G20 Digital Ministers’ Meeting
by Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General
05/08/2021
G20 DIGITAL MINISTERS’ MEETING
Statement
by
Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General
Trieste, 5 August 2021
Excellencies,
Dear Colleagues,
1. I am pleased to join you today for this timely discussion on digital transformation.
2. Digital technologies are having a profound impact on our economies and societies, and are transforming agricultural and food markets.
3. This transformation has been accelerated by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Connectivity has improved dramatically, but a digital divide remains,
5. between countries,
6. between rural and urban areas;
7. The Broadband Commission estimates that an investment of USD 428 billion is needed to achieve universal connectivity for all by 2030.
8. Collectively, we cannot bear the immense cost of this digital divide!
9. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that now, more than ever, connectivity is a pre-condition for social inclusion.
10. In rural areas, digital technologies can be leveraged to address multiple market failures and facilitate smallholder farmers’ integration into markets,
11. and to foster sustainable outcomes.
12. In particular, the digital gender divide in rural areas is producing multiple disadvantages for rural women.
Dear Colleagues,
13. As FAO Director-General 2 years ago, we have been working tirelessly to leverage digital technologies
14. for building a dynamic organization in FAO and promoting rural transformation on the ground.
15. Allow me to share with you four examples of our work at FAO.
16. First, with FAO’s Digital Services Portfolio, we are continuing to spearhead the holistic concept of a digital Organization within the UN family.
17. In the last 2 years, we have established a digital FAO that connects all employees and overcomes distances and time zones.
18. The Organization has shown an extraordinary capacity to move to the new working modalities for serving both our Members and employees during difficult times.
19. Second, we are working on developing the 1000 Digital Villages Initiative across the world.
20. In these villages, we bring all the elements of the digitalization needed to support agri-food systems transformation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,
21. by converting them into digital hubs.
22. For agricultural production, we are focusing on “e-Agriculture” for improving productivity through ICT and relevant digital solutions.
23. These include climate smart, precision and intelligent facility agriculture.
24. For farmers’ livelihoods, we are focusing on “Digital Farmer Services” to enhance farmers' accessibility to various social and economic services,
25. including financial services, social protection and employment.
26. These include digital finance, Fintech, digital-based agricultural insurance schemes and farm registries.
27. From the perspective of the villages, FAO is using “Digital Services” to support “rural transformation” which focuses on enhancing the delivery of public services in health, education, jobs, welfare and tourism, in terms of eco-tourism and agri-tourism.
28. Third, FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Geospatial Platform is a digital public good to create interactive data maps, analyse trends and identify real-time gaps and opportunities.
29. This Geospatial Platform enables the mapping of agricultural capabilities, highlighting the interaction of economic, social, and environmental variables to direct investment.
30. By doing so, it improves investment targeting and ensures that investments are channelled where they can have the most impact.
31. Fourth, FAO is focused on bringing together all stakeholders for a constructive dialogue on the use of digital technologies for agriculture.
32. FAO, together with Pontifical Academy for Life, Microsoft, IBM and the Italian Ministry for Technological Innovation and Digital Transition, has also made The Call for AI Ethics to promote an ethical approach to artificial intelligence.
Dear Colleagues,
33. In addition to the above, FAO’s International Platform for Digital Food and Agriculture will soon be operational.
34. The Platform will be a venue for dialogue, policy making, and strengthening of the linkages between agriculture and digital economy fora,
35. and to support governments to enhance the benefits of digital agriculture, while addressing potential concerns.
Excellencies,
36. FAO stands firmly committed to working in partnership for the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one.
37. This cannot be achieved without digital technologies.
38. Thank you.