Biovision – Foundation for ecological development
Annual Report 2010
A future for all, naturally Un avenir pour tous, naturellement Eine Zukunft für alle, natürlich
Table of Contents President’s Foreword
3
Biovision Portrait
5
Management Report
6
Project Areas Human Health Animal Health Plant Health Environmental Health Knowledge Dissemination Advocacy
8 10 12 14 16 18
Financial Report Income Statement Operational Costs Project Expenditure
20 21 23
Efficiency Report Objectives of the Foundation Organisation
24 24
Partners
26
Thanks
29
Highlights 2010
30
Foreword | 3
Dr. Hans R. Herren World Food Prize laureate and President of Biovision
Dear Supporters, Our commitment to development cooperation sometimes requires patience and stamina. But in today’s world economy, which is increasingly geared to the short-term thinking of the quarterly report, there is less and less time to keep the important long-term goals of humanity in mind. This now also applies increasingly to agriculture as well. Rather than focussing on the ability of natural resources to renew themselves, the agricultural sector is making ever greater attempts to increase yields through a huge outlay of fossil fuels, artificial fertilisers and chemicals. The downside of industrialised food production includes leached soils, contaminated water, overexploitation of ground water and a dramatic reduction in biodiversity. Furthermore, conventional agriculture also bears its share of responsibility for worldwide environmental problems such as global warming, the extinction of species and desertification as well as increased levels of inequity both in rural and urban areas.. But it does not have to be like this. Through the projects it supports, Biovision pursues the goal of sustainable agriculture existing in harmony with the natural cycles, and making use of them. Agriculture and livestock husbandry do not have to be major causes of the global environmental crisis. Rather, they can be part of the solution, as long as they are practised according to ecological principles. To regenerate the soil biology of degraded fields it is not enough merely to dispense with artificial fertilizers and pesticides in future. Ecological solutions do not spring from nowhere: they require targeted research in the area of sustainability and an organic way of farming based on scientific findings and the latest techniques. The international Assessment on Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) report, of which I had the privilege to be the co-Chair, clearly shows that research on sustainable agriculture has been badly neglected up to now; for example, we need to learn much more about the life processes in the soil and its fertility. And given the more extreme weather conditions that climate change will bring
about, it is important to breed more robust crops and to have a greater diversity of species and varieties. We also require new models to achieve an optimal combination of animal husbandry and tillage farming, so that important nutrients like nitrogen and phosphate remain in the agricultural production cycle. Overall, research into sustainable farming and the production of healthy foodstuffs must be guided by system thinking about the natural cycles that leave behind no waste or toxic materials. The previously neglected dialogue between science and the rural population needs a new impetus. If the latest findings are to reach the fields, traditional knowledge must be incorporated and developed further. In East Africa we therefore advocate above all improved basic and advanced training for small-scale farmers, women as well as men. To ensure that such ideas have an impact beyond our own project areas, Biovision is dedicated to inspiring an urgent change of course in agriculture at international level. I am convinced that the production of healthy food for all can become the key building block for sustainable development. I would like to invite you to increase your support for environmentally responsible and socially fair products – on a political level as well as in your daily shopping. Biovision stands for the collective search for solutions and a commitment to a positive future that includes the whole of mankind. I am confident that in this work we shall be able to count on your help and your solidarity with the peoples of the South.
With sincere thanks,
Dr. Hans Rudolf Herren
Biovision helps people to improve their livelihoods without destroying natural resources. Adjacent to the valuable coastal forests of Tanzania for example, medicinal plants are cultivated and marketed to generate income (top). Organic cultivation enables larger harvests and the production of healthy food without using expensive artificial fertilisers and chemicals (bottom: Market in Assosa/Ethiopia).
Biovision Portrait | 5
Biovision
Ecological development secures a future for all Infectious diseases, animal epidemics, crop pests and over-exploited ecosystems cripple development in Africa. Biovision tackles these problems using sustainable methods and works closely with local partners and the people of the area. Since 1998, Biovision projects, have been improving living conditions for people in East Africa. The Swiss foundation for ecological development adopts a holistic approach in tackling the problems of poverty at the root. In accordance with the conviction of its founder and president Hans Rudolf Herren, who worked for decades as an entomologist in Africa, Biovision works with nature, not against it. Most people in Africa are small-scale farmers whose existence is directly dependent on the quality of their natural resources. For this reason an intact environment, fertile soil, good harvests and healthy livestock are the basis for their welfare and for the sustainable development of rural communities. For Biovision the health of human beings, farm animals, crop plants and of ecosystems are at the centre of development cooperation. In close collaboration with local partner organisa tions, the foundation communicates the necessary knowledge and practical skills to the rural populations of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The aim of these training projects is to empower small-scale farmers, both women and men. The knowledge they acquire should enable them to use the resources of their farms and of their local areas with maximum effi ciency, as well as to make better use of the natural self-regulation of the soil, plants and animals.
The malaria projects carried out in Kenya and Ethiopia show the local people how they can protect themselves effectively against this feared tropical fever using simple methods and avoiding chemical poisons. Plant diseases and crop pests that, for example, decimate the maize harvest, can be successfully held in check by scientifically tested methods of sustainable agriculture. The tsetse fly, which transmits sleeping sickness to cattle, can also be controlled in an environmentally-friendly way. If livestock remain healthy and able to work, they provide farming families with important support in tending their crops and thus ensuring a sufficient food supply. Thanks to Biovision’s initiatives, tens of thousands of smallscale farmers in East Africa now have a chance to improve their lives using ecological methods and at the same time to preserve their environment. The core principles here are that those directly affected should be involved and be given a say, and that gender equality and income generation should be promoted. For the rural population in Africa, knowledge transfer and access to information are often what tips the balance if they are to overcome poverty. For this reason, Biovision combines its diverse activities in grass-roots projects with providing information on a broader scale, and also campaigns on development issues in international bodies. This commitment is based on the conviction that groundwork in the project areas can only be successful in the long term if the progress achieved is not undone by unfavourable outside factors.
