International Conference on Digital Agriculture "Vision for the Future: Transition to Digital Agriculture" Opening Statement
by Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General
06/05/2022
International Conference on Digital Agriculture
"Vision for the Future: Transition to Digital Agriculture"
Opening Statement
By
Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General
6 May 2022
Your Excellency, the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Excellences,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. I wish to thank the Government of Azerbaijan for organizing this important conference.
2. The world is currently facing many conflicts and humanitarian emergencies, together with the impacts of the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, which have led to economic downturns.
3. Global agrifood systems have been heavily affected by these shocks.
4. The latest edition of the Global Report on Food Crises, released a few days ago, indicates that there was a further significant increase in 2021 of people experiencing acute food insecurity.
5. This month, food prices, as we measure them by the FAO Food Price Index, reached a new all-time high.
6. During 2022, we expect global acute food insecurity to worsen, with likely localized famine.
7. These global challenges have forced us to reconsider our priorities and approaches, and highlighted the importance of more sustainable and resilient societies,
8. As well as the urgency of achieving the SDGs to secure food, health, education, a healthy environment, and a decent life for all.
9. We must urgently transform our agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable.
10. Data, digitalization and innovation are key accelerators to achieve this transformation, and are at the core of FAO’s actions across all our areas of work, in line with our mandate.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
11. I wish to commend Azerbaijan’s determination and efforts in harnessing the power of digital technologies for agrifood systems transformation.
12. The on-going partnership programme between FAO and Azerbaijan is critical to accelerate sustainable transformation.
13. With 10 million US Dollars in financial contribution by the government, investments have been made in agriculture with the objective to:
• One: increase productivity in livestock, crop (potato, and hazelnut) production;
• Two: inclusive agricultural growth by empowering women and young farmers and;
• Three: restructuring and strengthening capacities of rural advisory services.
14. FAO is committed to leveraging the potential of digital technologies to achieve the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.
15. Digital innovation can unlock employment opportunities, bridge the rural divide and empower youth and women to access information, technology and markets.
16. Digitalization and data use in agriculture supports evidence-based policy, planning and implementation to improve efficiency and reduce negative environmental impacts.
17. FAO has a key role to play in promoting the use and adoption of digital technologies to facilitate the transformation of agrifood systems.
18. We are contributing to the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation by championing Digital Public Goods,
19. And we also advise on and promote a policy agenda and policy investments to address the digital divide and “massify” digital benefits for all.
20. In these efforts, ensuring affordable access to everyone to digital technologies, digital literacy and digital public goods is of utmost importance.
21. Furthermore, FAO has introduced a number of programs and initiatives to provide concrete support and delivery for our Members.
22. 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.
23. We are also progressing effectively with the FAO 1000 Digital Villages Initiative across the world.
24. The initiative aims to convert villages across the world into digital hubs to support the acceleration of rural transformation and reduce the digital gap, including the gender and rural divide.
25. The Europe and Central Asia region presents a unique context for the implementation of the 1000 Digital Villages Initiative,
26. And FAO has been supporting several countries across the region in developing national digital agriculture strategies.
27. This will mark the first step to ensure delivery of meaningful services and data to people in rural areas, and to promote bottom-up technology-driven innovations.
28. FAO has also been assisting countries in designing, developing and deploying e-Government solutions for agriculture, such as identification systems for animal health, and farm accountancy data networks, as digital public goods.
29. FAO’s efforts are focused on bringing together all stakeholders for a constructive dialogue on the use of digital technologies for agriculture.
30. This includes identifying and scaling up existing good practices and digital innovations, as well as widely accepted policies on free access of open data, open models and open content in agriculture.
31. Developing human capital is essential to unleash the potential of digital agriculture.
32. With virtual learning centres and targeted digital literacy initiatives, FAO is strengthening the capacities of farmers and other actors to respond to the challenges of agrifood systems.
33. FAO’s International Platform for Digital Food and Agriculture will soon be operational.
34. The platform will serve as an inclusive multi-stakeholder forum to promote dialogue on digitalization, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge, best practices and policy approaches between stakeholders.
Dear Colleagues,
35. The challenges our agrifood systems face require our collective, efficient, effective and coherent action and response – we must do more, together.
36. I wish you fruitful discussions with successful outcomes.
37. Thank you.