G/AG/N/CHE/81  
29 September  2017 
(17-5215) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Agriculture  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following submission, dated  20 September 2 017, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Switzerland . The notification concerns actions taken within the framework of the 
Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on 
Least -Developed and Net Food -Importing Developing Countries  (Table NF:1 ) for the calendar 
year 2015 . 
 
_______________  
 
 
In accordance with the notification requirements within the framework of the Decision on Measures 
Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least -Developed and Net 
Food-Importing Countries (Table NF:1 ), the following provides details of Switzerland's 
programmes in favour of such countries . 
  G/AG/N/CHE/81  
- 2 - 
  Table NF:1  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 16:2 OF THE AGREEMENT: MONITORING OF THE 
FOLLOW -UP TO THE DECISION ON MEASURES CONCERNING THE POSSIBLE  
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE REFORM PROGRAMME ON LEAST -DEVELOPED  
AND NET FOOD -IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: SWITZERLAND  
REPORTING PERIOD: CALENDAR YEAR 2015  
______________________________________________________________________________  
 
1  QUANTITY OF FOOD AID PROVIDED TO LEAST -DEVELOPED AND NET 
FOOD -IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
Switzerland has been a contracting party to the Food Assistance Convention since 2012 . Swiss 
food assistance consists of cash contributions and deliveries of dairy products of Swiss origin . 
 
The provision of food assistance in emergency and chronic situati ons is one of the decisive ways in 
which Switzerland's humanitarian mandate to save human lives and alleviate suffering is being 
implemented . By addressing world food security challenges, Switzerland demonstrates a global 
perspective that is in keeping wit h the Zero Hunger Challenge of the Secretary -General of the 
United Nations and the dual food security strategy . Food assistance is complemented by 
Switzerland's global advocacy efforts and its commitment to tackling the root causes of hunger, for 
example t hrough support to agricultural research, promotion of small -scale farmers and reduction 
of post -harvest losses . 
 
In the area of food assistance, Switzerland works in close partnership with international 
organizations, in particular the World Food Programme  (WFP) . Of all the UN programmes and  
funds, the WFP receives the largest amount of Swiss humanitarian aid . The 2008 global food crisis 
prompted Switzerland to significantly increa se its contributions to the WFP  from approximately 
CHF 50  million  in 2008 to CHF 81.5 million  in 2015.  
 
In-kind contributions consist of dairy products of Swiss origin . These are distributed in order to 
supplement diet, notably in the framework of school food projects and in healthcare facilities . The 
aim is to improve nutrition in emergency situations and cases of severe malnutrition . Deliveries of 
dairy products of Swiss origin therefore help to prevent the mental and physical harm caused by 
malnutrition . For the period 2013 to 2016, the Swiss Parliament approved a cre dit of  
CHF 20 million  per year for the purchase of Swiss dairy products in kind for the most vulnerable 
populations . Swiss donations of dairy products are distributed by Swiss NGOs and the World Food 
Programme, for example in the Democratic People's Republ ic of Korea and Sudan . 
 
Food aid is not allocated on the basis of the criteria of "least -developed countries" (LDCs) or "net  
food-importing developing countries" (NFIDCs) . Swiss funds for food assistance operations are 
instead allocated in accordance with the following criteria : needs (populations affected, urgency 
and lack of funds), potential synergies with other Swiss programmes, or the presence of  a Swiss 
cooperation office . 
 
2  INDICATION OF THE PROPORTION IN FULLY GRANT FORM OR APPROPRIATE 
CONCESSIONAL T ERMS  
All Swiss food aid is provided on fully grant terms . 
 G/AG/N/CHE/81  
- 3 - 
  3  TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER PARAGRAPH 3(III) OF THE 
DECISION  
3.1  Switzerland's official development assistance (ODA)  
The overall aim of Swiss international cooperation is to foster global sustainable development with 
a view to reducing poverty and global risks . Through its development aid, Switzerland supports the 
work of developing countries with a view to improving the standard of living of their people, 
strengthening their capacity to as sume greater responsibility and ensuring their development by 
their own means . 
 
Switzerland's official development assistance (ODA) amounted to CHF 3.43 billion  in 2015 and saw 
an average annual increase of 84% over the period 2012-2014. A number of federa l departments, 
cantons and communes are involved in funding Swiss ODA, while two federal offices are 
responsible for planning and implementing international cooperation activities : the Swiss Agency 
for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Economic Coo peration and Development Division 
of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) . The SDC is responsible for humanitarian aid 
and, in concert with the SECO, for cooperation with the South as well as with Eastern  Europe and  
CIS countries . 
 
3.2  Technical a nd financial assistance to developing countries  
The SDC is responsible for the general coordination of technical and financial assistance to 
countries and regions of the South, namely the majority of low -income countries . The SDC 
organizes more than 800 development cooperation programmes and projects covering nine subject 
areas . It tailors priorities to the requirements of its 20 partner countries and regions in the South . 
With a view to attaining sustainable development, the SDC's work is underpinned by gender 
equality and good governance . The SDC's development cooperation is twofold : (i) bilateral 
cooperation with priority countries and regions, i.e. S tate bodies, civil society, private -sector 
players and research institutions ; and (ii) multilateral coop eration with UN agencies, international 
financial institutions and global networks and funds . 
 