6 | Management Report
Activity report
Commitment to a change of course “Many small people in many small places doing many small things will change the face of this world.” Saying from Tanzania and southern Africa On 20 September 2010, James Ligare, a simple farmer from Kenya, stepped onto another continent for the first time in his life. He had been invited to the United Nations headquarters in New York to receive the Equator Prize. This award was for a Biovision-supported project to protect threatened tropical forests by generating alternative sources of income. Farmers like James Ligare in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, learn how to improve their lives by cultivating and marketing local medicinal plants, without having to clear more and more areas of forest to plant crops (page 15). The award not only pays tribute to the groups of farmers and the small project team at icipe, but is also an international acknowledgement of the efforts of our foundation to combine social and economic concerns with an ecological approach in development cooperation. Encouraging support Even though not all of the grass-roots projects supported by Biovision in East Africa received so much attention, 2010 was once again an encouraging and successful year for us. Thanks to the solidarity of our wide donor base, our foundation for ecological development was able to expand its projects in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Together with local partners, Biovision is able to do more than ever before to support the productivity of small-scale farming and the conservation of natural resources. The 26 projects we support received more than 3.2 million Swiss francs, an increase of 3% over the previous year. The fact that our income has been increasing for several years confirms that our strategy of small steps and transparent communication is working. Giving the people of the South a voice Since its establishment in 1998, Biovision has been committed to a “healthy world, united in solidarity, without hunger or poverty”. We are convinced that widespread awareness rais ing, knowledge transfer and access to information - both in the south and here in the industrialised nations - are essential if these goals are to be reached. Biovision strives to give the people in the project areas a voice, thereby promoting understanding of the broader interconnections in development cooperation. To overcome poverty, economic, social and political changes are needed, which we know from experience do not
arise without pressure from below. Our vision of a socially just and ecologically sustainable world order requires the commitment of informed consumers and aware citizens who show their solidarity not just as donors but also through their conscious choices when shopping and voting. Expansion of information activity We make use of a variety of information channels to disseminate specific information for awareness-raising. These include our own information events, various online media, our tri lingual website www.biovision.ch and the printed versions of our newsletter, which regularly reaches over 35 000 readers in German and French-speaking Switzerland. Furthermore, thanks to professional media support at our head office, the Biovision Foundation, its projects and concerns, have been mentioned in 110 media reports in the last financial year. In the future we hope to expand our extensive information activity even further, making more use of new media and direct contacts to improve our ability to reach young people. Biovision sees its contribution to shaping opinion as an essential part of its strategy to promote ecological ways of thinking and acting. Widespread impact in East Africa The experiences of the projects supported by Biovision have shown that access to knowledge and information is often the decisive factor that enables rural Africans to get out of poverty. In Morogoro in Tanzania, for example, when the new farmers’ information centre opened with its “Garden of Solidarity”, it was practically overrun by people eager to learn (page 17). In response to the great demand, Biovision’s comprehensive “Farmers Communication Programme” in East Africa is continually being expanded. While the monthly farmers’ magazine, TOF, reaches more and more people, a growing audience is making use of the information on offer via mobile phone and computer. The continually expanding information platform www.infonet-biovision.org is growing in importance as digital technology takes root in Africa. Infonet-Biovision includes information and tips on almost 700 plant pests and diseases as well as advice on preventing disease in farm animals.
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Involvement at all levels In order to ensure that successful grass-roots projects such as integrated malaria control become more firmly entrenched at local level, Biovision wants to increase the involvement of local decision- makers and state institutions (page 9). This includes, for example, how they influence public health programmes and - in both the northern and southern hemispheres - their policy on subsidies and the steering of research funds. Underlying this commitment is our conviction that the foundations we have laid in the projects we support can only be sustainable when successes in the field are not undermined by adverse outside conditions. For this reason, Biovision was one of the initiators of an international alliance promoting a worldwide paradigm shift in agriculture. Our shared goal is to focus attention at the highest level on the issue of food security for the growing world popu-
lation. At the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2012, we hope to place small-scale agriculture and ecological farming at centre stage (page 19). With its wide range of activities in grass-roots projects, its extensive information work at home and in Africa, as well as its participation in international bodies, our Foundation is stepby-step implementing its vision “. . . that all people should have enough food, and healthy food, in a healthy environment that will enable the generations who follow us to have the same.” Andreas Schriber CEO Biovision Foundation
Dr. Selamawit Asseffa, Director of Bioeconomy Africa and Biovision CEO Andreas Schriber on the Biofarm in Asella, Ethiopia, where Biovision’s partner organisation is establishing a tree nursery. Agroforestry plays a central role in ecological farming, as far as soil fertility, supply of construction timber and firewood and the preservation of biodiversity are concerned.
In Biovision’s “Stop Malaria” projects, people learn about the causes of deadly malaria, for example at information stands during “Malaria Days” (top) or through street theatre in the marketplace (bottom).
Human Health | 9
Expansion of environmentally-friendly malaria prevention
Mosquito control saves lives In the Kenyan coastal town of Malindi on the Indian Ocean, cases of malaria have more than halved in recent years. The reason for the clear decline of this often fatal infectious di sease is a successful pilot project that Biovision has supported since 2005. Environmentally compatible mosquito population control is at the centre of this integrated project, since the disease pathogen is transmitted through the mosquito’s bite. With the help of the local population, possible breeding sites for malaria mosquitoes are monitored in the areas where people live, and, for example, puddles and small pools are dried out. Specially trained mosquito scouts monitor bodies of stagnant water and treat them when necessary with an environmentally-friendly bacterium that specifically targets the dangerous insects in the larval stage. Thanks to widespread awareness campaigns, many people are now well informed about the causes of the disease and use the bednets that have been distributed to them, which offer effective protection against mosquito bites. The experience in Malindi shows that using these combined methods, malaria can be effectively, ecologically and economi-
cally contained even in urban areas. With the support of Swiss Solidarity, Biovision, along with its partner organisations in Kenya, now wants to expand this concept from the local to the regional level, and eventually to the whole country. The goal is to make environmentally-friendly mosquito control a political issue for all, so that prevention is recognised as a public sector obligation, demanded by the people and promoted by the state. To raise awareness and mobilise opinion there is a need for information in the form of short films, radio programmes, newsletters and an easily understandable handbook with checklists on the introduction of integrated malaria control. In addition, representatives of the district authorities, health services and education centres must be given specialist training so that they can expand the health programme effectively.
