by Biovision in Africa are thus mainly directed at the needs of the rural population. By working with our partner organisations to promote rural areas, our foundation makes an important contribution to reducing poverty. The aim is to produce sufficient food in a healthy environment and thus make it possible for people to improve their lives. Where this is successful, the problematic rural exodus to the cities usually decreases. In Uganda, Biovision is supporting a project aimed first and foremost at the needs of women smallholders (> page 11). The
focus on women and their training in development programmes is an issue to which our foundation will continue to pay a lot of attention. According to estimates by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), nearly two thirds of agricultural production in Africa is in the hands of women. Popular information platform The extent of the impact that practical information can have on farmers’ ordinary lives can be seen from the experience of the Infonet-Biovision information platform. The practical electronic advice is contained in more than 6,000 pages, and every year reaches half a million visitors from more than 40 African countries and all over the world. The portal, which is specifically aimed at East Africa, includes, amongst other things, instructions on ecological ways to control nearly 700 plant diseases and pests, and other information on the prevention of illnesses in humans and animals. Because of the great demand, Biovision’s comprehensive programme for communicating with farmers is being constantly expanded. The internet, mobile phones and computers are becoming more and more important in Africa too, and collaboration with existing advisory services means that the new information is guaranteed a good reception. Campaigning for a change of course In order to ensure that successful grass-roots projects like the combination of sustainable cattle raising and organic agriculture in Assosa in Ethiopia (> page 9) become yet more firmly entrenched on the ground, our foundation is working specifically on consciousness-raising among local decision makers and state institutions. Such approaches need to be emulated and to be more widely incorporated into the training of far mers and into national agricultural planning. With the same idea in mind, Biovision as a co-initiator of an international alliance continues to campaign for a worldwide change of direction in agriculture. We are doing this because we aim to promote food security for the growing world popula-
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tion as a global demand at the highest level. Together with the Millennium Institute in Washington and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), in 2011 Biovision launched the Changing Course in Global Agriculture (CCGA) programme. At the UN Earth Summit on sustainable development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2012, agriculture based on ecological principles and practised by smallholders will be spotlighted – and later implemented as part of national country programmes in Africa and elsewhere. In the year covered by this report we were also extensively involved in the prevention of dangerous tropical diseases. The encouraging results of the scientifically grounded pilot projects on the prevention of malaria were an important contribution to the founding of PAMCA. The aim of this pan-African association is to disseminate environmentally sound methods of mosquito control (> page 30). Information and awareness raising To get information across to the right people and to raise awareness in Africa, Switzerland and at the global level, Biovision uses a variety of channels. Professional media work means that the concerns of our foundation were topics in 192 media reports in 2011. Reports in prominent newspapers with an international reputation are all the more gratifying since greater awareness of ecological development helps to advance Biovision’s goals.
The extension of information outreach to social networks and direct contacts shows that the issues we care about increasingly matter to young people. We have been able to make new contacts via the website, various internet campaigns and our Facebook pages. More than 1500 people follow our activities on Twitter and Facebook, and the website recorded a visitor increase of 40 per cent in the space of a year. Biovision sees this broad media work as a contribution to shaping opinions and as an essential part of the newly formulated 2015 Strategy to Promote Ecological Thinking and Acting (www.biovision.ch > Who we are > Our topics > Download Strategy). Further expansion of project work 2011 was once again an encouraging and successful year for us. The solidarity of our wide range of sponsors made it possible to continue the expansion of our project work in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania. Together with local project partners on the ground, Biovision can now do more for the productivity of smallholder agriculture and for the preservation of natural resources than ever before. The 32 projects we support received more than CHF 3.5 million, which again means an increase in contributions to our projects in comparison with the year before. The continuous growth of Biovision confirms to us that our step-by-step strategy with strong partnerships and our transparent communication is paying off.
“It takes many hands to get the ball rolling.” CEO Andreas Schriber visiting a project in Western Kenya, where Biovision is helping to disseminate the Push-Pull method.
The fertile lowlands of Tolay in Ethiopia were plagued by tsetse flies and malarial mosquitoes until 2008. Working with local people, the project partners Biovision and icipe have managed to greatly reduce the incidence of the disease-carrying insects.
HUMAN HEALTH | 7
Successful malaria control in Tolay using environmentally friendly methods
Investing sustainably in health The Tolay region is located in the fertile lowlands of southwest Ethiopia. Despite the apparently ideal conditions for agriculture, until only a few years ago small farmers were often unable to produce enough food to feed their families; more recently, the food supply has improved noticeably. This change is directly connected to successes in the fight against the tsetse fly and the anopheles mosquito. Since it has become possible to hold these disease-transmitting insects in check using environmentally friendly methods, cases of the diseases they transmit – sleeping sickness and the tropical fever malaria – have become much less prevalent. Deaths from malaria have fallen by more than 60 per cent in the Tolay region since the project began in 2008. Because the people – and also their animals – are now healthier, they can cultivate their fields, bring in the harvest on time and therefore also produce more food. To ensure that there is no let up in the efforts and the voluntary work to control the malaria-carrying mosquitoes, it is important to continue to invest in building sustainable structures for the local population. Biovision supports its partner organisa-
tion icipe in working with the affected village communities to create new ways to generate income. The aim is that the means used to control the mosquito larvae in future will utilize control agents made on the spot from different plant extracts. To this end, once they have followed a short training course, thousands of families are being given seedlings of such plants as neem trees, mugwort, lemon grass and pigeon peas. They can grow these in their own gardens, propagate them and then sell the plant products in the villages where they live. In addition, 150 specially trained experts learn how to produce effective insecticides from the seeds, fruits, leaves and roots involved. As the research carried out by icipe shows, not only mosquito larvae but also a range of plant pests can be controlled with such bio-pesticides. So in the future the expanded project will increasingly include the sustainable use of the environment and the improvement of plant health.
