SWIHA: The CGIAR Systemwide Initiative on HIV/AIDS and Agriculture

The Wake-up Call

Sub-Saharan Africa has been the region worst hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. For many years, the disease was perceived only as a health issue. Today, the negative impact of the disease is increasingly felt in all aspects of human development – health, economic growth, nutrition, food security and environment. 

At the 2000 international Centers Week of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), it was decided that CGIAR research Centers should intervene in mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS on food security, nutrition and economic development through agricultural research and development. This wake-up call is in line with a global effort in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic worldwide.

Goal 

The goal of SWIHA is to enhance the capacity of people to manage their agro- ecosystems in a sustainable fashion and improve their agriculture-based livelihood in the face of HIV/AIDS. 

Purpose

The purpose of SWIHA is to use the resources of the CGIAR Centers, in cooperation with institutions in developing countries and elsewhere, to contribute toward mitigating and preventing the spread and negative impact of HIV/AIDS on food security, the natural-resource base, poverty and human suffering. 

Framework

• Understand the links between HIV/AIDS and livelihood systems, agricultural production, natural-resource use, and food and nutrition security and social structures and communicate these issues to a wide range of decision-makers. 

• Develop and disseminate innovative policies, technologies and methodologies aimed at strengthening agriculture-based livelihood systems and R&D institutions faced with current or future HIV/AIDS impacts.

• Involving the CGIAR Centers in efforts aimed at mitigating and preventing the spread of AIDS, including support to relevant research agendas, selection and improvement of practices that improve human nutrition and health. 

• Step up efforts in information sharing, capacity building and response for national and international R&D agencies to the HIV/AIDS challenge.

• Ensure that CGIAR Centers have the best practices in place for their work force, and can serve as a role model for national systems.