Researcher Diaries: Network for Water and Life – Research Collaboration between Switzerland and West Africa

One year ago, I spent a week in Ghana working on water-related ecosystem research, together with 22 students from different academic and cultural backgrounds. This experience made me more aware than ever that agriculture alone is not enough to improve food security (Sustainable development Goal (SDG) 2). Water (SDG6) is not only a central production factor influencing availability of, access to, and stability of food, but also a health system component (SDG3) affecting food utilisation and nutritional intake. 

Sharing perspectives, knowledge and expertise with students, international experts, and local stakeholders on various water related challenges, helped me to experience first-hand the importance of the global partnership (SDG17) for sustainable development. Today, this collaboration continues in the context of digitalization and COVID-19 through participative workshops aimed at developing and proposing e-learning solutions tailored to West Africa.

The project described in the diary was implemented as part of BHF-HAFL’s collaboration with NEWAL, Network for Water and Life.

Researcher Diaries

The new Researcher Diaries series provides photo snapshots and testimonials from researchers and students participating in BFH-HAFL and partner field projects all over the world.