>>> “As a mosquito scout I teach the people in the community how they can protect their families from the disease. Every Friday we conduct awareness activities about malaria. We go from house to house to inform people or talk at group meetings. The topics are mosquito habitat management where we indicate how habitats can be eradicated and how to use bednets.” Nejash Oli Habib Mosquito scout and malaria club leader in Tolay, Ethiopia
“First we didn’t have any knowledge about the disease of malaria. Then the scouts came and told us about it. Now we use bednets and all family members sleep under a bednet, so we don’t get malaria anymore.” Workenesh Dugasa Farmer and mother in Tolay, Ethiopia
Project number: BV HH-03 Project start: 2007
Stop Malaria – Tolay Beneficiaries: The 12,000 people living in the project area enjoy improved health thanks to the reduction in cases of malaria. Development Goal: A sustainable improvement in the health of the population of Tolay through environmentally friendly malaria control. Results: Incidence of malaria reduced by 90%, thanks to the successful continuation of environmentallyfriendly malaria control (drying, draining or biological treatment of standing water, correct use of bednets, wide dissemination of information about prevention). Training of 12 mosquito scouts, 12 health specialists and 340 villagers in environmentally friendly malaria control. Annual malaria day to raise awareness among more than 2000 people. Implementing Partner Organisation: icipe Ethiopia – African Insect Science for Food and Health
Successful tsetse fly control with environmentally friendly traps: attracted by the smell of cattle urine and by the blue dye, the insects land on the black surface and follow the white light into the cone. This leads them into a plastic bottle, from which they cannot escape.
ANIMAL HEALTH | 9
Animal husbandry and biological agriculture in balance
Model biofarm helps against tsetse flies In the regional state of Benishangul-Gumuz in western Ethiopia thousands of environmental and war refugees are making their living from small-scale farming. Because many of these people were formerly nomadic pastoralists, they are usually inadequately prepared for the challenges of a sedentary life in their new home. Their life in the lowlands is made all the more difficult by the widespread presence of tsetse flies, which, through their bites, transmit nagana – a deadly sleeping sickness – to cattle. So the first projects designed to overcome the widespread poverty and malnutrition in the rural areas around the regional capital Assosa began by addressing the health of farm animals. The first success, achieved in cooperation with the village communities, was in decimating the tsetse flies locally through biological methods – in particular with colour and odour traps that were regularly inspected. The partner organisation supported by Biovision, Bioeconomy Africa (BEA), has now taken this approach further. Its model biofarm promotes the concept of holistic agriculture in the region, which means taking the most sustainable approach possible in utilizing the natural resources. For example, they regularly make use of nutrients from plant residues and animal
manure. At the biofarm in Assosa – a hands-on teaching and training centre – the model farmers learn how they can successfully combine animal husbandry and crop cultivation on their farms, without overburdening the natural resources. One goal is to improve food security by ensuring that the income of farming families is based on several alternative activities. In addition, the people are given support to help them use the tsetse fly traps in the most effective way. Particularly critical areas in the lowlands near water with a high concentration of insects are jointly identified and regularly monitored. After training, the students pass on what they have learned to the surrounding families through their own model farms, and thus the information is widely disseminated. Now BEA and other training centres, in close cooperation with the local people, are trying improve acceptance of the combined approach to biological agriculture and environmentally friendly tsetse fly control, and to disseminate it to neighbouring regions.
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Project number: BV AH-04 Project start: 2009
Tsetse control Assosa
“I used to have some oxen, but I sold them because I was scared of the disease Trypanosomiasis. I used to plough the field all by myself, but now I am too tired to do it and I have to employ workers, but then I also have to pay their wages.” Dawa Ahmed Mother and farmer in Assosa, Ethiopia
“I am responsible for maintaining two tsetse-fly traps. To solve the problem of sleeping sickness, we have to take responsibility ourselves.” Ayoub Alsherif Small-scale farmer and tsetse-scout in Assosa, Ethiopia
Benificiaries: Approximately 7600 small farmers, as well as agricultural advisory teams, benefit from the training and are given support in improving their system of cultivation and in tackling the tsetse fly problem jointly at the village level. Development Goal: To boost poverty reduction and sustainable agricultural development in Ethiopia by means of effective environmentally friendly measures. Results: Together with the local people, 203 new tsetse traps have been installed and “hotspots” identified, for the most effective possible control of tsetse flies. An additional 1450 farmers have been trained by the model farmers in tsetse fly control and organic farming methods. Partnerships have been built up and strengthened with organisations and communities in the region sharing similar aims in order to ensure the long-term dissemination of information. Implementing Partner Organisation: BioEconomy Africa (BEA), Ethiopia
Despite performing heavy physical labour in agriculture, women in the Kayunga district of Uganda often live on the brink of poverty. The Biovision-supported project informs them not only about organic farming methods, but also about their rights.
PLANT HEALTH | 11
Promoting environmentally sound and socially equitable agriculture in Uganda
Women’s solidarity in practise on the land In the rural Kayunga district of Uganda many farming families have abandoned their fields because of poor harvests. Today they gain some of their income from the sale of firewood and charcoal gathered from the surrounding forests. Because of their concern over the increasing strain on their environment, the loss of soil fertility and the poisoning of their farm animals by agrochemicals, women farmers turned to the local women’s self-help organisation Rural Women Development Association (RWDA). Its members campaign without pay and with enormous commitment for the rights of women and girls. In attempting to improve their often difficult circumstances, they use agricultural advice as a door-opener. Despite that the burden of work in the fields falls almost exclusively on the shoulders of women farmers, traditionally they have no right to a voice in discussions on matters concerning social or economic affairs. Given this situation, the RWDA, a partner organisation supported by Biovision, tries to strengthen the self-confidence and the position of the women through facilitating additional sources of income. For example, in training courses and advice sessions on environmentally sound and socially equitable ag-
riculture about 600 farmers, both men and women, are being taught how to regenerate depleted soils by producing compost and how to protect their crop plants from diseases and pests using biological means, such as extracts obtained from the neem tree. There is also keen interest in how to produce biogas for cooking, since the shortage of firewood is a constant problem, and women have to devote more and more of their time to energy procurement. By not using artificial fertilisers and chemical pesticides the households save money. In addition, better harvests ensure greater food security. By selling surplus products the women farmers even earn extra income, which enables them to pay school fees thereby giving their children an education. The Biovision-supported project thus contributes to poverty reduction and to improved lives for the rural population.
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Project number: BV PH-06 Project start: 12/2010
Women for organic agriculture “We have to train women their rights because they work so much, they do so much for their families and yet they are treated very badly and even beaten up by their husbands. But teaching women’s rights is difficult, we have to be very wise about it because if a husband learns about it he will not allow his wife to attend training anymore.” Anet Namukasa RWDA project coordinator in Kayunga, Uganda
Beneficiaries: At least 600 small-scale farmers and their families have benefited from training in ecological methods of agriculture. Development Goal: Poverty reduction and improved conditions for the rural population of Kayunga district in Uganda through training and courses in ecological methods of agriculture such as compost and the use of organic pesticides.
