Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

In order to address challenges and foster the development of digital agriculture it will be important not to have a generalized concept to address these challenges in different geographical zones. An analysis of a case by case study that takes a critical look at both the opportunities and challenges should be carried out. Apart from the enormous opportunities of digitalisation, a recent policy report on "Digital transformation of European industry" clearly identified risks such as how automation and digitalisation risk polarising work and labour market inequalities, challenges to taxation and social equality systems, escaled shortages in digital skills across the economy, the competitiveness of firms dependent on mastery of digitalisation, issues of privacy and ethics.

How can the establishment of the Digital Council address the numerous barriers to adoption of these technologies?

Digital Council can play a pivotal role in identifying the various adoption issues at a local level and try to give solutions at the local level. Depending upon the resource availability at various locations we should try to give solutions.

• Council can make it mandatory that the communication should be bidirectional, there should be a scope of the feedback system by which we can improve our self.
• By technological support, the Council can give solutions which will be real-time solutions or there should be a minimum time lap.
• Council can Help in merging various governmental, international and other parties to a single platform which caters their most of the needs making it an Inevitable "high utility" Need.
• Council can check duplication and Multiplicity of platforms from many such organisations.
• Council can give regulations for the interface, Data interpretability etc. To make it more easy for common operations and usage.

A case study "Farming Methods That Thrive in a Decarbonized World"

Technology is transforming nearly every aspect of our modern lives, and farming is no exception. The produce on your table tonight will have gotten there faster, fresher and more cost-effectively thanks to leading-edge technology in agriculture. However, farmers and farming face great threats including the production uncertainty of a changing climate and ecosystem impacts on the health of soils.

Agriculture research and the application of technology will become increasingly computerized in the decades ahead. Moisture sensors, drones, smart irrigation, terrain contour mapping, self-driving and GPS enabled tractors, advances in ecosystem services, and better soil management can help farmers produce food more sustainably.

See a presentation of the case here: https://vimeo.com/369924681 

Digital technology in agriculture should be driven by the need to make science based decisions.  The ecosystem service approach will help advance DT through data mining, modling and marketplace development in a way to meet the MEAs. The ESP has capitalized a substantial body of knowledge and tools that could be shaped to fit with precision farming. Creating an open team within ESP members is recommended.

What are the potential entry points for government to address challenges and foster the development of digital agriculture?

In many countries government has a good network of agricultural research institute, universities, marketing agencies and others. These organisations are working for many decades and they know about the local requirements and the other dynamics related to agriculture. They have collected huge data and other information. If that data can be utilised by converting into digital format for getting the in-depth information then it will be a better option. There are many issues  when we are working with governments especially in the case of developing countries corruption, education, political instability, economic inequality are very common. If the present plan is Implemented in a proper way along with giving proper training to the participating staff members. Then the Council will be able to drop at successful in achieving their objectives

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To Q1, I propose some differentiation and new elements to highlight the challenges:

- digital literacy for skills development should address better cooperation with mobile companies (PPP), vocational schools as well as well organised farmer organisations, ideally at national a/o local level.

- the rural/urban divide should be added in bullet 6

- research and science-based information (in the form of R&D) can enhance the trust of information, hence the need to cooperate with research institutes interesetd in promoting education and skills for farmers.

To Q2, the principles highlighted may still be improved. My proposal:

- to add: (i) be accountable; (ii) subsidiary, i.e. the higher level of the Council should only intervene if the lower is not capable to do it; (iii) The main production systems should be differentiated, as the required knowledge/information need is often very specific to the production system. At least the distinction between industrial/big farming and agroecology/organic/smallholder farming should be made.

- the DC should operate more as a network than a hierarchical structure and so encourage the open sharing of experiences between regions and countries. The focus of the DC should be on enhancing the framework conditions by taking a leadership role, promoting pilotes and communicate effectively.

- under "neutral": the DC has not to accelerate digital agriculture, but to assure that the sector makes best use of it.

- under "be accessible". It is not the role (and competency) of DC only to make DA available and affordable, but together with the private sector (service providers) and the farmers communities.

To Q3, I think that the 3 key ecosystem gaps are fine for defining the roles for the DC. But what I miss is the distinction into the anticipated 4 levels, i.e. local, national, regional and global. See above my comment on decentralization and subsidiarity principles.

To Q4: An alternative model would be a network architecture, where the Secretariate would provide and receive information from the regional and national nodes, and the EC just be responsible for strategic decisions. All operational decisions should be regional, national and local. Desigend as it is, the public sector has too much weight and risks to end in a bureacratic and static organisation, not following the fast technological and social developments.

In order to be successful, we must take in account the digital divide that exists in the country side and farm lands.

Agricultors, farmers and land workers must have access to the internet and to basic digital technologies.

If we want innovation, we must think in creative ways to close the digital gap between users in cities and the farms.

Do the farmers have access to the internet?

Do the farmers have access to electricity, solar, wind, batteries, etc?

Do the farmers have the skills to navigate the electronic frontier with laptops or phones?

How are we to integrate the high level decisions from planners and governments to the farmer?

Community Health Workers around the world have been looking for practical solutions the integration of technology and primary health care.

Marco Meneses

Establishing an international digital council for agriculture and food can be an extremely important tool for sharing information, networking, researching markets, pricing and sharing projects of successes, lessons and challenges.

I fully agree with this FAO mechanism to lead this process, as digitization will drive and revolutionize increased production and productivity to ensure food security.

I would like to call on FAO to create ways that in developing countries this concept will be broader even in rural areas and for Mozambique, where about 80% of the population depends on agriculture could create a new approach and stimulus.

Dear all,

We would like to draw your attention to the recording of the webinar “Towards the establishment of an International Digital Council for Food and Agriculture”, which you can access here:  http://fao.adobeconnect.com/pk5hyp77z92o/

The webinar complemented this online discussion and took place last week. It featured a presentation by Mr. Samuel Varas, Director of the Information Technology Division at FAO. His presentation was followed by a question and answer session moderated by Ms. Meng Zeng, Information Technology Officer at FAO. 

Your FSN Forum Team

Contribution received through the e-Agriculture platform

Question 1

The challenges are definitely inconclusive.... As an on-going initiative that seek inputs from stakeholders, the needs for different communities are expected to change over time. An important aspect for the council will be to effectively liaise with national governments to build their "analog infrastructures" that will support the envisaged digital solutions in the new 'Digital Council for Food and Agriculture'. How close the operations of the Council be to the end users will be crucial in its delivery.

Question 2

Perhaps an opportunity for cross-fertilisation of ideas through trainings and workshops on a regular basis (in both virtual and real platforms). It will be ideal to have branches of the Digital Council in strategic locations that are close to the people geographically.