Switzerland: Campaign launch of the popular initiative “For a secure food supply”:
We have a warning system for drought and heat. But no national water strategy to secure our water supply.
On Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., the Swiss campaign for the popular initiative “For Safe Food” will officially launch with a press conference in Bern.
We cordially invite you to follow the press conference via livestream. You can also find the link on our WhatsApp channel if you would like to follow the press conference on your mobile phone. Subscribe to our WhatsApp channel here.
The following representatives will be speaking at the press conference in support of the “For Safe Food” initiative:
- Franziska Herren , initiator
- Gertrud Häseli, organic farmer
- Regulaüger , Dipl. Ing.-Agr. ETH
- Sabine Heselhaus , MD, Member of the Cantonal Parliament, Green Party, Canton of Lucerne
- David Jacobsen, Co-Head of Biodynamic Training Switzerland, Certified Farmer, Former Co-Manager of Gut Rheinau, 125 ha farm
- Roman Wiget , Co-President of the Drinking Water Association AWBR
- Klaus Lanz , chemist and water expert
We would be delighted to welcome you to the press conference next Thursday via livestream.
Food security and drinking water security are the foundation of our lives, our prosperity, our economy, and the security of our country. We depend on them – in normal times as well as in times of crisis.
We are experiencing another hot summer. Water is becoming scarce. We have a warning system for drought and heat , but no national planning or strategy to secure our water supply. This is alarming.
“In Switzerland, we still act as if we have water in abundance.”
This headline from the interview with water expert Klaus Lanz in “Das Magazin” sums up how Switzerland manages its water supply. “We urgently need a national water strategy. We must finally acknowledge that climate change is fundamentally altering the water regime,” says Klaus Lanz.
Agriculture is also unprepared for climate change , even though this was promised to the population nine years ago with the acceptance of the farmers’ association’s food security initiative. This jeopardizes harvests. Furthermore, agriculture is not structured in such a way as to guarantee the population’s food supply from domestic crops during crises and shortages – as required by Article 102 of the Swiss Constitution (national food supply). Sufficient arable land is legally guaranteed for this purpose.
Regarding our current food supply situation, Federal Councillor Parmelin stated at the press conference on Agricultural Policy 30+ : ” In Switzerland, people forget that if there’s a problem at the borders, we have nothing to eat every other day because we import. ” The main reason for this high dependence on foreign imports is the cultivation of feed corn for livestock on 60% of our arable land instead of plant-based food for people. Aim for
70% self-sufficiency, while improving the environment and reducing water consumption! Switzerland can be more than 100% self-sufficient. This is demonstrated by the study “Pathways to a Significant Increase in Self-Sufficiency with Reduced Environmental Impact,” recently published by Agrarforschung Schweiz (Swiss Agricultural Research) . To achieve this, more plant-based foods for human consumption would need to be grown on our arable land, instead of the current practice of growing feed corn for livestock. Grassland would continue to be used for meat and dairy production. Reducing food waste also automatically leads to greater self-sufficiency. At the same time, this improves the environment and reduces water consumption.
This is precisely the path taken by the “For a Secure Food Supply” initiative, enabling Switzerland to strive for a net self-sufficiency rate of 70%. The initiative calls for promoting the production and consumption of plant-based foods and ensuring soil fertility, biodiversity, and access to clean drinking water.
Currently, 75% of the 3.6 billion Swiss francs in agricultural subsidies support the production of animal-based foods, and 30% of our food ends up as waste!
Agricultural policy massively influences and favors the production and consumption of animal-based foods over plant-based foods. Only one-third of the plant-based foods we eat come from Switzerland; the rest are imported. Meanwhile, thousands of piglets are exported for slaughter as an emergency measure to reduce the massive overproduction of meat.
With our initiative “For a Secure Food Supply,” we are ensuring that agriculture is prepared for crises and climate change, and that our water supply is secured with a national water strategy. This will improve the environment and reduce water consumption. Furthermore, by promoting plant-based foods, the initiative creates new market opportunities and income sources for our farmers, strengthens the economy, and creates new jobs.
Please mobilize for a YES vote and help make this initiative a success! Many thanks for your commitment and best regards, Franziska Herren & Team
