Ueli, what do you enjoy most about your work?

I think we find most joy in our work if we see it move forward and of course if we even see it yield and prosper. In my last assignment in Tanzania I and my colleagues dealt mainly with operational issues such as funding, planning, facilitation of program implementation, monitoring, evaluation, policy dialogue and communication in the country. I silently enjoyed the result of each of these activities of cooperation with our partners. - What I particularly like and enjoy are encounters with our stakeholders and discussions on observations of program activities that lead to a deepened understanding of what we jointly aim to achieve and of where solutions to joint challenges lie. 

As a focal point I now commit to a new pallet of tasks. In my new position, my satisfaction will derive mainly from our progress in knowledge management and in the facilitation of cross-institutional learning with and through as many network members as possible - professionals from implementation, facilitation and development agencies, research and training institutes, international organizations, and increasingly also from partner governments, private sector and other stakeholders.

I see most potential to inspire, improve or change thinking, dialogue and practices in the interfaces of the working field of our network. Themes like health, market development, employment, urbanization, mechanization, digitization, transport, climate change, environment, disaster risk reduction and water come to mind.

Which are your favorite instruments?

In modern development cooperation it is our challenge to become pragmatic and positively thinking and acting integrators. While we all have our own expertise, we need to integrate the expertise of others, all kinds of tools and instruments in our continuous work. In agriculture and land-use we bring “our own” instruments to increase the productivity of food systems and integrate them with tools that have another and possibly also a wider economic, ecologic or social logic.

Calling to mind programs that I consider both most successful and most sustainable regarding upscaling and impact, I would like to highlight the Market Systems Development Approach (MSD) and the Climate Change, Environment and Disaster Risk Integration Guidelines (CEDRIG). Both are very important instruments that help us to approach development issues systemically and force us and our partners to be realistic in our planning by overcome our own biases regarding the economic, social, political or ecological potential of an idea based on a solid analysis of market structures and future risks.

Your message for your colleagues is:

Apart from breathing and drinking safe water, food security and safety are two of the most basic needs of every man and woman, from their first day up to their last. How well they are satisfied shapes their lives and their societies.

Food Systems are challenged by population growth and climate change. It is important to remain positive and to continue working towards a dignified life for all with more equal changes to thrive and succeed. Learning allows us to do our jobs better - it is a must. Please make time to share your insights and questions with us, if you do it thoughtfully, you will feed our joint hunger to proceed, to compete, to cooperate and to share.

Ueli Mauderli is the newly appointed Focal Point of the Agriculture and Food Security Network. Until last year, he was working in the Embassy of Switzerland in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, focusing on rural-urban value chains (processing of plant and animal products), market and skills development in agriculture and forestry, and the support of sectoral advocacy associations for smallholder producers’ interests. He has been working for SDC, amongst other positions, as the Focal Point of the SDC Climate Change and Environment network. He studied forest sciences in the Federal Institute of Polytechnics of Zurich (ETHZ).

Contact information: Ueli Mauderli, ueli.mauderli@eda.admin.ch