“We learned that the soil has life and we see that there are some things that have been destroying our soils such as chemicals and fertilisers. We have come to realize that soil erosion is taking all our nutrients and is destroying our soils. We have learned that organic farming is the type of farming where you use natural methods such as manure.“
Results: At least 600 farmers have been given practical training in the use of organic farming methods, backed up by the establishment of local facilities that provide information and the chance to exchange experiences. The method of organic agriculture was enthusiastically received by the farmers; higher yields were evident in their gardens and the health of their animals improved. Savings realized by not buying fertilisers and chemical pesticides led to the establishment of savings groups that make investments in items such as seeds.
Josephine Neumbe Widow and mother of 4 children in Kayunga, Uganda
Implementing Partner Organisation: Rural Women Development Association (RWDA) Uganda
On the basis of their inspection of insect larvae in water samples, the specially trained members of KEEP, a local group for the protection of the environment and nature in the Kenyan uplands of the Kakamega rainforest, can determine the water quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH | 13
Monitoring environmental health in Kenya
Active responsibility for the local environment Using the simplest tools, such as a tea strainer and baking tray, people in the Kenyan highlands of the Kakamega rain forest have recently begun monitoring the quality of their local water. Insects with different requirements living in the water serve them as natural indicators. For example, where there are larvae of caddis flies and mayflies, the water is usually very clean. But water beetles, on the other hand, indicate that the water is probably nutrient-rich and polluted. The fieldwork experience of the international insect research institute icipe has shown that diligent laypersons are able to learn fairly quickly to distinguish between selected groups of insects and to reach conclusions about the quality of the water in a particular location on the basis of which insects they find there. This knowledge helps village communities to better protect their drinking water, by keeping possible impurities and microbes – for example from animal droppings – away from water sources. Biovision supports the appropriate training of approximately 100 members of the local environment and nature protection group, who pass on their practical knowledge to schoolchildren from the region. One goal is to boost the understanding of nature among the rural population, to strengthen their environmental awareness and to raise their awareness of the need to take a sustainable approach to the natural resources on
which their well-being depends. The particular aim is also to gather measurable data that can give insight into the extent of the impact which income promotion linked to environmental protection can have on biodiversity. Intact forests not only ensure clean drinking water, but also perform other vitally important ecosystem services, from which humans derive direct benefit. For example, some 250 species of honey bees and wild bees live in the Kakamega forest, and pollinate the food plants in the surrounding fields as well. But their numbers are endangered by a range of factors, including pressure on the forests, soil erosion and agrochemicals. So as part of the project financed by Biovision various bee species are investigated as important indicators of habitat quality and the biodiversity which depends directly on it.
“Together with experts from icipe I learned how to identify insects to figure out the water quality. For example, small red worms indicate that the water is not good for drinking.” Linet Kitambe Field assistant in Kakamega, Kenya
”Specific insects can be good indicators of environment quality particularly clean water and pollination services. Thanks to the project for enabling us to train the local communities to recognize their importance and actively getting involved in monitoring these ecosystem services.” Dr. Mary Gikungu Centre for Bee Biology and Pollination Ecology, National Museums of Kenya
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Project number: BV EH-08 Project start: 2011
Ecosystem Monitoring Kakamega Beneficiaries: 100 people and members of the youth group for environmental protection (KEEP), of the Muliru Farmer Group and the Forestry Department are being trained. For their part the KEEP members are raising awareness among some 10,000 schoolchildren in the region of the need for environmental and nature protection. Development Goal: To develop a monitoring system to measure the quality of the environment. People are taught about the vitally important services performed by ecosystems like forests, making them more aware of the need to protect the environment. Results: 12 master trainers as well as the Kakamega foresters are passing on their knowledge about insects as indicators. Data collection on the variety of honey bees and wild bees in several locations. Establishment of a long-term, locally managed monitoring system to check the quality of the environment. Implementing Partner Organisation: icipe – African Insect Science for Food and Health in conjunction with the National Museums of Kenya.
“Mkulima Mbunifu�, the first farmers’ magazine in the national language, Kiswahili, attracts huge interest among smallholders in Tanzania.
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION | 15
Launch of the Farmers’ magazine “Mkulima Mbunifu” in Tanzania
Good news for farming families in Kiswahili Since 2005 the “The Organic Farmer” (TOF) magazine launched by Biovision in Kenya has been giving smallholders practical tips to enable them to increase production of plant and animal-based foodstuffs using environmentally-friendly methods and without expensive additives. Over this period the TOF editorial team in Nairobi has produced nearly 700 pages of specific guidance on and clear illustrations of sustainable yield techniques from ecological agriculture. In future farming families in Kenya’s southern neighbour, Tanzania, will also be able to benefit from this huge source of know-how. Because most people here do not speak English, but only the national language Kiswahili, they could not read of TOF. With the new farmers’ magazine “Mkulima Mbunifu” – loosely translated meaning “Clever Farmer” – families with no knowledge of foreign languages can now obtain information and guidance on methods of sustainable agriculture adapted to local conditions. Among the main beneficiaries are women smallholders, who often have had little education. The reports and articles relevant to their everyday experience are written by a local editorial team, which also adapts articles from Kenya to suit conditions in Tanzania. The first issues dealt with popular topics such as methods to control diseases
of chickens, beekeeping, intercropping of cabbage and onions, ways to improve soil fertility, the correct way to produce compost and liquid fertiliser and the prevention of plant diseases in fruit trees. Suggestions for such topics often come from those directly affected, who send their questions to the editors in letters and text messages. The magazine, which currently has a print run of 8,000, already reaches up to 80,000 readers via the agricultural organisations, training centres and schools, which distribute “Mkulima Mbunifu”. It is eagerly read not only in Tanzania, but also in Rwanda and Burundi as well as in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Project number: BV IS-02.D Project start: 2011
Farmers’ magazine “Mkulima Mbunifu” Beneficiaries: With a print run of 8,000, the Biovision bimonthly farmers’ publication in Kiswahili reaches about 80,000 readers.