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Project number: BV HH-05 Project start: 03/2010
Stop Malaria - Outreach Programme
“Through our outreach project we have been able to reach people with ideas that will change the way we tackle malaria. Community members are now able to identify and take action against mosquito breeding sites.” Dr. Charles Mbogo Project Coordinator Malaria Outreach, icipe/KEMRI
“Biovision promotes a targeted multi-level approach. Informing the local population is central so that the people can call for their right to environmentallyfriendly malaria control.” Flurina Wartmann Programme Coordination Officer, Biovision Foundation
Beneficiaries: 125 health workers and decisionmakers in the health sphere benefit from training in environmentally-friendly malaria control and prevention; over 1 million people are better informed about malaria thanks to the awareness-raising campaign on television and in other media. Development Goal: Improving people’s health through the promotion of integrated malaria prevention methods. Results: 240 health workers from communities in Malindi were trained in malaria control and prevention methods. Over 3000 people were reached through the annual “Mosquito Week” and were made aware of the prevention methods. A script was prepared for a documentary film on malaria control; the documentary is to be circulated through the mass media and should therefore reach a large number of people. Implementing Partner Organisations: icipe – African Insect Science for Food and Health, Kenya Medical Research Institute KEMRI.
The spread of camel husbandry as an adaptation to the effects of climate change will become even more important in Africa in the future, for example in northeastern Kenya. Camels occupy a special role in the family. To improve camel husbandry it is important to understand the cultural background of the local population and to include it in the project work.
Animal Health | 11
The future of animal husbandry in Kenya
Healthy camels secure livelihoods Prolonged heat waves and insufficient rainfall resulting from global climate change will make crop farming and traditional livestock husbandry very difficult in many regions of sub-Saharan Africa in the future. Local experts believe that by 2050 there will be a significant increase in arid and semi-arid regions, which already make up 70% of the land area in Kenya today. The rural population will need to adapt their way of life in order to survive in the more difficult climatic conditions. Camel husbandry is an alternative to raising cattle and grow ing cereals. In the future, more camels, more efficiently used, can provide millions of people south of the Sahara with food security and income. The animals are very well adapted to drought conditions and have a number of qualities which would make this possible without overexploiting the fragile ecosystems.
cattle and are able to eat even the leaves of the thorny acacia tree. Their milk is high in fat, providing the rural population with more than half of their daily calorie intake in many nomadic farming communities. Above all, camels are used as beasts of burden to carry water, and for meat. Biovision supports the provision of information, education and training to livestock owners in the face of changing environmental conditions. This is done by finding out at an early stage what the needs and opportunities are. Problems in the spheres of animal health and land use have been identified by camel owners, farmers, vets, government officials and scientists, bringing together theory and practice. The goal is to improve living conditions for populations particularly affected by climate change in various arid regions in Kenya through optimised camel husbandry, and exploiting the many uses the animals can be put to.
Arabian camels, or dromedaries, which are already widespread in Africa, have broad, soft soled feet which do not leave tracks that would encourage erosion, thus avoiding damage to soil and plants. They are also better adapted to arid areas than
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Project number: BV AH-05 Project start: 01/2010
Camel Husbandry in Arid Regions of Kenya for Improved Adaptation to the Effects of Climate Change
“Collaboration with women is particularly important for professional, careful camel husbandry and it offers a chance to promote sustainable development in neglected areas.” Verena Albertin Programme Coordinator, Biovision
“Direct exchange between experts and camel owners is central. It is only in this way that we scientists can experience the challenges they face and attempt to find answers to these in research.” Dr. Zakariah Farah Camel Expert, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, Zurich
Beneficiaries: 100 people (camel and livestock owners, and researchers) are enabled to exchange their experiences and identify challenges in camel husbandry. Development Goal: Improvement of living conditions for people in arid and semi-arid regions through an integrated camel husbandry programme. Results: Holding of the first international camel symposium, attended by 145 scientists and 185 livestock owners. This exchange served to identify existing challenges and gaps in research in camel husbandry. These were predominantly issues of camel health and nutrition. The findings were taken into account in planning the next project phase and in developing a strategy for the camel sector in Kenya. Implementing Partner Organisation: Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse, East Africa Regional Office
The soil of the courgette test field was enriched using three different methods. Left: Maasai-Boma (Maasai cow dung) only, Middle: 14 day compost, Right: 63 day compost. The middle field produced the best results. The exchange of experience between researchers and small-scale farmers is of vital importance for the project.
Plant Health | 13
Comparing conventional and organic agriculture
Organic farming in the tropics is put to the test The test fields at the Kenyan research locations, Chuka and Thika, do pioneering work. For the first time in the tropics, a long-term scientific study is being conducted to make a systematic comparison between organic agriculture and conventional cultivation methods in the same natural conditions. This project in Kenya, co-initiated and co-financed by Biovision, is part of a larger series of tests conducted by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, FiBL, which are also taking place in India and Bolivia. Experts test the impact of different cultivation methods – for example on plant growth, yield, quality, storage life of crops and on soil fertility.
In the future, farming families in Kenya should be able to benefit directly from the advantages of modern, ecological farming that is optimally adapted to tropical conditions. They are therefore being closely involved in the agricultural research, contributing their own experiences, and in exchange being given access to other techniques and innovations adapted to local conditions. Researchers are working with the rural population on farms to find new solutions for common problems in organic farming. For example, they have succeeded in creating nutrient-rich compost from crop residues in just two weeks, which can accelerate the regeneration of degraded soils.
