Dr. Barbara Frei Haller: From researcher to foundation board member
Over 25 years ago, a television program changed the future of Dr. Barbara Frei Haller: “During my PhD work at ETH, I learned about Hans Herren and his work as Director General at the insect research institute icipe in Nairobi through a television broadcast. I found Hans’ earlier research successes incredibly exciting and was eager to contribute to icipe’s research on disease-transmitting mosquitoes and ticks,” Barbara recalls. And indeed, she began a postdoctoral fellowship in Nairobi. After her work at icipe, Barbara remained loyal to the institute for decades: through a Swiss-Kenyan research project, by supervising a Kenyan PhD student, and between 2016 and 2022 as a member of icipe’s Governing Council. During this time, she also served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Biovision and shaped the organization’s development since its early phases.
As a pharmacist with a PhD, Barbara Frei Haller chaired the program committee of the Board of Trustees for many years, overseeing Biovision’s strategic project direction. Today, she looks back on many successes from her time on the board: “I am particularly proud that Biovision, thanks to its long track record, was accepted into the small circle of strategic partnerships with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Or the awarding of the Right Livelihood Award to Hans Herren and the Biovision Foundation. Above all, I was always deeply moved to see the positive impact Biovision’s work has had on farmers in Africa, and how our efforts have contributed to the growing presence of organic and sustainable practices in many African countries,” she says.
Challenges and looking ahead
Barbara remained optimistic even during difficult times: “Armed conflicts or natural disasters have repeatedly affected Biovision’s work and are part of the challenges NGOs face. Despite these hurdles, Biovision has grown successfully and expanded into exciting new areas. We have achieved many successes in projects in both Africa and Switzerland, and continuing these will be crucial for the foundation in the coming years. I find the enormous progress in international advocacy particularly impressive, as well as how our loyal donors have continually contributed to Biovision’s success.”
Now, Dr. Barbara Frei Haller is looking forward to applying her expertise in her new role as a Member of the Board of Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT), Biovision’s strategic partner in Kenya. She succeeds Andreas Schriber, who established BvAT as Board Chair and is now transitioning into the Board of Trustees in Zurich. When asked if she has any advice for her “successor” on the Biovision Board, she responds with a smile: “Andi doesn’t need advice. As a founding member of Biovision and with 17 years of successful leadership as CEO, he brings a wealth of experience. His strategic competencies and excellent networks in Africa and Switzerland are incredibly valuable to Biovision. Andi is also a persuasive communicator and, with his ability to see the big picture, is a perfect fit for this board. What was always important to me is that the Board of Trustees, together with the entire Biovision team, pulls in the same direction, pursuing the goal of ‘Healthy people in a healthy environment’ and working with joy towards it.”
Andreas Schriber: Back to the roots
Andreas Schriber, who from 2003 to 2020, led Biovision as CEO, has now been elected to the Board of Trustees after an absence of just over four years. “It is an honor to be appointed to Biovision’s high-caliber Board. Our vision with its holistic approach is more relevant than ever,” says Andreas. As a former CEO of Biovision and long-standing Board Chair of the Biovision Africa Trust in Kenya, he knows the importance of good relations between management and a Board of Trustees. “Four years ago, I purposely stepped-back from the operational business, and in my new role at Biovision, I will help to further develop Biovision’s values and guiding principles from an overarching perspective.”
A Focus on Innovation and Partnerships
Andreas Schriber sees urgent priorities in two areas: “Access to innovation, and partnerships based on equal footing are crucial for Africa. For example, modern training of young farmers with access to the latest knowledge and resources in ecological agriculture is key. Likewise, sustainability needs to be improved along entire value chains, from farms to processing to consumers. Since its founding Biovision has strongly advocated for the mission of “Zero Hunger”. Unfortunately, this goal is still a long way off. Therefore, our commitment remains important. We will continue to vigorously advocate at all levels, including in our political work, for our conviction that everyone has a right to sufficient and healthy food.
Andreas Schriber is aware of the challenges facing the foundation. “Development cooperation, or specifically how much money to allocate for genuine “help for self-help” in poor regions of the world is being hotly debated at the political level. Sadly, this is nothing new, and as those who have been involved in this issue for decades know: we need perseverance, patience and trust in our partners in order to be truly successful.” Despite financial and political challenges, he looks forward to his new role, as his commitment to these matters has always been close to his heart. “I want to help ensure that African partners can work with us as equals, sharing and bringing their perspectives, knowledge and values. Moreover, I trust in the innovative power of the highly motivated teams of Biovision and our partners – and look forward to many new encounters.”
