World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2021 ICTs for Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Societies and Economies

 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2021

ICTs for Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Societies and Economies

18 May 2021

Intervention by Dr QU Dongyu
Director-General, FAO

As prepared

Distinguished Guests,

Dear Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.          We live in challenging times. Over the last year, we have witnessed how the pandemic has affected our societies, our economies and our agri-food systems.  

2.          But the COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated the use of digital services in every sector.

3.          While connectivity has improved immensely, digital gaps remain across countries and communities – and this is nowhere more apparent than in agriculture.

4.          FAO is committed to harness the potential of digital technologies for food and agriculture in its work leading the global transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable
agri-food systems to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

5.          As co-facilitator of Action Line C7: E-Agriculture, FAO, together with the ITU and Zhejiang University, recently hosted a webinar on the benefits of rural e-commerce for smallholder farmers in terms of farm income and welfare.

6.          During this session, we launched the ´Digital Agriculture Report: Rural E-commerce: Experiences from China´, a joint work between FAO and Zhejiang University.

7.          The report showcases the experiences of business models and results of innovation in rural
e-commerce in China as a reference for other countries.

8.          The promotion of rural e-commerce accelerates the transformation of mobile phones into new agricultural tools to ‘reach the last mile’, helping small-scale and family farmers to benefit from economic and technological development. 

9.          FAO also continues to facilitate the e-Agriculture Community of Practice, which is a knowledge-sharing and capacity development platform with 18,700 registered users from more than 190 Member countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

10.       Agriculture is becoming data-driven and data-intensive, and this can improve efficiency and reduce negative environmental impacts.

11.       Information and Communication Technologies can help agriculture to:

• meet the growing demand for safe and nutritious food;
• better manage natural resources;
• contribute to high quality growth in productivity;
• ensure inclusion; and
• contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

12.       Our action needs to be collective and holistic in harnessing science, technology and innovation.

13.       We have introduced a number of programs and initiatives that help us to translate this vision into concrete support and delivery for our Members.

14.       These include FAO’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme, the flagship Hand-in-Hand Initiative, the International Platform for Digital Food and Agriculture, our 1 000 Digital villages Initiative, and our robust scientific and digital agenda.

15.       The UN Food Systems Summit in September this year is timely in galvanizing momentum and FAO continues to provide full support to the Summit’s preparatory process.

16.       To ensure a science- and evidence-based Summit, the UN established a Scientific Group, which focuses on the robustness, breadth and independence of the science that underpins the Summit and its outcomes.  

17.       On 8 and 9 July, FAO will co-host and facilitate the Scientific Group’s “Science Days”.

18.       The Science Days will focus on highlighting the centrality of science, technology and innovation for agri-food systems transformation, in support of the Food Systems Summit agenda, and to explore options for establishing a conducive science-policy interface.

Ladies and Gentlemen

19.       FAO’s new Strategic Framework for the next decade seeks to support the 2030 Agenda through the ‘Four Betters’: Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better life.

20.       The Four Betters underpin FAO’s contribution to the 2030 Agenda, with the guiding lens of SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger) and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities), as well as supporting the achievement of the broader SDG agenda. 

21.       This is both a tremendous responsibility and an unprecedented opportunity for all of us.  

22.       Let us work together to ensure that Digital Agriculture drives the transformation of agri-food systems necessary foreliminating hunger, reducing poverty and building a better future for all humankind.

23.       Thank you.