HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation.

HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation is an international network of independent affiliate member organisations working in the field of development cooperation and emergency response. Our vision is a just world in which all men and women determine the course of their lives in dignity and security, using environmental resources in a sustainable manner.

As a network, we promote the fundamental rights of individuals and groups and strengthen governments and other duty bearers in their service provision. The HELVETAS network builds upon six decades of development experience. With 1400 collaborators, it is engaged in more than 30 countries. The affiliated members share a common vision and mission and subscribe to common working principles and policies. The members implement joint development programmes and adhere to a common strategy including defined working approaches and thematic areas of intervention.

Development work in four continents

The main focus of our work is on international projects. HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation is committed to improving the living conditions of disadvantaged people in rural parts of Africa, Asia, South and Central America and Eastern Europe. The projects focus on the specific areas of Water and Infrastructure (water and sanitation, water for food, bridges and roads), Rural Economy (food, organic farming and Fairtrade), Environment and Climate Change (soils, forests, water and energy), Skills Development and Education (basic literacy and vocational training) and Governance and Peace (human rights and culture).

Giving the South a voice

Successful development not only requires activities in the South but also change in the North. For this, Helvetas draws on its broad support base in every language area of Switzerland. Helvetas uses its information and awareness-raising work, along with its FairShop, to inform the Swiss public about people’s living conditions and concerns in developing countries, and to persuade them to support development cooperation endeavours as well as to influence development policy in Switzerland.

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Amid growing awareness of climate change's influence on Andean economic activities, microfinance sector lacks sufficient climate-focused microcredit for smallholder farming families.

Innovation in the microfinance sector for resilient smallholder farming in Ecuador

Learn about how the Andes Resilientes project, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Ecological Transition (MAATE), is spearheading a transformative initiative within the framework of the National Climate Financing Strategy (EFIC) to tailor financial products for the unique needs of climate-vulnerable agriculture. 

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Climate information based on local needs to adapt small farmers to climate change

“El Niño” is knocking on our door: How can climate information help Andean families?

Learn about the Agroclimatic Management Platform model which seeks to strengthen agroclimatic governance to improve agricultural productivity in the Andes. It highlights the importance of family farmers being able to access information and practices that help them adapt their activities to climatic events.

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Leaders of the communities benefiting from APH Quinllunga in learning sessions on water management in the páramo

Community governance to conserve moor water as an adaptation measure in Ecuador

Discover how climate change and gender criteria are being integrated into Water Protection Areas (APH in Spanish) in Ecuador with the help of the Resilient Andes project guide. The guide aims to strengthen community governance and increase the climate resilience of family farming.

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Effective MEL systems to make visible adaptations progress in the Andes

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Systems for Adaptation Action in the Andes

Learn more about NAPs through this series of webinars organized by the Climate Change Resilient Andes covering Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, also bringing in experience from other regions, giving unique opportunities to exchange experiences, perspectives, and lessons learned on adaptation and MEL. 

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Panelists COP26 Side Event

The importance of equitable and fair access to climate finance as a theme at COP26

Local communities in the global south face the greatest impacts of climate change. They provide climate solutions based on their local knowledge without being targeted by climate finance funds.

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Andes resilientes

Andes Resilientes al Cambio Climático (Resilient Andes)

A project working to increase the resilience of the most vulnerable communities that live in the mountain ecosystems of the Andes to the effects of climate change and natural hazards.

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