In Chuka, at the foot of Mount Kenya, this is being done on fertile soil, which has scarcely been depleted, whereas the more intensively used fields in Thika are more frequently exposed to lengthy periods of drought. First results from crops that are widely planted in East Africa, such as maize in combination with runner beans, show that yields remain stable after a switch to organic cultivation if the soil is fertile and there is sufficient rain. But on depleted soils, yields can initially be much lower. Such results underscore the need for the quality of the soil to be sustainably upgraded using biological methods.
“Before, I had to go to the health centre every week to be monitored because of the residual chemicals in the vegetables. Since I have been eating organic vegetables, I haven’t had to go back and I now have bigger harvests.” Mary Wanyiru Farmer in Kangari, Kenya
“The women farmers bring their own practical experience, and we bring the scientific background. This combination and the mutual exchange achieve good results and promote the power of innovation on both sides.” Peter Owuor Project Coordinator, Participatory Technology Development PTD at icipe, Nairobi, Kenya
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Project number: BV PH-03 Project start: 08/2005
Long Term System Comparison: Contribution of Organic Agriculture to Sustain able Development in the Tropics Beneficiaries: Men and women farmers, farmers’ organisations, NGOs, scientific institutions and researchers. Development Goal: To compare conventional and organic agriculture. To make a scientific and practical assessment of the importance of organic agriculture for sustainable development in the tropics. Results in Kenya: 150 farmers took part in Farmer Information Days; over 1300 visits to the test fields, research gardens and test farms by men and women farmers, ministry representatives, NGOs and researchers. Development of an improved composting method as a result of fruitful collaboration between 47 farmers and scientists. Implementing Partner Organisations in Kenya: Research Institute for Organic Farming FiBL in collaboration with icipe – African Insect Science for Food and Health, Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute of CIAT, Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute KARI, Kenyatta University KU.
Bernadette Nasozzi, traditional healer in the Mpigi district of Uganda, grows a wide range of medicinal plants in her garden. This means she doesn’t have to spend a lot of time collecting plants in the wild and pressure on the threatened forest is reduced.
Environmental Health | 15
Sustainable use of medicinal plants in Uganda
Biodiversity as a pharmacy In the predominantly rural Mpigi district in Uganda, the majority of the population live in small villages often separated by great distances. Here there is on average just one person with medical training per 250 000 head of population. For this reason, medical care continues to be carried out by traditional healers, who see this task as a service to the community. The local forests - rich in biodiversity but often endangered by over-exploitation - are their pharmacy where they gather hundreds of medicinal plants for the holistic treatment of physical troubles and emotional suffering. For several years now, Biovision has been committed to conserving biodiversity in protected forests and improving living conditions for rural populations through the sustainable use of medicinal and aromatic plants in Kenya and Tanzania. The project in Uganda, launched jointly with research partner icipe and with PROMETRA, a local organisation for traditional heal ing, follows the same goals. Scientific experiments have confirmed the efficacy of homemade healing products. Salves, soaps and powders made from herbal extracts help in cases of skin diseases, diarrhoea and bacterial inflammations. In the future, selected medicinal plants that are known to be effective and
that have good market potential are to be grown in farms and gardens and processed locally into high-quality natural remedies. This additional source of income will improve living condi tions for the participants, relieve pressure on forests in the neighbourhood of villages and thus help to preserve biodiversity. The associated forest school has an important role in this project. It offers education and further training in traditional healing and also provides valuable information about organic agriculture, environmental protection and animal husbandry. This is an opportunity to pass on indigenous knowledge, improve practical skills and foster an exchange of ideas between those with traditional skills and modern researchers.
“It is important to conserve nature instead of destroying it! Now we just take a piece of bark from each tree rather than cutting down the whole tree.” Resty Nakakande Healer in Buyija, Uganda
“Traditional healers are role models for respectful treatment of cultural diversity, the forests, plants and traditional knowledge.” Dr. Yahaya Sekagya Dentist, spiritual healer and director of PROMETRA Uganda
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Project number: BV EH-03/05 Project start: 2005, Uganda 2009
Biodiversity Conservation and Education Through Promotion of Enterprises for Sustainable Use of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. Beneficiaries: Village communities living close to biodiversity-rich forests in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda (Kenya: 500 people in Kakamega, 500 people in Shimba Hills, Tanzania: 150 people in East Usambara, Uganda: 200 traditional healers in the Mpigi district). Development Goal: To protect biodiversity in East Africa through targeted support and the dissemina tion of knowledge, while at the same time improving the income and health of the people living near the forests. Results: In Mpigi, a building was constructed for the processing of medicinal plants. A building for the production of honey and beeswax products was renovated. Selected medicinal plants were scientifically and successfully tested for their efficacy, taking into account the law on intellectual property. 388 men and women took part in weekly training sessions on environmental education, beekeeping and sustainable agriculture. Implementing Partner Organisation: icipe – African Insect Science for Food and Health.
Every Friday more than fifty farmers meet in the “Garden of Solidarity” for hands-on training in organic cultivation methods. Janet Maro, Project Manager, distributes fact sheets in Swahili to the farmers. The information comes mostly from the farmers’ newspaper “The Organic Farmer” (TOF) and the Biovision internet platform www.infonet-biovision.org.
