Schneider Monika

Activity areas

Eastern Europe, Latin America
Project management
Inspection and certification
Market development
Institutional building
Training
Low input agriculture
Plant production

Projects

Organic certification in Romania, set up of a Romanian inspection and certification body, Ecoinspect
International market study for organic products from Ukraine
Enhancing marketing opportunities for organic and fair trade products from Central America, Ecomercado
Organic land use- and Mycorrhiza-based participatory development of sustainable land use and livelihood systems in agroecosystems of the humid tropics

Training / professional career

Since 2003 at FiBL
2002 - 2004: Training in mediation, (Modulare Ausbildung Mediation) Swiss Development and cooperation (SDC), Inmedio,
1995 - 2003 Program officer in the NGO Swiss Labour Assistance (Schweizerisches Arbeiterhilfswerk), responsible for the development co-operation program in Central America (Nicaragua and El Salvador). Main subjects: Professionalisation of agricultural cooperatives, land rights, sustainable resource management, organic coffee production and commercialisation, credit systems, gender work and empowerment of women, fight for violence free life for women and children, support of training programs of unions, human and civil rights. Humanitarian aid and reconstruction after Hurricane Mitch.
Since 1997 auditor for FiBL-Kontrolldienst and later on Bio.inspecta: inspection of farms in Switzerland, governmental regulations for agro environmental programs, animal welfare, organic production and private regulation Biosuisse, KAG.
1990 - 1994: Expert in a Swiss Development cooperation (SDC) project in the governmental agricultural extension service in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar. Main subjects: participative approach of the extension service, sustainable resource management, erosion, watershed management, agro forestry.
1987 - 1988: staff member of NGO Servicios Multiples de Technologias Apropiadas (SEMTA) in La Paz, Bolivia. Main subjects: Training and advisory work for horticulture, potatoes (seed funds), fodder corps in the Andes (Altiplano).
1987 - 1989: postgraduate study of international development cooperation, (NADEL) at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich.
1979 - 1985: Study of agricultural engineer with specialisation in plant production, at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zürich.

Membership in advisory bodies / other activities

Member of the project commission "Brücke Le Pont?