The SECO implements the economic and trade policy measures related to development 
cooperation with middle -income countries in particular . Its main priority is to  support sustainable 
economic, ecological and social growth, which helps to reduce poverty and inequality . Economic 
development is based on cooperation with specialized international organizations . 
 
3.3  Cooperation with countries in transition  
Through cooperat ion with the former socialist states in the Western Balkans, the South Caucasus 
and Central Asia, the SDC and SECO both lend their support to a sustainable transition towards 
democracy and the market economy . They contribute to the political and economic r eform 
processes in the fields of public administration and services, healthcare, water and energy supply, 
vocational training geared towards the labour market, and promotion of the private sector . 
 
3.4  Humanitarian aid and emergency assistance by the SDC  
The S DC's humanitarian aid operations constitute an expression of solidarity by Switzerland 
towards groups of people in distress and are not subject to any geographic restrictions . The SDC 
works to protect the interests of vulnerable population groups before, d uring and after periods of 
conflict, crisis or natural disaster . Preventive and awareness -raising measures also play a key role 
in this respect . 
 
Swiss emergency assistance takes a number of forms : the mobilization of specialists from the 
Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) and other crisis units ; the distribution of food aid through 
Swiss relief agencies and the World Food Programme (WFP) ; and the granting of financial support 
to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) activities and UN hu manitarian organizations . 
The SDC also supports non -governmental humanitarian organizations working in the field . 
 G/AG/N/CHE/81  
- 4 - 
  Table 1 – Funds allocated to LDCs and NFIDCs for food and nutrition assistance (in CHF ) 
Country  In cash1,2 In kind  Total2 
Afghanistan  1,891,844  0 1,891,844  
Algeria  596,769  2,433,538  3,030,307  
Angola  0 59,109  59,109  
Bolivia  0 3,927  3,927  
Burkina Faso  0 841,049  841,049  
Burundi  260,869  526,304  787,173  
Cabo Verde, Republic of  0 1,280,195  1,280,195  
Cameroon  521,739  0 521,739  
Central African Republic  481,975  0 481,975  
Chad 1,565,785  171,935  1,737,720  
Colombia  1,460,869  0 1,460,869  
Congo, Democratic Republic of  the 1,842,233  0 1,842,233  
Côte d'Ivoire  0 571,936  571,936  
Cuba 27,810  1,378,226  1,406,036  
Djibouti  4,729  133,719  138,448  
Ethiopia  6,037,573  0 6,037,573  
Guinea  0 25,105  25,105  
Haiti 1,460,869  341,431  1,802,300  
Indonesia  0 6,093  6,093  
Iraq 1,975,308  0 1,975,308  
Kenya  1,814,401  11,686  1,826,087  
Lebanon  0 28,202  28,202  
Liberia  0 0 0 
Madagascar  1,461,450  1,479,936  2,941,386  
Mali 1,336,162  55,277  1,391,439  
Myanmar  3,335,876  0 3,335,876  
Nepal  782,422  0 782,422  
Nicaragua  48,869  1,276,739  1,325,608  
Niger  758,348  0 758,348  
Nigeria  493,827  0 493,827  
North Korea  913,761  5,538,462  6,452,223  
Occupied Palestinian territories  1,043,479  0 1,043,479  
Office for Latin America and the Caribbean  0 0 0 
Office for the Middle East and Eastern Europe  7,546, 967 0 7,546, 967 
Office for West Africa  3,294,629  0 3,294,629  
Pakistan  521,739  0 521,739  
Romania  0 0 0 
Rwanda  366,469  0 366,469  
Senegal  0 0 0 
Sierra Leone  0 0 0 
Somalia  987,655  0 987,655  
South Africa  0 2,540 2,540 
South Sudan  5,604,675  202,301  5,806,976  
Sri Lanka  0 0 0 
Sudan  3,893,482  3,080,775  6,974,257  G/AG/N/CHE/81  
- 5 - 
  Country  In cash1,2 In kind  Total2 
Syrian Arab Republic  3,420,657  0 3,420,657  
Tanzania  0 0 0 
Togo 0 200,160  200,160  
Ukraine  73,265  4,650  77,915  
Yemen  1,826,087  0 1,826,087  
Zimbabwe  1,015,567  123,267  1,138,834  
Total2: 58,668, 162 19,776, 562 78,444, 724 
Source : World Food Programme (WFP) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC ). 
1 Figures converted from US dollars into Swiss francs on the basis of the average exchange rate for 
2015 according to the IMF (US$1 = CHF 0.96). 
2 In the context of certain projects, in -kind food aid is not paid in the same year as it is provided and 
the calculation of in -cash food aid may therefore give rise to negative figures . This method does, 
however, e nsure that payments are not recorded more than once . 
 
__________