Dare to Share is a project of SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation). SDC mandated AGRIDEA (Swiss Center for Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, formerly LBL) with the preparation and organisation of the fair. Here a short portrait of the two involved institutions:

SDC at a glance The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland’s international cooperation agency within the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Together with other federal offices, SDC is responsible for overall coordination of development activities and cooperation with Eastern Europe, as well as humanitarian aid. SDC employs a staff of 500 people to carry out its activities in Switzerland and abroad, with an annual budget of CHF 1.2 billion (2002). The agency undertakes direct actions, supports the programmes of multilateral organisations, and helps to finance programmes run by Swiss and international aid organisations in the following areas: Bilateral and multilateral development cooperation Humanitarian aid, including the Swiss Humanitarian Relief Unit (SHA) Cooperation with Eastern Europe The aim of development cooperation is to alleviate poverty by helping people in partner countries to help themselves. Development activities focus on promoting economic and governmental autonomy, improving production conditions, helping to solve environmental problems, and providing better access to education and basic health care for the most disadvantaged groups in society. Bilateral development cooperation concentrates on 17 priority countries and 4 special programmes in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Approximately 800 projects are currently in operation. At the multilateral level, SDC collaborates in particular with UN organisations, the World Bank, and regional development banks. The aim of humanitarian aid is to save lives and alleviate suffering. The Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA), with its own personnel, provides direct relief in the wake of natural disasters and during emergencies arising from violent conflicts. Support is given, also financially, to partner organisations engaged in humanitarian activities. Humanitarian aid is provided wherever the need for it is greatest, with prevention, rescue, survival, and reconstruction being the core areas of intervention. While humanitarian aid can be offered globally, its emphasis in the year 2002 is on 16 regions. In the year 2001 the SHA undertook approximately 430 missions in 56 countries. The aim of cooperation with Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is to provide support for the transition to democracy and a market economy, by means of knowledge transfer and assistance in problem solving. Technical cooperation with Eastern Europe focuses primarily on South Eastern Europe and the CIS. In addition, there are special programmes in the Republic of Yugoslavia (including Kosovo). Approximately 150 projects in 11 priority countries are currently in operation. More Information about SDC at www.deza.admin.ch

AGRIDEA at a glance AGRIDEA (formerly called LBL) is one of two competence centres for agricultural extension and rural development in Switzerland. AGRIDEA works in Switzerland and in international development cooperation. Mandates from Switzerland's Federal Office for Agriculture account for a substantial portion of AGRIDEA's assignments and funding. As a training and resource which provides information, documentation and advisory and support services, it is our mission to help to develop feasible, innovative approaches on and around farms and in rural environments. Based on a broad experience as a reference centre for rural development within Switzerland, SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation) mandated AGRIDEA with a support project called "advisory services and rural development" for its programmes in countries in the South and East. AGRIDEA's Department for International Development Cooperation is carrying out this mandate. The International Team supports people and institutions in rural areas across the world to cope with change by advising, training, process coaching and facilitating information. The combination of professional experience with excellent communication capability and enthusiasm makes this team unique. The team members bank on their long working experience in developing countries, countries in transition and industrialised countries. Its work is characterised by respecting other human beings and their environment as well as a high emphasis on quality. More Information about AGRIDEA at http://www.agridea-lindau.ch/ and http://www.agridea-international.ch/

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