“I am thrilled that ‘Mkulima Mbunifu’ magazine has become such a sought-after source of information by farmers. Though the magazine is new, we have had good feedback from farmers who receive our magazine. The most liked topics have been chicken, pigs and bee keeping.” Ayubu Nnko Editor of “Mkulima Mbunifu” in Arusha, Tanzania
“With the shortage of agriculture extension officers in the country, the magazine has come at the right time and it will act as a major tool to inform and educate farmers.” Isdory Shirima Regional Commissioner in Arusha, Tanzania
Development goal: The sustainable improvement of food security and livelihood of small-scale farmers in East Africa. The communication of hands-on knowledge about ecological agricultural methods, disease prevention, environmental protection and income generation. Results: Given the great demand, the print run of this avidly read magazine was increased by 60 per cent after six months. As the strong positive response shows, the magazine is well received, tackles the important issues and strengthens the self-esteem of small-scale farmers. Women in particular, who often have very little knowledge of foreign languages, are eager to have access to information in their mother tongue, Kiswahili. Partner organisations: Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT), Tanzania Agriculture Productivity Program (FINTRAC/TAPP), DEZA – Swiss Cooperation Office Tanzania.
CLEVER, the sustainable supermarket, has about 100 products to choose from. The receipt is handed out at the till. But it does not show what the item costs, but who pays the true price for it – for example, women producers in developing countries, farm animals or the rain forest.
ADVOCACY | 17
CLEVER – an exhibition for socially and ecologically aware shopping
The vision of a sustainable supermarket If you are standing with your shopping basket at the till of the CLEVER sustainable supermarket, you don’t need to get out your purse: instead you will be presented with a receipt. Among other things it will show how much strain your chosen products put on the world’s climate; how they affect species diversity; how much they contribute to polluting the air, water and soil; and their impact on the lives of the people in the countries the items come from. Seventy per cent of the young people who participated in the informative shopping game at the first stop of the touring exhibition in the Zurich Zoo said that when they went shopping in future, they would take social and ecological sustainability considerations into account. That means that the Biovisionsupported project has achieved one of its main aims: a handson way to get younger people in particular to think about such issues as their responsibility towards nature and the environment and also about fair trade. CLEVER makes shoppers aware of the fact that there are goods on the shelves every day from developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Depending on the product that customers decide to buy, they may put at risk the livelihoods of
the local population in the exporting states and support – usually unknowingly – exploitative labour conditions, or alternatively, their purchasing choices can help boost environmentally and socially beneficial development. In each case the customer can choose between two and four different articles of food and other products. A person who decides on an organic food product rather than the usually cheaper items produced industrially, learns that this choice conserves soils, groundwater and energy resources. This is an effective illustration of the specific added value of sustainably produced goods. After the successful premiere in Zurich the CLEVER supermarket will be making stopovers at other well-frequented locations in German-speaking Switzerland in 2012: first in the Arth-Goldau Animal Park and later in Winterthur and Basel as well.
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Project number: BV IS-10.A Project start: 2011
“CLEVER” – The Sustainable Supermarket “Many people would like to behave in an environmentally friendly and fair way when they do their shopping. But in view of the vast range of criteria – from the production to the disposal of the products – this is often difficult. Our exhibition puts across in a fun way some simple rules for making sustainable shopping decisions. It uses specific everyday examples and treats both social and ecological selection criteria.” Livia Haag Biologist and co-project leader of the exhibition CLEVER – The sustainable supermarket
“I found the exhibition great and definitely learned something: to choose genuinely good products and behave sustainably, I must read the small print, look at the labels, and buy far fewer animal products like meat.” Jacqueline Kobel CLEVER visitor of Langnau
Beneficiaries: The main beneficiaries of the touring exhibition are young people and children, since experience has shown that many school classes and families visit CLEVER. Given the limited capacity of 50 participants a day, over the six summer months the project should help raise the awareness of about 8,000 people. Development Goal: The aim of CLEVER is to demonstrate the cost to humans and the environment of our consumer behaviour, to increase people’s awareness of their own responsibility in this area, and thus to encourage socially and environmentally more sustainable shopping habits. Results: From the end of August CLEVER was open for a total of 360 hours in the space of 60 days at its first location at Zurich Zoo. About 3,000 people visited the exhibition, and 900 of them ordered the newsletter. A large number of media reported on the exhibition. Initial experiences indicate that people appreciated above all the competent and extensive back-up provided by the staff. Partner Organisations: Verein Natur liegt nahe, Zurich; Büro für Naturschutz, Zurich
Where the forest dies, poverty spreads. Even fertile regions like central Kenya are being increasingly affected. Forest loss and climate change is making rainfall less and less predictable.
BIOVISION Portrait | 19
Biovision
Ecological development secures a future for all Infectious diseases, epidemics amongst farm animals, crop pests and the over-exploitation of natural resources cripple development in Africa. Biovision tackles these problems using sustainable methods and works closely with local partners and the people of the area. Biovision has been improving the conditions of the local people of East Africa with its grass-roots projects since 1998. The Swiss foundation pursues a holistic approach to tackle the problems of poverty at the root. Following the credo of its founder and president, Hans Rudolf Herren, who himself spent decades working on insect research in Africa, Biovision works with nature, not against it. Most people in Africa are small-scale farmers whose livelihoods depend directly on the quality of their natural environment. That is why intact ecosystems, fertile soils, good harvests and healthy livestock are the foundation on which their wellbeing depends. The sustainable methods of agriculture promoted by Biovision foster environmentally fair and socially compatible development, in that they offer many rural people the ability to feed themselves and earn an income, and empower them to keep their natural resources healthy. The health of the ecosystem as the foundation For Biovision the health of human beings, farm animals, crops and ecosystems therefore lies at the heart of development work. Working in close cooperation with local partner organisations, the foundation passes on the necessary knowledge and practical skills to rural populations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The aim of these training projects is to strengthen small-scale farmers. The knowledge they acquire should enable them to use the in-house and local resources with optimal efficiency, and to make better use of the natural self-regulation of soils, plants and animals.
