Millions of smallholder farmers in developing countries produce the majority of the world’s food. But they themselves are most at risk of going hungry. We see huge inequalities of power in the way food is produced and distributed, exacerbated by unequal and insecure tenure of land and the growing impact of climate change.
SD=HS is the joint effort of Oxfam Novib and the world’s leading civil society organizations with a firm track record in the field of plant genetic resources to empower smallholder farmers. We enter into partnerships and invest in alliances with likeminded NGOs, government institutions, academic bodies and national breeding and research institutes. And we bring together expertise in quality seed development, policies and regulation, local seed enterprise development and public-private partnerships.
Our vision is a global food system that is just and sustainable. A global food system that supports the rights of smallholder farmers – men and women, that guarantees food and nutrition security and that promotes the sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity within the context of a changing climate.
Our mission is to support indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers – men, women and youth – for them to enjoy their Farmers’ Rights and to have the capacity to access, develop and use plant genetic resources to improve their food and nutrition security under conditions of climate change.
In eight countries we work together with the world’s leading civil society organizations. Our work focuses on four goals:
- Farmer’s crop improvement and adaptation
Resilient indigenous and farming communities are better able to access and sustainably use and maintain plant genetic resources for food and nutrition security, climate change adaptation and disaster management. - Farmer Seed Enterprises
Indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers enhance their livelihoods, income and seed security through improved production of and improved market access to high-quality seeds of diverse crops and varieties. - Nutrition and local food plants
Strengthen coping strategies of communities by increasing the intake of nutritious food based on local biodiversity and improved management of local food plants, also known as neglected and underutilised species (NUS) - An enabling policy environment
Policy makers and other stakeholders support an enabling policy and institutional environment for farmers’ seed systems and the implementation of Farmers’ Rights.
SD=HS is an initiative of Oxfam Novib, one of 20 affiliates of the Oxfam confederation. Oxfam Novib is a world-wide development organization that mobilizes the power of people against poverty. Around the globe, Oxfam Novib works to find practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of poverty and thrive.
