Biovision is committed to building sustainable food systems \u2013 from farm to fork. We promote agroecological approaches, socially equitable value chains, and food security, and agricultural production that is in harmony with nature. By supporting focused research and projects in sub-Saharan Africa and in Switzerland, we develop solutions for the future \u2013 through initiatives led by us or together with partner organizations.<\/p>
Biovision was founded in 1998 by Swiss entomologist and Right Livelihood Award laureate Hans Rudolf Herren. Our projects and initiatives help to improve the lives of farming families and protect the environment. We focus on agroecology \u2013 a holistic approach that includes sustainable farming methods, socially responsible business practices, and inclusive dialogue in the policy space. In this way, we address global challenges such as hunger, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Our goal: a food system fit for the future.<\/p>
Biovision is organi<\/span>z<\/span>ed as <\/span>a <\/span>non-profit and politically independent<\/span>,<\/span> Zewo<\/span>–<\/span>certified foundation<\/span>.<\/span><\/p> Please find the statutes as PDF here.<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Swiss World Food Prize winner and entomologist Hans Rudolf Herren founds Biovision together with Andi Schriber, Mathis Zimmermann and J\u00fcrg Weber with the aim of sustainably improving the living conditions of people in Africa and preserving nature as the basis of all life. In the 1980s, Hans Rudolf Herren\u2019s biological methods for controlling an insect pest devastating to cassava saved millions of people in Africa from starvation.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t The first projects in sub-Saharan Africa begin. They support local populations with ecological solutions for securing their livelihoods. Agroecology is the underlying concept behind the ecological solutions.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t The World Agriculture Report, co-chaired by Hans Rudolf Herren, calls for a radical change in agriculture. It provides the starting point for Biovision\u2019s engagement in international and national politics. The aim of this work is to promote suitable political framework conditions to transform the food system according to agroecological principles.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t The independent partner organ<\/span>ization<\/span> Biovision Africa Trust (<\/span>BvAT<\/span>), based in Nairobi, implements the Farmer Communication <\/span>Programme<\/span>. <\/span>Biovision<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s information<\/span>al<\/span> project<\/span> includes training <\/span>courses<\/span>, a farmer<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s newspaper, radio <\/span>program<\/span>me<\/span>s<\/span> and the internet platform <\/span>Infonet<\/span>. <\/span>BvAT<\/span> now reaches over<\/span> four<\/span> million farmers every year.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t The living conditions of people in Africa can only improve permanently if the global North recogni<\/span>z<\/span>es its role in the overexploitation of resources and climate change and contribut<\/span>es<\/span> to change. In 2011 Biovision expand<\/span>s<\/span> its commitment in Switzerland. The awareness<\/span>-raising<\/span> program<\/span>me<\/span> in <\/span>Switzerland uses knowledge transfer and sensit<\/span>ization<\/span> to bring climate change and global injustices to the attention of the Swiss <\/span>public<\/span> and <\/span>demonstrates<\/span> how responsible consumption can counteract this development.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Biovision is the first Swiss non-governmental organ<\/span>ization<\/span> to be granted general consultative status in the <\/span>United Nations Economic and Social Council<\/span>. This entitles Biovision to participate in UN conferences and to actively engage in changing international framework conditions.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Biovision and its co-founder Hans Rudolf Herren are awarded the Right Livelihood Award<\/span> (<\/span>also known as the <\/span>a<\/span>lternative Nobel Prize<\/span>)<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>for their commitment to overcoming hunger and<\/span> to supporting<\/span> the transition to sustainable food systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Biovision and the<\/span> i<\/span>nterdisciplinary Centre for Development and Environment <\/span>(CDE) in Bern<\/span> establish the<\/span> Sustainable Development Solutions Network Switzerland (SDSN). The network<\/span>, which Biovision <\/span>host<\/span>s<\/span> and support<\/span>s<\/span> in terms of content and funding, promotes the implementation of the <\/span><\/span>United Nations <\/span><\/span><\/span>2030 Agenda <\/span><\/span>for Sustainable Development <\/span><\/span><\/span>in business, politics, <\/span>science<\/span> and civil society.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Biovision strengthens its commitment at the national level and works in solution-oriented and science-based ways to promote social and political framework conditions for a sustainable food system in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Biovision and the Centre Ecologique Albert Schweitzer (CEAS) create an alliance within the framework of a joint programme, enabling mutual learning and expanding their thematic and geographical scope. The programme is financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA look ahead<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
Milestones<\/h2><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t