Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)

Sida works according to directives of the Swedish Parliament and Government to reduce poverty in the world. The overall goal of Swedish development cooperation is to contribute to making it possible for poor people to improve their living conditions. Sida is organized in nine departments. Sida’s head office is located at Valhallavägen in Stockholm, but staff are also stationed in the partner countries. From January 1, 2011 Sida is organized in nine departments and the Director-General’s Office. Focus is on a more effective and efficient organization based on a flatter structure, with fewer managers. Sida is managed by a governing board with full responsibility. Swedish development cooperation is part of a global cooperation in which Sweden is one of many international participants. In order to carry out its work Sida cooperates with Swedish government agencies, organisations and associations and international bodies like the UN, the EU and the World Bank.

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland’s international cooperation agency within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). The goal of development cooperation is that of reducing poverty. It is meant to foster economic self-reliance and state autonomy, to contribute to the improvement of production conditions, to help in finding solutions to environmental problems, and to provide better access to education and basic healthcare services. For fifty years, Switzerland has been committed to combating poverty and creating better prospects for the future throughout the world. It was back on 17 March 1961 that the Federal Council chose the first Delegate of the Service for Technical Cooperation and thereby launched Switzerland’s development cooperation. SDC carries out its activities with an annual budget of CHF 1.73 billion (2011) and a staff of some 600 people in Switzerland and abroad, as well as 1000 local employees. The Agency engages in direct operations, supports programmes of multilateral organizations, and helps to finance programmes run by Swiss and international relief organizations in four operational areas: regional cooperation; global cooperation; Swiss cooperation with Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Royal Swedish Academy for Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA)

The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA) is a meeting place for the green sector. The Academy is a free and independent network organisation working with issues relating to agriculture, horticulture, food, forestry and forest products, fishing, hunting and aquaculture, the environment and natural resources, and with agricultural and forest history. This has been the task of the Academy since its foundation in 1811. The Academy has committees and working groups that continuously follow the development in their respective sectors. They take initiatives in specific questions, engage specialists for presentation of facts, and function as advisory bodies within the land based industries. The Forestry Section of the Academy deals with questions that directly concern silviculture and utilization of the forest as a natural resource, including industry and marketing in theory and practice, together with specific educational and advisory questions.