Why should donors be interested in the new strategy?
What Biovision does and how we do it is crucial to the success and effectiveness of a donation. Ultimately, the strategy answers the question: What is the long-term impact of donated funds?
To maximize the impact of the resources available to us, we have refined the way we work. “Our holistic approach has always been our hallmark. We don’t just facilitate projects; we want to bring about systemic change through consistent and complementary approaches at various levels,” says Co-Head of International Partnerships and Executive Board member Loredana Sorg. Africa remains the geographical focus of Biovision’s international engagement.
What changes are in the new strategy?
A graphic summarizes how we work in the following five areas, which overlap and connect like the petals of a flower:
- We develop sustainable agricultural systems together with researchers and practitioners.
- We are committed to ensuring that farmers can use this knowledge independently and as they see fit.
- We connect agroecological farmers with entrepreneurs and consumers to promote sustainable markets.
- We enable civic engagement by strengthening local organizations and raising awareness among consumers.
- We help shape political frameworks so agroecological approaches can flourish.
The new strategy aims to make better use of synergies. This means that projects and project partners that use a similar approach in different contexts can increasingly benefit from one another. In international cooperation, we also work in networks that influence overarching political frameworks.
Why does Biovision need a new strategy?
Biovision is a learning, living organization that operates in a rapidly changing environment. Global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, geopolitical crises, rapid economic and technological developments and the increasing overexploitation of natural resources are issues that must be addressed in the workings of an innovative organization. More and more stakeholders are convinced that things cannot continue along the current course. The willingness for fundamental change is growing.
Our pioneering role should therefore be organized so that, together with others, we can help this new dynamic gain more momentum. For example, we are part of the agroecology coalition, consisting of 50 countries and over 150 organizations worldwide, which aims to transform the food system based on agroecological principles. We want to help shape what this coalition develops. As Biovision Foundation Board President Hans R. Herren puts it: “With the new strategy, we are focussing on continuity while also succeeding in developing further. Because in a time of urgency, we need to think bigger and act holistically – together with our partners.”
Where do the strategy’s strengths lie?
The strategy emphasizes the added value of Biovision. “We see ourselves as a catalyst: we bring about major change by minimizing the energy needed for mobilizing projects, by drawing on our strengths and by closely cooperating with our partners,” explains Sorg. Naturally, this holistic approach is complex. A video helps clarify it:
This video explains our strategy..
Our impact
We follow a systemic approach and work to bridge a variety of stakeholders. In doing so, we rely on:
Support of agroecological innovation and its dissemination in cooperation with local research institutions and the private sector.
Knowledge transfer and empowerment of local communities and organizations.
Policy dialogue to connect different actors and change framework conditions.