Sustainable approaches adapted to local conditions The malaria projects implemented in Kenya and Ethiopia, for example, show local people how they can protect themselves effectively from the feared tropical fever by using simple methods that avoid the use of toxic chemicals. Plant diseases and crop pests, which reduce the maize yield, can be successfully held in check by scientifically tested methods of sustainable agriculture. Tsetse flies, which transmit sleeping sickness to cattle, can also be controlled in an environmentally friendly way. If livestock remain able to work, they provide farming families with important support in cultivating their fields and thus ensuring a sufficient food supply. Empowerment and respect Biovision’s initiatives give hundreds of thousands of smallscale farmers in East Africa the opportunity to improve their lives through application of ecological methods, and at the same time to preserve their environment. Core principles of the initiatives are always that those directly affected should participate and voice their opinions, that gender equality be respected and that income generation be promoted. Information is a key to poverty reduction For rural populations in Africa the dissemination of knowledge and access to information are often decisive factors in overcoming their poverty. That is why Biovision combines the varied activities in its grass-roots projects with extensive information dissemination, and also lobbies international bodies on behalf of development. This commitment arises from the conviction that in the long term, further development in the project areas can only be successful if any progress made is not immediately undermined by unfavourable external conditions. For this reason, Biovision also has advocacy projects in the North to campaign for ecological development in solidarity with the people of the South.
20 | OPERATIONAL COSTS in CHF
INCOME Donations Project related donations Membership dues Bequests Other income Total Income Difference from previous year
2011 2 141 937 1 767 293 623 153 13 000 16 547
2010 2 263 619 2 146 110 562 739 0 0
4 561 930 -8%
4 972 468 3%
EXPENSES Project Expenses Information Dissemination / Advocacy -2 466 363 Human Health -389 615 Animal Health -108 703 Plant Health -293 136 Environmental Health -288 008 Additional project expenses -16 680 Total Project Expenses -3 562 505 Difference from previous year 10% Fundraising and Communication -570 758 General Administration Personnel -216 917 Other administrative expenses -340 929 Total General Administration -557 846 Total Expenses
-2 062 877 -441 876 -107 424 -293 833 -274 017 -47 443 -3 227 470 3% -422 693
-97 518 -230 734 -328 252
-4 691 109
-3 978 415
-129 179
994 053
2 355 -33 467 1 728 114 -1 767 293 -70 291
4 538 -46 312 1 745 307 -2 146 110 -442 577
OPERATING RESULT -199 470 After financial income, extraordinary items, exchange differences, funds and capital adjustments
551 476
OPERATING RESULT Before financial income, extraordinary items, exchange differences, funds and capital adjustments Financial income Exchange differences Withdrawal from funds Allocation to funds Total Changes
| 21
Income: After several years of strong income growth, current receipts declined slightly in 2011. The main reason for this was that the donations earmarked for specific purposes depend heavily on individual major sponsors, making a certain amount of fluctuation inevitable. But Biovision managed to absorb a decrease here thanks to its adequate reserves and the fact that it has a diversified fundraising base. For its “Changing Course in Agriculture” project it has been able to enlist the SDC as an institutional partner for the next several years. Project expenditure: The considerable fluctuations in the exchange rate of the US dollar against the Swiss franc again made budgeting difficult in 2011. Although Biovision implemented more projects and budgeted for higher expenditure, project costs in Africa did not increase considerably because of the appreciation of the franc. In addition, the fact that expenditure on certain projects is not posted in the annual accounts until the following year skews the ratio of project costs to total costs. Therefore the total project expenditure did only increase by 10%. Fundraising expenditure: Public sector funding accounts for 21%, 79 per cent are generated through information and communication campaigns and other fundraising activities. In order to have sufficient income to ensure that project expenditure can continue to grow in the future too, Biovision also increased its investment in fundraising and communication. General administration: The general administration department ensures that Biovision functions professionally. The continuing growth of the organisation meant that this department too had to be expanded in order to ensure that appropriate structures are in place to enable it to work effectively in all areas in the future. Result: The prudent accumulation of undesignated reserves in previous years meant that it was possible to completely offset the operating loss with the capital surplus that had been built up. Our broad donor base and the long-term partnerships we have established create a solid foundation for the coming years.
Five-year average of application and source of funds
9%
14%
12%
50% 25%
79%
APPLICATION OF FUNDS 2007–2011 (in CHF) Projects Fundraising and Communication General Administration
11%
SOURCE OF FUNDS 2007–2011 (in CHF) Individual Donors Membership Dues Foundations and Companies Government Agencies
22 | FINANCIAL STATEMENT IN CHF
ASSETS Current Assets Liquid assets Securities (Raiffeisen Futura – Swiss Franc Bond) Accounts receivable of goods and services Project accounts with partner organisations Project account with Biovision Africa Trust Stock Accounts paid in advance Outstanding donations Total Current Assets Noncurrent Assets Facilities Investment Biovision Africa Trust Total Noncurrent Assets Total Assets
2011
2010
2 938 420 302 876 42 764 249 621 33 828 68 836 83 605 50 000 3 769 950
3 263 825 296 940 27 452 0 0 27 497 6 093 261 587 3 883 394
16 404 1 417 17 821
5 853 1 417 7 270
3 787 771
3 890 664
LIABILITIES Current Liabilities Debts from goods and services 237 893 Project accounts with partner organisations 6 101 Accounts received in advance 91 988 Total Current Liabilities 335 982
96 218 104 564 77 802 278 584
Earmarked Funds Information Dissemination / Advocacy Human Health Animal Health Plant Health Environmental Health Total Earmarked Funds Organisation Capital Foundation capital Accrued earmarked capital Accrued free capital Total Organisation Capital
481 230 125 785 37 070 71 527 79 803 795 415
223 736 341 487 79 850 66 391 44 772 756 236
50 000 920 000 1 686 374 2 656 374
50 000 920 000 1 885 844 2 855 844
Total Liabilities
3 787 771
3 890 664
“Biovision again grew in 2011. Thanks to reserves from previous years and a favourable exchange rate, it was possible to increase both the number of projects and project expenditure by 10 per cent over 2010.” Pascal Schällibaum Head of Finance and Administration
Project Expenses in CHF | 23
Biovision has invested in six priority programmes: Information Dissemination, Human, Animal, Plant and Environmental Health and Advocacy. Expenditure on projects in each area is reported separately below.