Information Dissemination | 17
“Bustani ya Tushikamane” – A Garden of Solidarity
Information Centre for Sustainable Agriculture To the south of Morogoro, capital of the Tanzanian region of the same name, rise the Uluguru Mountains, on whose forested flanks the laden clouds regularly shed their rain. The area is ideally suited for crop cultivation, thanks to its reliable rainfall, fertile soils and the tropical forest which conserves water. Morogoro is also a pan-regional centre for the agricultural processing industry as well as the location of Sokoine University of Agriculture. And here too is the recently established “Garden of Solidarity”, a very dynamic project that owes its inception to the ini tiative of a young student. He put into practice the realisation that small-scale farming families can be helped a great deal by easily accessible and easily understood information about organic agriculture. With support from Biovision and together with like-minded people, he quickly established an informa tion centre for the rural population of the area. The electronic information platform, www.infonet-biovision.org serves as the basis for the advice. Because the demand was so great, the enthusiastic project team has continually expanded the information service. In Morogoro there is now also a farmers’ roundtable for discussions, a school garden with nature trails,
test fields, an associated model farm and hands-on courses on topics such as crop rotation planning and composting. Over 1500 farmers have already taken part in these training sess ions. The project sees itself as an innovative platform for organic agriculture and aims to promote a dynamic interaction between agricultural research, knowledge transfer and their practical application in the field. There is close collaboration between Sokoine University and Biovision’s Farmer Communication Programme (FCP). The farmers’ magazine “The Organic Farmer” is also used extensively, with much of the content translated into the local Swahili language. As a meeting place for extension workers, farmers and students, the demonstra tion and information centre inspires visitors to support ecological approaches to agriculture.
“I thought I already knew how important agriculture was and that harvests were not always so good. But in the Garden of Solidarity I have learned so many new things! I come every week as I want to know a lot more about sustainable farming.” Sikurja Juma Farmer in Morogoro, Tanzania
“I place great value on being able to help farmers to increase their harvests and improve income.” Haji Halidi Project gardener and farmers’ trainer in the project “Bustani ya Tushikamane”
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Project number: BV IS-07 Project start: 2009
“Bustani ya Tushikamane’ – Garden of Solidarity Beneficiaries: More than 550 farmers have benefited from the provision of the freely accessible information and advice offered by the project team, and 3 students have been supervised in applied research and information activities. At the annual agricultural exhibition another 1000 people were given general information about organic farming and around 800 people were introduced to special techniques. Development Goal: Promotion of sustainable agriculture to improve food security and income generation for the rural population in Morogoro. Results: Construction of an attractive, hands-on information centre and demonstration garden, tailored to the needs of the farmers. Provision of practical training and an advice service. Implementing Partner Organisation: Water for the Third World, W-3-W, Tanzania.
Paska Ayo and more than 10 000 other farmers in her district in Northern Uganda could not sell their produce (such as mangoes or vegetables) after the government sprayed the insecticide DDT. Small-scale farmers in developing countries in particular should be empowered by the change of course in agriculture advocated by Biovision, as they have been greatly neglected politically in recent years.
Advocacy | 19
Changing course in agriculture and banning DDT
Ecological solutions with clear advantages In order to achieve the goal of sustainable development, Biovision supports self-help projects in East Africa with a clear ecological focus. Alongside this grass-roots work, its involvement is also needed at the highest international level, since research, trade and policies are often framed in a way that runs contrary to the Foundation’s ecological and social goals. Biovision has been campaigning for years for a paradigm shift in agriculture as well as for a ban on DDT and the recognition of malaria control methods that do not harm human and environmental health.
Advocacy is also needed to achieve a worldwide ban on DDT, which continues to be produced and used. This particularly persistent poison is used against malaria mosquitoes and endangers human and environmental health. Furthermore, the chemical is losing its intended effect as the mosquitoes develop resistance to it. Today effective, safe and environmentallyfriendly alternatives for controlling malaria are available. That is why Biovision is demanding a total ban on DDT and is on the front line in campaigns in international bodies for healthy and environmentally-friendly alternatives.
By 2050 the world population is expected to have risen to about 9 billion. At the request of the World Bank and the UN, an international group of experts carried out a study into how the future population can be fed in a sustainable, healthy and fair a way as possible. Their report, the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD), published in 2008, came to the conclusion that to continue with industrial farming with its enormous demand on resources, is not a viable path for sustainable development. To reduce hunger and poverty, what is really needed is to strengthen small-scale food production and to promote farming methods adapted to local conditions, in combination with ecologically focussed agricultural research. Biovision is committed to this change and calls on economic and political decis ion-makers to play their part. Together with institutions pursuing similar goals, Biovision has formed a global alliance for the implementation of socially just and ecologically driven agricultural policies. The goal is to persuade the community of states at the 2012 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, to adopt a binding agreement and action programme in line with the recommendations of the IAASTD.
“To tackle great challenges like climate change, a growing world population and impoverishment of farmers, political frameworks that enable a socially and ecologically sustainable agriculture must be established on an international level. This is an important step in effectively combating poverty and hunger.” Hans Rudolf Herren World Food Prize laureate, President of Biovision
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Project number: BV IS 05 Project start: 9/2008
Stop DDT – For Effective, Safe and Environmentally-friendly Malaria Control Without DDT Target Group and Beneficiaries: Target groups are decision-makers, experts and the general public. End beneficiaries are people who have been affected both by malaria and by the use of DDT in malaria control. Development Goal: To promote effective, safe and environmentally sound solutions in malaria control in order to help protect human and environmental health in malaria affected areas. Results: 1. Successful lobbying: In 2009 the international community decided to actively promote alternatives to DDT. The founding of a global alliance established a platform for the development and dissemination of alternatives, to which Biovision has contributed. Furthermore, in 2010 the DDT Expert Group of the Stockholm Convention came to the conclusion that stricter guidelines for the use of DDT are necessary. 2. Scientifically sound: A model for the analysis of the costs and benefits of DDT in malaria control has been developed. 3. Awareness-raising: A high-profile international panel discussion was organised in Geneva. Implementing Organisations: Biovision together with icipe Nairobi and Millennium Institute, Washington D.C.
