SNV

#𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗖𝗗𝗖𝗢𝗣𝟭𝟳: 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 Progress towards Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) depends on how food is produced, soils restored, and rangelands governed amid drought, flooding, and the climate crisis.   At COP17, SNV will share how locally led, integrated landscape approaches across regenerative agriculture, agroecology, soil health, and pastoralism can inform policy and investment.   Pastoralism connects land, food, and livelihoods. In West Africa, pastoralists produce 65% of beef and 75% of milk. SNV’s experience shows that governing mobility, grazing, and resource access makes pastoralism a productive, adaptive form of landscape management benefiting people and nature. Our side event with the Government of Burkina Faso, Réseau Billital Maroobe, Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Suisse, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation will ask the question, “How pastoralism can move from margins to mainstream.”   We look forward to this learning opportunity and exchanging practical approaches to translate LDN ambitions into stronger livelihoods and healthier landscapes. COP17 Mongolia

#InternationalYouthDay | 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶-𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮   Young people everywhere share the same aspirations. They want dignity, equal opportunities, and a sustainable future worth building.   In this #SNVPerspective, Mutinta Handondo (Lead, Tyrwell Youth Cooperative) and Laida K. Chongo (GESI and Communications Advisor, SNV) argue that across Zambia and Zimbabwe, local and cross-border agricultural trade can deliver exactly that. But tariff barriers, limited finance, lack of financial incentives, and underdeveloped market systems keep too many young agripreneurs locked out of the gains of their own food systems.   #CAADP's Decade of Delivery can pave the way forward, translating into jobs for youth when young people can trade across borders, access finance, and grow their enterprises.   At AFS Forum later this month, we will be contributing to these conversations, and spotlighting the ‘’Access, Match, Grow, Enable’’ approach, to connect young people to market demand, equipping them with skills and finance that make them investable, and engaging governments to address the policy bottlenecks that hold back trade corridors and market linkages.   Read the full perspective article here: https://lnkd.in/e9DzyE9F   Jean Muthamia-Mwenda Phomolo Maphosa SNV in East and Southern Africa AGRA

𝗔 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 School feeding programmes have the potential not only to feed children and keep them in school but also to support local farmers and shape the lifelong eating habits of an entire generation. Yet a chronically underestimated budget and underspending have left meal quality and nutrition out of the financing conversation.  For the first time, CAADP's Decade of Delivery now includes a nutrition objective, placing it on the policy agenda and a key part of discussions at the AFS Forum. The task ahead is to show what integrated delivery looks like in practice by bringing agriculture, nutrition, energy, water, and local economies together. Our new report maps school feeding landscapes across eight East African countries, identifying common gaps and shared priorities for delivering nutritious meals that align with national dietary guidelines, fit within national financing capacity, and keep communities engaged. Through a systems approach, we work to help governments strengthen the transition to home-grown school feeding that sources from local smallholders, using proven modalities and building the business case for healthy, sustainably produced food.  Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dzFRzTJj

𝟮𝟱 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 AFS Forum: 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮'𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲   Food systems across Africa hold promise: a young, growing workforce, land poised for greater productivity, and the CAADP, guiding the decade ahead. Moving from ambition to outcomes means prioritising young people in food systems, sustainable production, nutrition and health, and mobilising innovative climate finance.   Working with partners, we support catalytic investments that reach smallholder farmers and fragile food systems, strengthening CAADP delivery with evidence-based, integrated approaches, and putting those closest to the ground in the lead.   From 31 August to 4 September, key development partners will gather in Kigali, Rwanda, for the #AFSForum2026. For the fourth consecutive year, our colleagues will return as partners in these dialogues.   Over the coming weeks, we’ll share what closing the implementation gap looks like in practice across youth, production, climate, and nutrition. Explore what’s ahead.

#SNVPerspective | 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 Achieving equitable, climate-resilient water for all has become increasingly urgent and complex. The scale of the financing gap is immense. The Water Security Financing Report 2024 estimates an annual spending gap of US$138 billion to achieve SDG 6. In fragile, low-income countries, spending may need to increase by as much as 42 times. Yet 2 billion people still lack access to safely managed drinking water, and more than 3 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services. Simultaneously, climate change is intensifying water insecurity and widening inequalities.  As Nick Tandi, SNV’s Global Sector Head of Water, writes, with shrinking budgets and escalating climate risks, mobilising more finance remains essential, but it is only part of the answer. We must also make existing capital work harder. The challenge and opportunity is to turn available finance into scalable, climate-resilient water outcomes. At World Water Week later this month, we will be engaging with partners on how integrated planning, smarter investment, and stronger local systems can accelerate progress towards water security for all. Read the full perspective article here: https://lnkd.in/ebCuQnNy

𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮'𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆.   As climate shocks intensify, renewable energy is no longer only an energy discussion. It is fundamental to agricultural productivity, climate resilience, resilient livelihoods, and more competitive food systems. At the AFS Forum next month, SNV will contribute evidence on why agriculture and renewable energy must be planned, financed, and implemented together. Together with our partners, we are advancing the integration of renewable energy into national food systems agendas as a foundation for greater resilience, productivity, and inclusive rural development. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆. Join us on 5 August 2026 at 14:00 CEST (15:00 EAT) for the AFS Forum webinar series, where SNV's Judith Jacobs will share lessons from the Power for Food Partnership on how integrated approaches are helping embed renewable energy into food systems policy—and why that matters more than ever before. Register now: https://lnkd.in/eeqS52ED Co-organisers: AGRA, GOGLA, SNV, AKADEMIYA2063, and CGIAR #AFSForum2026

𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘁, 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮, 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 For years, Annet and her husband's land produced only sugarcane, their sole source of income. Their animals grazed on whatever space remained, and with no room left for food crops, the family faced food insecurity. Across Africa, this tension is visible at scale: the need to feed more people more nutritiously, while halting farmland expansion into fragile ecosystems and protecting the soil and water that production depends on. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (#CAADP) 2026–2035 strategy sets an ambitious target of a 45% increase in agrifood output by 2035, driven by sustainable practices like integrated farming. Through a Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) approach, Annet's family reorganised their land into an interconnected system where bananas, livestock, and manure now reinforce each other rather than competing for space—reviving the soil and improving harvests. "We no longer live in fear of food," she says. "We can plan, earn, and provide for our children." This is her story: https://lnkd.in/e7ehwCXU Africa Food Safety Forum - AFSF

𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗶'𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲. Mariam watches the rain destroy her potato crop. Months later, Ibrahim watches drought ruin his maize. Mali’s Bassin de Sikasso is caught between too much water and too little, and neither farmer can plan around it. 70% of the water flowing through the basin is lost to inefficiency. For farmers, the instinct is to clear land, switch crops, and dig further into shrinking forests. These are understandable responses, but they reflect something deeper: farmers adapt to increasingly difficult conditions without the coordinated support needed to plan for the future. Using the LandScale framework, SNV and the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), supported by the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development and #SoilValues, found that soil degradation, water loss, and land tenure were being treated as separate problems when they belonged to one interconnected system. Systems thinking is key. Our recommendations: closing crop yield gaps, improving water-efficiency systems, protecting natural areas, and targeted investment in social programmes. What does this look like in practice? Read here: https://lnkd.in/eb-6TNa8 AFS Forum UN Convention to Combat Desertification World Water Week

𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺: 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀, 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 As momentum builds towards UNCCD COP17 Mongolia and the AFS Forum, there is growing recognition that pastoral systems are central to resilient food systems. Beyond livestock production, these systems support rural economies, biodiversity, climate resilience, and the sustainable management of rangelands. Strengthening pastoral systems requires integrated approaches that connect landscapes, governance, markets, digital services, and local institutions. With our partners, SNV combines geospatial data with digital advisory services to help pastoralists make better decisions on where to find pasture and water—supporting more sustainable rangeland management, improved livestock productivity, and reduced competition over natural resources. From digital advisory services to landscape governance and market systems, our Pastoralism capability statement shows practical examples of how pastoral systems are being strengthened across Africa: https://lnkd.in/etNzGesx 𝗔𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀? #UNCCD #IYRP2026 #AFSForum

𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝗼, 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 “The mango is not just a crop. It is our future,” explains Coulibaly Mamadou, a mango farmer from a village near Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Last month, SNV's team in Burkina Faso, together with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Pieter Daniel Smidt van Gelder, and his delegation, visited the Guiriko region—beginning with discussions on development challenges and opportunities at the Regional Governor's Office, before continuing to project sites across the region. From orchard workers and transporters to sorting and drying staff, the mango sector is one of Burkina Faso’s largest rural employers. Estimates suggest that more than 374,000 people depend on mangoes for their livelihoods Yet, as the sector gears towards exports, local processing units lack the certifications needed to access European markets. While at the same time, farmers’ harvests, like Mamadou’s, are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In response, Green Mango for Better Livelihoods is promoting renewable energy, climate-smart farming, and international certifications to keep Burkina Faso’s mangoes competitive. The programme is creating opportunities across the value chain. Companies such as AFABEM, founded in 2022 by Mohamed Traoré, are converting mango processing by-products into animal and fish feed, with plans to nearly triple production capacity. Read more about the visit here: https://lnkd.in/dschWEN2 To learn more about Green Mango for Better Livelihoods, read this story: https://lnkd.in/e_xUF2aK