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION / ADVOCACY 2011 BV IS-01 Infopool 998 746 BV IS-02 TOF Farmer Magazine 162 826 BV IS-02.A TOF Radio 54 908 BV IS-02.B iTOF Farmer Information Centres 33 641 BV IS-02.D Farmer Magazine “Mkulima Mbunifu” 8 135 BV IS-03/04 Infonet-Biovision 335 385 BV IS-05 Stop DDT 204 378 BV IS-07 Bustani ya Tushikamane – Garden of Solidarity 20 821 BV IS-08 Farmer Communication Programme 193 553 BV IS-09 Biofarm Newsletter 4 116 BV IS-10 Changing Course in Agriculture 311 945 BV IS-10.A Clever – The Sustainable Supermarket 99 178 BV IS-11 Sensitisation for Biodiversity via Social Media 0 BV TS-01 Farmers Academy Ethiopia 30 857 BV TS-02 International Training Course in Organic 7 874 Agriculture, Uganda Total Information Dissemination / Advocacy 2 466 363
2010 897 431 185 219 79 167 42 448 0 419 604 146 522 19 717 72 121 3 273 90 950 0 88 224 9 142 9 059 2 062 877
HUMAN HEALTH BV HH-01 BV HH-02 BV HH-03 BV HH-04 BV HH-05 Total Human Health
Stop Malaria – Nyabondo Stop Malaria – Malindi Stop Malaria – Tolay IVM Malaria Model for T21 Stop Malaria – Outreach Programme
69 869 128 025 98 777 50 876 42 068 389 615
79 961 161 871 93 421 71 828 34 795 441 876
ANIMAL HEALTH BV AH-04 BV AH-05 Total Animal Health
Tsetse Control Assosa Camel Programme for Climate Adaptation
50 303 58 400 108 703
72 367 35 057 107 424
PLANT HEALTH BV PH-01 PushPull, Lake Victoria 106 831 BV PH-03 Long-Term System Comparison 67 208 BV PH-04 Sebeta Biofarm 27 172 BV PH-05 PushPull, Central Kenya 57 294 BV PH-06 Women for Organic Agriculture 6 093 BV PH-07 Fruit Fly Control 28 538 Total Plant Health 293 136 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BV EH-02 Cabesi 132 317 BV EH-03/05 Income Generation through Medicinal Plants 73 803 BV EH-07 Sustainable Honey Production, Tolay 41 860 BV EH-08 Ecosystem Monitoring Kakamega 33 846 BV EH-09 Community Mapping in Tharaka 6 182 Total Environmental Health 288 008 The complete, audited financial report is available from our Head Office upon request (in German only) and can also be downloaded on www.biovision.ch.
132 861 66 328 49 579 45 065 0 0 293 833
180 143 93 874 0 0 0 274 017
24 | EFFICIENCY REPORT
Objectives of the Foundation
Organisation
Biovision – Foundation for ecological development is a nonprofit, non-denominational and politically independent Swiss foundation based in Zurich. It supports projects in selected developing regions in Africa, and in Switzerland. Its goal is the long-term alleviation of hunger and poverty. Biovision promotes the socially responsible and sustainable use of resources, as well as the conservation of plant and animal diversity. The foundation provides support for self-help and promotes ecological thinking and action. Biovision is subject to Federal control and is recorded in the Commercial Registry. Biovision is ZEWO certified. Biovision has obtained a legal opinion that it is equivalent to a Section 501(c)(3) public charity in the US. The Bye-Laws can be found on the website www.biovision.ch or can be procured from the Head Office.
Foundation Board Biovision’s highest authority is the Foundation Board. This has a minimum of five and a maximum of seven members, who provide their services on an honorary basis. As the founder, Hans Rudolf Herren has a place on the Foundation Board for life. All other members are elected for a three-year term of office, after which they may be re-elected. The Foundation Board bears overall responsibility for Biovision’s operations. It is responsible for the strategic direction as well as for the selection of the management body and supervision of the Head Office. The Foundation Board approves the annual financial statement, the annual planning and the annual budget, and also decides on applications for projects and funding. In the reporting year its members were: Dr. Hans Rudolf Herren, Dr. Barbara Frei Haller, Paula Daeppen-Dion, Mathis Zimmermann and Dr. Ruedi Baumgartner. Auditors ARGO Consilium AG of Zurich is responsible for the yearly audit.
Dr. Hans Rudolf Herren Founding member, President of the Foundation
Dr. Barbara Frei Haller Pharmacist and Ethnobotanist, Member of the Board
Paula Däppen-Dion Member of the Board
Dr. Ruedi Baumgartner Prof. em. NADEL ETH Zurich, Member of the Board
Mathis Zimmermann Attorney, Founding member, Member of the Board
Business and divisional management Operations management of the Biovision Foundation is the responsibility of CEO Andreas Schriber. Heads of division in the year 2011 are: Verena Albertin – Programme Coordination for Development Projects; Peter Lüthi – Communication and Campaigns; Pascal Schällibaum – Finance and Administration; Reto Urech – Marketing and Fundraising. Operations management of the affiliate organisation in Kenya, “Biovision Africa Trust”, is the responsibility of Dr. David Amudavi. He reports directly to the CEO of Biovision, who also is the Chair of Trustees for the Africa Trust. Staff Biovision employs 18 people in Switzerland, most of whom work on a part-time basis. The professional team of qualified internal and external collaborators ensures a high level of dedication and extensive expertise in all areas. Biovision is a certified establishment for Swiss civilian service. In the 2011 business year 7 people worked in the Head Office in lieu of military service for a total of 622 days. As a contribution to training in development work, the foundation also regularly provides intern positions to enable future professionals to gain their first work experience in the areas of project work, communication, ecology and advocacy. In 2011 Biovision hosted two trainees.
| 25
Voluntary Work The five members of the Board offer their services on a pro bono basis and in the reporting year contributed more than 650 hours without remuneration or compensation. Their work with other committees and representing the foundation at internal and external events was also carried out on a pro bono basis. Despite limited financial and personnel resources, Biovision provides a comprehensive programme at home and abroad. This is only possible thanks to the exceptional commitment of many volunteers at all levels. A total of about 850 hours were worked without payment for Biovision in the reporting year. Lean organisational structure Biovision attaches great importance to the efficient use of its resources, and can count on much goodwill and support from business partners, organisations pursuing similar goals and private individuals. Decisions can be taken promptly by project leaders on site and long-term, well-established project partners, making a lean administration in the Head Office possible. Project management is carried out mainly by the project leaders on site. Responsibility for implementing the activities that have received financing lies with the local experts and beneficiaries in the project areas. Local participation often includes training, one aim of which is to ensure that the results of the project are firmly incorporated into long-term local practice. Biovision Foundation fulfils the ZEWO standards for non-profit organisations in Switzerland. In its project management and monitoring, Biovision adheres to internationally accepted standards. Current information on individual projects can be found on pages 6 to 17 and also on our website. Our financial accounting adheres to the GAAP FER 21 principles for Nonprofit Organisations (NPO). In its fundraising, Biovision is committed to the ethical guidelines of “Swissfundraising”.