20 | OPERATIONAL COSTS in CHF
INCOME Donations Project related donations Membership dues Bequests Total Income Difference from previous year
2010 2 263 619 2 146 110 562 739 0
2009 2 269 331 1 876 555 519 865 157 000
4 972 468 3%
4 822 751 17%
EXPENSES Project Expenses Information Dissemination -2 062 877 Human Health -441 876 Animal Health -107 424 Plant Health -293 833 Environmental Health -274 017 Additional project expenses -47 443 Total Project Expenses -3 227 470 Difference from previous year 3% Fundraising and Communication -422 693 General Administration Personnel -97 518 Other administrative expenses -230 734 Total General Administration -328 252 Total Expenses
-1 997 216 -420 306 -92 267 -245 593 -314 453 -67 161 -3 136 996 22% -507 488
-232 954 -195 146 -428 100
-3 978 415
-4 072 584
994 053
750 167
4538 -46 312 1 745 307 -2 146 110 -442 577
2370 -11 676 1 635 202 -1 876 555 -250 659
OPERATING RESULT 551 476 After financial income, extraordinary items, exchange differences, funds and capital adjustments
499 508
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
“Biovision continued to grow steadily in 2010; the foundation increased its income to almost 5 million Swiss francs. Thanks to the trust and support of donors, Biovision was able to expand its work and to increase the number of projects to 26.” Pascal Schällibaum Head of Finance and Administration
Financial Statement in CHF | 21
ASSETS Current Assets Liquid assets Securities (Raiffeisen Futura – Swiss Franc Bond) Accounts receivable of goods and services Project accounts with partner organisations Stock Accounts paid in advance Outstanding donations Total Current Assets Noncurrent Assets Facilities Investment Biovision Africa Trust Total Noncurrent Assets Total Assets
2010
2009
3 263 825 296 940 27 452 0 27 497 6093 261 587 3 883 394
2 365 051 295 148 35 724 78 222 32 482 22 534 165 000 2 994 161
5853 1417 7270
8780 1417 10 197
3 890 664
3 004 358
LIABILITIES Current Liabilities Debts from goods and services 96 218 Project accounts with partner organisations 104 564 Accounts received in advance 77 802 Total Current Liabilities 278 584
220 216 0 124 340 344 556
Earmarked Funds Information Dissemination Human Health Animal Health Plant Health Environmental Health Total Earmarked Funds Organisation Capital Foundation capital Accrued earmarked capital Accrued free capital Total Organisation Capital
223 736 341 487 79 850 66 391 44 772 756 236
162 336 148 103 0 32 310 12 685 355 434
50 000 920 000 1 885 844 2 855 844
50 000 920 000 1 334 368 2 304 368
Total Liabilities
3 890 664
3 004 358
Biovision managed to increase its income again in 2010 – by over 3% in comparison with the previous year. The expansion of project activities has meant a corresponding increase in expenditure. But because of the weak US dollar, project expenditure increased at a below average rate. Improvements and the targeted use of funds enabled the foundation to reduce other expenditure not allocated to specific projects. The positive operating result made it possible to increase unallocated reserves to 1.9 million Swiss francs, which ensures the longterm sustainability of supported projects. Biovision can also use these funds to react flexibly to new developments. Both allocated and free reserves are sustainably invested according to our strict guidelines.
Biovision’s projects are aimed at improving the livelihoods of participants in a way that is not based on the exploitation of humans or animals. Photo: Marich River in the Kerio Valley, the area covered by the Cabesi project in the Rift Valley, Western Kenya.
8.3 %
11.1 %
10.6 %
47.5 % 30.1 %
81.1 % 11.3 %
Application of funds 2010 (in CHF) Projects Fundraising and Communication General Administration
3 227 470 422 693 328 252
Contributions from government agencies account for only 11.1% of income; for this reason Biovision depends on donations from private individuals. Biovision generates 88.9% of its income through information and communications campaigns and other fundraising activities.
Source of funds 2010 (in CHF) Individual Donors Membership Dues Foundations and Companies Government Agencies
2 359 674 562 739 1 499 215 550 840
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 2010 BV IS-01 Infopool 897 431 BV IS-02 TOF Farmer Magazine 185 219 BV IS-02.A TOF Radio 79 167 BV IS-02.B iTOF Farmer Information Centres* 42 448 BV IS-03/04 www.infonet-biovision.org** 419 604 BV IS-05 DDT Campaign 146 522 BV IS-06 Mission Movie 0 BV IS-07 Bustani ya Tushikamane - Garden of Solidarity 19 717 BV IS-08 Farmer Communication Programme 72 121 BV IS-09 Biofarm Newsletter 3273 BV IS-10 Changing Course in Agriculture 90 950 BV IS-11 Sensitisation for Biodiversity via Social Media 88 224 BV TS-01 Farmers Academy Ethiopia 9142 BV TS-02 International Training Course in Organic 9059 Agriculture, Uganda Total Information Dissemination 2 062 877
2009 1 117 363 165 546 65 676 42 276 479 853 85 415 317 11 952 0 0 0 0 21 380 7438 1 997 216
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
79 961 161 871 93 421 71 828 34 795 441 876
85 222 162 535 95 520 77 029 0 420 306
ANIMAL HEALTH BV AH-04 BV AH-05 Total Animal Health
Tsetse Rollback via Biofarming Camel Programme for Climate Adaptation
72 367 35 057 107 424
92 267 0 92 267
PLANT HEALTH BV PH-01 PushPull Strategies 132 861 35 776 BV PH-02 IPM Tomato East Africa 0 -9764 BV PH-03 Long-Term System Comparison 66 328 85 462 BV PH-04 Sebeta Biofarm 49 579 71 085 BV PH-05 PushPull Dissemination via TOF 45 065 63 034 Total Plant Health 293 833 245 593 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BV EH-02 Cabesi 180 143 198 814 BV EH-03/05 Biodiversity Conservation and Education 93 874 95 539 BV EH-06 Silk Production 0 20 100 Total Environmental Health 274 017 314 453 * in 2009 included in Infonet project
** now includes Infonet - Awareness Creation
The complete, audited financial report is available from our head office upon request (in German only). It can also be downloaded from our website www.biovision.ch.
