G/AG/N/CHE/8 6 
30 August  2018 
(18-5413) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Agriculture  Original:  French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following submission, dated  27 August  2018, 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 2017. 
 
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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/8 6 
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  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 201 7 
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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 2013 . Swiss 
food assistance consists of cash contributions and deliveries of dairy products of Swiss origin . 
 
The provision of food assistance in emergency and chronic situations 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 keep ing with 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 through 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 Pr ogramme (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 increa se its contributions to the WFP  significantly, from approximately 
CHF 50  million  in 2008 to CHF 77.8 million  in 201 7. 
 
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 (DPRK) 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 APPROPRIAT E 
CONCESSIONAL TERMS  
All Swiss food aid is provided on fully grant terms . 
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  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 t o 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 thei r capacity to assume greater responsibility and ensuring their development by 
their own means . 
 
Switzerland's official development assistance (ODA) amounted to CHF 3.05 billion  in 2017, 
representing a decrease of 14% by comparison with 2016. Switzerland's ODA comes mainly from 
the budgets of the SDC  (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation ) and SECO ( Economic 
Cooperation and Development Division of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs ), the two 
entities responsible for implementing  the Federal Act on International Development Cooperation 
and Humanitarian Aid  and the Federal Act on Cooperation with the States of Eastern Europe . Other 
federal offices, as well as the cantons and some 200 communes, are also involved in Switzerland's 
international cooperation.  
 
3.2  Technical and 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 ten subject 
areas . It tailors priorities to the requirements of its 2 1 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 institu tions; and (ii) multilateral cooperation 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 count ries in transition  
Through cooperation 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 contrib ute to the political and economic reform 
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 em ergency assistance by the SDC  
The SDC'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, during 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 humanitarian organizations . 
The SDC also supports non -governmental humanitarian organizations working in the field . G/AG/N/CHE/8 6 
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  Table 1 – Funds allocated to LDCs and NFIDCs for food and nutrition assistance (CHF ) 
Country  In cash1, 2 In kind  Total2 
Afghanistan  1,640,313 0 1,640,313 
Algeria  754,454 1,500,000 2,254,454 
Angola  0 0 0 
Bangladesh  1,991,870 0 1,991,870 
Bolivia ( Plurinational State of ) 0 0 0 
Burkina Faso  0 755,015 755,015 
Burundi  26,121 475,439 501,560 
Cabo Verde, Republic of  0 0 0 
Cameroon  0 34,541 34,541 
Central African Republic  484,168 0 484,168 
Chad 973,188 177,786 1,150,974 
Colombia  1,227,772 0 1,227,772 
Congo, Democratic Republic of the  1,056,607 0 1,056,607 
Côte d'Ivoire  0 451,724 451,724 
Cuba 392,392 902,091 1,294,483 
Djibouti  0 0 0 
Ethiopia  2,919,563 0 2,919,563 
Guinea  0 26,250 26,250 
Haiti 2,167,029 1,290,595 3,457,624 
Indonesia  0 0 0 
Iraq 973,188 0 973,188 
Kenya  766,870 0 766,870 
Lebanon  0 25,991 25,991 
Madagascar  1,297,148 1,665,250 2,962,398 
Mali 1,478,944 0 1,478,944 
Myanmar  3,212,982 0 3,212,982 
Nepal  0 0 0 
Nicaragua  -16,064 1,000,000 983,936 
Niger  1,215,756 0 1,215,756 
Nigeria  298,780 0 298,780 
North Korea  0 0 0 
Occupied Palestinian territories  2,175,110 0 2,175,110 
Office for the Middle  East and Eastern Europe  887,355 0 887,355 
Office for West Africa  3,893,718 0 3,893,718 
Pakistan  260,717 500,000 760,717 
Senegal  0 216,850 216,850 
Somalia  1,207,632 0 1,207,632 
South Africa  5,679,100 0 5,679,100 
South Sudan  2,781,422 2,789,100 5,570,522 
Sudan  939,569 2,503,205 3,442,774 
Syrian Arab Republic  1,609,875 0 1,609,875 
Tanzania  0 92,133 92,133 
Togo 0 212,170 212,170 
Uganda  166,134 0 166,134 
Ukraine  0 0 0 G/AG/N/CHE/8 6 
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  Country  In cash1, 2 In kind  Total2 
Yemen  4,382,246 0 4,382,246 
Zimbabwe  0 119,677 119,677 
Total2 46,763,637 14,737,816 61,501,453 
Source : World Food Programme (WFP) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC )/ 
10 January 2016 . 
1 Figures converted from US dollars into Swiss francs on the basis of the average exchange rate for 
2017 according to the IMF (US$1 = CHF 0.98). 
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 . 
 
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