Project management in Africa – programme coordination in Switzerland In 2011 Biovision supported 32 projects at home and abroad. Projects in Africa are drawn up in partnership with local experts. Responsibility for implementation and leadership lies with established partner organisations and their staff. Project leaders remain in close contact with programme coordinators in Biovision’s Head Office, which ensures professional support and supervision. Coordination of the “Biovision Farmer Communication Programme” for East Africa takes place in Nairobi, where the establishment of a regional affiliate foundation (Biovision Africa Trust) has made it possible to manage the information projects on site. Cooperation according to need A prerequisite for development cooperation is partnerships with well-established local organisations and institutions. This is the basis for the efficient planning and execution of projects. They are drawn up locally and submitted, on invitation, to Biovision’s Head Office in Zurich. The project committee – made up of one member of the Foundation Board, and representatives of programme coordination and Biovision management – examines the proposals and makes a pre-selection on the basis of clearly defined criteria. The Biovision Foundation Board takes the final decision on any applications for support. Making an impact through partnerships Development projects with a long-term focus are based on the commitment of local players and are intended eventually to be self-financing. In Africa and Switzerland – and increasingly in other countries too – there are well known and committed institutions which share our vision of a healthy world where people live in solidarity with each other. Our partners can draw on their social networks and their competent and reliable representatives, and also have access to local people and experience in working with them. In order to ensure that its projects are sustainable, Biovision sets great store by its networks of reliable long-term partners at home and abroad.
The Biovision Foundation builds on strong project partnerships with locally based organisations like the Rural Women Development Association in Uganda as well as on the involvement of the people affected. In Kenya, agricultural advisers Victoria Mutinda and Peter Baumgartner – editor of the farmers’s magazine TOF – tell the farmers in a local women’s group about the basics of ecological agriculture.
Partnerships | 27
Partnerships Biovision partnerships for ecological development Avallain – Organisation for innovative e-learning and improved access to education BEA – BioEconomy Africa, Ethiopia CDR/BOKU – Centre for Development Research / University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna FiBL – Research Institute for Organic Agriculture, Switzerland icipe – African Insect Science for Food and Health ICE – Institute for Culture and Ecology, Kenya KARI – Kenya Agricultural Research Institute KEFRI – The Kenya Forestry Research Institute MI – Millennium Institute, USA Pesticide Action Network Plantahof – Agricultural Training and Advice Centre, Landquart/Graubünden Rural Women Development Association, Uganda VSF – Vétérinaires sans Frontières Suisse (Vets Without Borders) Partner organisations listed have agreed a framework contract with Biovision.
Organisations collaborating with Biovision in projects and networks ACT – African Conservation Tillage Network AIC – Agriculture Information Centre (part of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kenya) Avalon Biovision Africa Trust Büro für Naturschutz, Zurich Cabesi Self-Help Group CDE – Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern CodeSustainable Coop – Coop Sustainability Fund Eawag – Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries ESPA – Environmental Sciences and Policy Assessment Federation of German Scientists (FGS) iCow Infosud – Press agency for international cooperation and development policy KCA – Kenya Camel Association KEMRI – Kenya Medical Research Institute KENFAP – Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers KIOF – Kenya Institute for Organic Farming KU – Kenyatta University KWS – Kenya Wildlife Service Makerere University, Uganda Media 21 – Global Journalism Network Geneva More and Better Network National Museum(s) of Kenya Praxis Ethiopia – Interest Group of International Researchers for Sustainable Development in Ethiopia Prometra Uganda
Janet Maro Agronomist and Director of Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT), Morogoro “Organic agriculture provides small-scale farming households with good harvests and sustainable methods for using their natural resources, while allowing them to keep their independence. SAT has the explicit goal to research, diffuse and apply new knowledge in this area. To reach this goal, we can count on our strong partnership with Biovision Foundation.”
PUMMA – Mosquito Control Association Malindi SAT – Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania SDC – Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SHL – Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural Science Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania STI – Swiss Tropical Institute TFCG – Tanzania Forest Conservation Group The Development Fund, Norway TSBF – Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute UNETMAC – Uganda Network for Toxic Free Malaria Control Verein Natur liegt nahe, Zurich WO CAT – World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) W-3-W Tanzania – Water for the Third World Tanzania Zurich Zoo Various relevant local ministries in focus countries Memberships and alliances IFOAM – International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements ECOSOC – UN Economic and Social Council (General Consultative Status) UNDPI Associate Global Alliance for Alternatives to DDT Alliance Against Hunger (Switzerland) Swiss Ethiopian Alliance
Prof. Christian Borgemeister Director General of icipe in Nairobi, Kenya “As a long-term partner, Biovision has made essential contributions to the utilization and dissemination of icipe research on biological pest control, use of beneficial insects like honey bees in Africa and the development of regionally adapted integrated malaria control programs.”
Face-to-face meetings with the people behind Biovision: with the author Herbert Cerutti on the launch of the biography of Hans R. Herren and with television presenter Monika Sch채rer and chef Marco Zeller (from Hiltl) at a cooking event focusing on cassava.