24 | EFFiCIENCY REPORT
Objectives of the Foundation
Organisation
Biovision - Foundation for ecological development is a nonprofit, non-denominational and politically independent Swiss foundation for conserving the environment as the basis of all life. Projects are supported in selected developing regions in Africa, and in Switzerland. Our goal is the long-term allevia tion 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 renders 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. In the US, Biovision qualifies as a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt charity. The Bye-Laws are available on our website www.biovision.ch or can be procured from the headoffice.
Foundation Board Biovision’s highest authority is the Foundation Board. It has currently 5 members who provide their services on a pro bono basis. Hans Rudolf Herren, as the founder, has a place on the Foundation Board for life. All other members are elected for a period of office lasting three years whereupon re-election is possible. The Foundation Board carries the responsibility for Biovision’s operations. It is responsible for the strategic direction, 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 the members of the Board were: Dr. Hans Rudolf Herren; Dr. Barbara Frei Haller; Paula Daeppen-Dion; Mathis Zimmermann and Dr. Ruedi Baumgartner. Auditors Argo Consilium AG, Zurich/Switzerland is responsible for the yearly audit. Business and divisional management Operations management rests with CEO Andreas Schriber. Heads of divisions are: Verena Albertin - Programme Coordination; Peter Lüthi - Communications and Campaigns; Pascal Schällibaum - Finance and Administration; Reto Urech Fundraising & Marketing.
Dr. Hans Rudolf Herren Founding member, President of the Foundation
Dr. Barbara Frei Haller Pharmacist and Ethnobotanist, Member of the Board
Paula Daeppen-Dion UN-Representative, 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
Staff Biovision employs 14 people in Switzerland most of whom work on a part-time basis. The professional team of qualified internal and external collaborators guarantees a high level of dedication and a high level of expertise in all areas. Biovision is a certified establishment for Swiss Civilian Service. In the 2010 business year, seven people worked in our Zurich office for a total of 242 days in lieu of military service. As a contribution to training in development work, the foundation also regularly provides intern positions to enable trainees to gain initial work experience in the areas of project work, communication, ecology and advocacy.
| 25
Voluntary work The five members of the Board offer their services on a pro bono basis and in the reporting year contributed almost 700 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 unpaid volunteers at all levels. Over 900 hours were worked for Biovision without payment in the 2010 business 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 the ground 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 the ground. Responsibility for implementing the measures that have received finance 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 high ZEWO standards for nonprofit 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 8 to 19 and on our website. Our financial accounting adheres to the GAAP FER 21 principles for Non-profit Organisations. In its fundraising, Biovision is committed to the ethical guidelines of Swissfundraising.
Project management in Africa – programme coordination in Switzerland In 2010 Biovision supported 26 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. 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 programme committee - consisting of a member of the Foundation Board, the programme coordinator and the Biovision CEO - 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 partnership 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 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 have social networks, competent and reliable representatives, as well as access to local people and experience in work ing 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.
Professional project management includes careful administration and face-to-face discussions with local people. (Photo: Flurina Wartmann, Programme Coordination Officer of Biovision, visits the PushPull project in central Kenya). Biovision works with strong, local partner organisations that draw up and implement the projects together with the target communities. (Photo: Mosquito Scout Office in Malindi, Project partners: icipe and KEMRI).
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 KARI – Kenya Agricultural Research Institute KEFRI – The Kenya Forestry Research Institute MI – Millennium Institute, USA VSF – Vétérinaires sans Frontières (Vets Without Borders) Partner organisations listed have agreed a framework contract with Biovision.
“Only few organisations are committed to a holistic development approach, such as Biovision’s. BioEconomy Africa is collaborating with Biovision because we share the same goals for integrated development: to reduce poverty, improve livelihoods and restore the environment.” Dr. Getachew Tikubet Programme Director, BioEconomy Africa in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia
“Organic farming is a rapidly growing sector in East Africa that can make an important contribution to improving living conditions for small-scale farmers. Together with Biovision we train students who are in the position to actively promote innovations in ecological agriculture.” Lisa Aigelsperger Course Director CDR/BOKU – Centre for Development Research / University of Soil Science, Vienna
“We appreciate the collaboration with Biovision Foundation for icipe’s projects in the field of poverty reduction. Our common vision is to foster rural empowerment in Africa by promoting sustainable use of the natural resources.” Prof. Suresh Kumar Raina Head of Environmental Health Division at icipe, Nairobi, Kenya
Organisations collaborating with Biovision in projects and networks ACT – African Conservation Tillage Network AIC – Agriculture Information Centre (part of the Kenyan Ministry for Agriculture) Bridgeworks – Business into a better world Cabesi Self-Help Group Coop – Coop Funds for Sustainability DEZA – Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation Eawag – Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology ESPA – Environmental Sciences and Policy Assessment Infosud – Press agency for North-South issues 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 Plantahof – Agricultural Training and Advice Centre, Landquart/Switzerland Praxis Ethiopia – Interest Group of International Researchers for Sustainable Development in Ethiopia Prometra Uganda PUMMA – Mosquito Control Association Malindi Rural Women Development Association Uganda SHL – Swiss College of Agriculture 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 UNDP – United Nations Development Programme WOCAT – World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies W-3-W Tanzania – Water for the Third World, Tanzania Various appropriate local ministries in focus countries. Membership in Alliances Alliance Against Hunger Global Alliance for Alternatives to DDT Swiss Ethiopian Alliance
The charity concert featuring Sol Gabetta and the Basel Chamber Orchestra on 25 March 2010 was fully sold out. The concert was a great success and raised CHF 105,000 for Biovision’s “Stop Malaria” projects in East Africa.
