Promoting international cooperation in agriculture and food security

Context

German development policy aims to combat hunger and malnutrition and assert the right of all people to healthy food. One of the biggest challenges is to increase agricultural productivity without transgressing planetary boundaries. At the same time, far-reaching transformations towards socially, ecologically, and economically sustainable agri-food systems are necessary. Successfully shaping and implementing these changes is a big HR challenge for many partner organisations.

Objective

Partner organisations worldwide have qualified staff and the expertise required to make the agri-food systems in their respective countries more sustainable.

Approach

The fund facilitates and finances the assignment of experts to selected organisations in the partner countries. These experts support transformation processes aimed at building sustainable agri-food systems. The Promecafé network in Guatemala that supports small-scale coffee producers is an example. The fund also develops capacity among local professionals and deepens strategic partnerships, thus contributing to the further development and dissemination of successful approaches resulting from the project work with partners.

The development and scaling of agricultural innovations is promoted through the multi-year assignment of integrated experts to partners in international agricultural research, such as the agroforestry research centre CIFOR-ICRAF. Furthermore, professionals are seconded to organisations involved in multilateral cooperation such as the World Bank, and exchange with German and international development cooperation is fostered. The fund also works to reduce gender-based inequalities and promote gender-transformative approaches.

Last update: March 2025