Thank you | 29
Thank you We thank all of our donors for their generous support of our project work in this past year. Your dedication makes Biovision’s work for the sustainable improvement of livelihoods and environmental protection in East Africa possible. Our thanks also go to the following organisations that have supported our pro jects with generous contributions:
“For us development cooperation also means promoting innovation. Agriculture is one of the areas which needs new solutions today, to give more people sufficient food on a sustainable basis in the future. With their holistic and innovative approaches, Biovision’s projects are making an important contribution to this endeavour.” Ute Mayer Programme Coordinator for Africa, Liechtenstein Development Service
“In my job I am involved in the development of electronic control systems, preferably in projects where my work can help to preserve natural resources. From time to time I swap my office chair for the driving seat of a lorry to take aid items to Eastern Europe. I am glad that with Biovision I can take God’s blessings, which I receive in my business, as far as Africa. I am happy to support this valuable service.” Peter Fischbacher CEO, Sotronik GmbH, Winterthur
Public authorities, cantons, cities and municipalities Binningen Council City and Canton of Geneva City of Schaffhausen City of Solothurn City of St. Gallen City of Winterthur Liechtenstein Development Service Riehen Council Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC Foundations Barbara Christiane Koch Foundation CHARISMA Foundation for Sustainable Development Dorave Foundation Dreiklang Foundation Eduard Geilinger Foundation Ernst Göhner Foundation Fondation Assistence Fons Margarita Foundation Georg & Emily von Opel Foundation Hippocrate Foundation Hurst Foundation Jubilaeumsstiftung Jutzeler Medicor Foundation Mercator Foundation Switzerland North-South Foundation Parrotia Foundation Paul Schiller Foundation Promotor Foundation Rosmarie und Armin Däster-Schild Foundation Salvia Foundation Symphasis Foundation Temperatio Foundation Third Millennium Foundation Vontobel Family Foundation
Businesses Binkert Partner AG BCM-Care AG BIONAT GMBH deepscreen GmbH Der Bioladen, Zurich-Altstetten Dr. Guido Fischer & Partner GmbH Fredy’s AG Hiltl Kochatelier Schenker-Winkler Holding AG Schiller AG SK Genossenschaft Sotronik GmbH Sulzer AG Swisslux AG Terra Verde Tibits AG VELOPLUS Victorinox AG Others American Women’s Club of Zurich Cuisine Sans Frontières Evangelical-reformed church Lucerne Glückskette Reformed Church Bülach Wallisellen Sursee Saus&Braus Swissnex Boston – Swiss Consulate The Usitawi Network Foundation Afro Pfingsten Festival, Winterthur
30 | Highlights
Selected Biovision Highlights 2011 In 2050 the Earth’s population is forecast to reach 9 billion – 2 billion more than today. A well-received expert symposium organised by Biovision at the NATURE Congress in Basel in February came to the unanimous conclusion that sufficient food can be grown to satisfy the increasing world population. As president of the Biovision Foundation, Hans Rudolf Herren called for the promotion of sustainable agriculture, which aims not for maximum yields, but for optimum ones, and which gets away from the current over-exploitation of natural resources.
Agricultural advisers from the Ethiopian organization BioEconomy Africa and farmers from model farms visited the Plantahof training centre in Landquart in canton Grisons in July. As part of a Biovision exchange project they learned methods and techniques of ecological mountain agriculture. At the end of the course, they even got the chance to work on a Swiss farm, in order to gain more practical experience of the acquired knowledge.
In April Biovision and its environmentally compatible malaria prevention projects were featured in such lead ing international newspapers as the New York Times, El Pais, Die Zeit and the NZZ. In the run-up to a UN conference on the banning of dangerous pesticides, the foundation organised a media trip to Uganda and Kenya. The trip demonstrated to participants how the use of the insecticide DDT to control malaria endangers organic agriculture and the existence of smallholdings, although tried-and-tested environmentally friendly alternatives have long been known.
The Biovision symposium on the subject of ‘Healthy Environment, Healthy Nature’ attracted an audience of about 600 to the Volkshaus in Zurich in November. In the presence of Pipaluk de Groot, the Inuit woman featured in the film, they watched the Swiss preview of the dramatic documentary “Silent Snow”. It shows how the pesticide DDT, which is still used to control malaria in developing countries, is carried by wind and ocean currents right up to the Arctic, where it poisons the food resources of the Inuit.
In May Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, delivered a speech to a conference in the US capital, Washington D.C. about the future of food production and its impact on natural resources. In it he explicitly praised the aims and recommendations of the World Agricultural Report and of Biovision founder Hans Rudolf Herren as responsible co-author of the IAASTD report. The report shows, among other things, that in developing countries smallholder families practising ecological agriculture are among the most productive farms.
The Pan African Mosquito Control Association PAMCA was founded in December with Biovision support. International networking and cooperation in the field of environmentally friendly malaria prevention is an important step towards getting greater political acceptance for the pilot projects promoted by Biovision in Kenya and Ethiopia and extending them further.
More highlights: www.biovision.ch/news
This annual report is available in English and German, and can be downloaded, along with further information about Biovision’s projects, at www.biovision.ch. Biovision is a non-profit organisation that carries the ZEWO seal of approval. Ethiopia
Biovision has obtained a legal opinion that it is equivalent to a Section 501(c)(3) public charity in the US. In Kenya, Biovision is represented by the Biovision Africa Trust and listed as a non- profit organisation.
Uganda
Tanzania
Kenya
Account for donations For donors in Switzerland PC-Konto 87-193093-4 For donors outside Switzerland SWISS POST PostFinance Nordring 8 3030 Bern / Switzerland Account Number 87-193093-4 Swiftcode: POFICHBEXXX IBAN CH 69 0900 0000 8719 3093 4 Donations to Biovision are tax-deductable in Switzerland, and maybe in other countries depending on tax laws. Biovision – Foundation for ecological development is a registered trademark.
Imprint © Biovision Foundation, Zurich Editing Reto Urech Concept and Text Beat Jordi, Flurina Wartmann, Verena Albertin, Stefanie Keller, Andreas Schriber, Peter Lüthi, Ania Biasio, Reto Urech Financial Report Pascal Schällibaum Translation Julia Slater, Karl Lane Pictures Flurina Wartmann, Peter Lüthi, Verena Albertin, Andreas Schriber, Fabienne Bühler Cover picture In Central Kenya the organic Push-Pull method promoted by Biovision has improved the availability of basic foodstuffs such as maize and dairy products for the local population. Design Binkert Partner, Zurich Print Ziegler Druck- und Verlags-AG, Winterthur Paper Cyclus Offset, 100 % Recycling
“I use my name to campaign for Biovision because I believe in the way they work through projects. People are trained in the field so that they can help themselves: this is the way to build a sustainable future.” Simone Niggli Biovision Ambassador, Biologist, 17-time Orienteering World Champion, 3-time Swiss Sportswoman of the Year.
You can help people in Africa! For over 10 years Biovision has been promoting the development, dissemination and application of ecologically-sound, environmentally friendly ways in which people in developing regions can use to help themselves. Biovision is a non-profit organisation recognised by ZEWO. Thank you for your donation! Donation account: PC 87-193093-4
Foundation for ecological development Fondation pour un développement écologique Stiftung für ökologische Entwicklung
Schaffhauserstrasse 18, 8006 Zurich/Switzerland, Tel. +41 44 341 97 18, Swiss post account 87-193093-4, www.biovision.ch