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 possible Biovision’s work for the sustainable improvement of living conditions and environmental protection in East Africa. Our thanks also go to the following organisations that have supported our projects with generous contributions:
“We recognise Biovision as a competent and dedicated partner organisation. Biovision implements its guiding principle of healthy environment, healthy plants, healthy animals and healthy people consistently and successfully.” Fortunat Walther CEO Medicor Foundation
“As a Swiss private bank committed to sustainability, we know that economy, society and environment are interconnected. Biovision also operates according to this view: Biovision combats malaria with ecologically compatible methods so that in affected areas in Africa social conditions improve, enabling local communities to develop economically. That is in the interest of all of us.” Werner Rüegg Head of Private Banking Switzerland, Bank Sarasin & CIE AG, Lead Sponsor of the Sol Gabetta Charity Concert.
Public authorities, cantons, cities and municipalities Appenzell Ausserrhoden Lottery Funds Binningen Council Canton of Zurich Lottery Funds City of Rapperswil-Jona City of Schaffhausen City of Solothurn City of St. Gallen City of Winterthur City of Zug City of Zurich Liechtenstein Development Service Riehen Council Foundations Barbara Christiane Koch Foundation CHARISMA Foundation for Sustainable Development Corymbo Foundation Dorave Foundation Eduard Geilinger Foundation Fondation Assistence Fondation Yoni Fons Margarita Foundation Georg & Emily von Opel Foundation Georges Wick Foundation Hippocrate Foundation Karl Mayer Foundation MASTEPE Foundation Medicor Foundation North-South Foundation Parrotia Foundation Paul Schiller Foundation Promotor Foundation Salvia Foundation Symphasis Foundation Temperatio Foundation Third Millennium Foundation Vontobel Family Foundation Vontobel Foundation
Businesses Atelier Binkert Bank Sarasin & CIE AG BCM-Care AG BIONAT GMBH CH Architects AG deepscreen GmbH Dr. Guido Fischer & Partner GmbH Fredy’s AG Hopking culture events Knecht & Müller AG Migros Hilfsfonds Rapunzel Naturkost AG Ricola AG Rüegg Cheminée AG Schenker-Winkler Holding AG Schiller AG SK Genossenschaft Sotronik GmbH Supercomputing Systems Swisslux AG Terra Verde Thurkraftwerk AG VELOPLUS Victorinox AG Others Basel Chamber Orchestra with Sol Gabetta Evangelical Church Arbon Evangelical –reformed Church Lucerne Muri-Gümligen Glückskette Reformed Church Bülach Sursee Wallisellen The Usitawi Network Foundation
30 | Highlights
Selected Biovision Highlights 2010 A very great honour for the Biofarm of partner organisation BioEconomy Africa in Ethiopia, supported by Biovision: In February 2010, UN General Secretary Ban KiMoon visited the project and praised the holistic projects for ecological agriculture as a “very impressive and practical solution to mitigate climate change and conserve natural resources in Africa.”
The World Food Organisation, FAO, awarded the Farm Radio International prize to the radio programme, The Organic Farmer, established by Biovision. Producer John Cheburet received the award for a report on an innovative farmer who discovered that his potatoes stayed fresh for longer when he stored them in sawdust.
At an international UNESCO conference in Lausanne, experts discussed the contribution new technologies can make to sustainable development. Among the items selected by the organising committee for the presentation was www.infonet-biovision.org, the knowledge platform run by Biovision. This introduced a wide audience of scientists to the innovative database that promotes and disseminates locally relevant knowledge about ecological agriculture.
In September 2010, Biovision, Hans R. Herren and small-scale farmer Rachel Agola from Kenya, representing all the participants, won the One World Award, with prize money of € 25,000. They received the award for pioneering the PushPull cultivation method developed at icipe, which uses organic methods to improve soil fertility and increase maize yields. The prize is awarded to people who, through innovative projects, work courageously and tirelessly for a positive future.
In June, the international insect research institute icipe hosted a workshop lasting several days with training in the holistic and ecological control of the malaria mosquito. The successful integrated vector management pilot projects that Biovision has been supporting for many years in Kenya and Ethiopia were used as models. As a member of the global alliance for alternatives to the notorious insecti cide DDT, Biovision supports methods of malaria control that are not harmful to health. The workshop was co-organised by the secretariat of the Stockholm Convention. Through this UN agreement against dangerous organic chemicals, the use of DDT as a means of malaria control should be banned worldwide.
In November 2010, around 600 people took part in the Biovision Annual Symposium in the Volkshaus in Zurich. The presentations and the panel discussion focussed on the conservation of endangered forests in East Africa. The guest speaker from the South was Dr. Yahaya Sekagya, Director of the Ugandan partner organisation PROMETRA. As an expert in natural healing, he told the audience about the progress being made, and how the cultivation and processing of medicinal plants was improving the living conditions of the rural population and at the same time conserving the species-rich forests. More highlights: www.biovision.ch/news
Imprint © Biovision Foundation, Zurich Editing Reto Urech This annual report is published in English and German. You can find it 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. In the USA, Biovision qualifies as a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt charity. In Kenya, Biovision is represented by the Biovision Africa Trust and listed as a nonprofit organisation Account for donations Donors in Switzerland PC-Konto 87-193093-4 Foreign donors SWISS POST PostFinance Nordring 8 3030 Bern / Switzerland Account number 87-193093-4 Swiftcode: POFICHBEXXX IBAN CH 69 0900 000 8719 3093 4
Concept and Text Beat Jordi, Flurina Wartmann, Verena Albertin, Andreas Schriber, Peter Lüthi, Reto Urech Financial Report Pascal Schällibaum Translation Carmen Loughlin, Karl Lane, Julia Slater Pictures Peter Lüthi, Flurina Wartmann, Verena Albertin, Reto Urech, Ronald Kabuubi, Noor Khamis, Fridolin Walcher, Roland Schmid Cover picture Lilian Wamucii from Kigio, Kenya, was able to increase her maize yield and improve feed available for her cattle through Biovision’s PushPull project. Design Atelier Binkert, Zurich
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“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 ecological, environmentally-friendly methods 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, PC-Konto 87-193093-4, www.biovision.ch