Foro Global sobre Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (Foro FSN)

I consider that the first stumbling block towards the adoption of Digital Agriculture is as follows:

Question 1. What are the potential entry points for governments to address challenges and foster the development of digital agriculture?

Proposed information for the concept note – The challenges that face our global food and agricultural system are enormous and some entry points that governments have to address are:

Access to information in Local and Regional Languages with access to translation software: There is no access to information in Local and Regional Languages and, in particular, to technical and non-technical knowledge of the agri-tech industry.

Incorrect selection of affordable of Appropriate; Adapted & Applied Low-Cost Solutions: There is no question of innovative interventions excluding the poorest of the poor if correct Soft, Self-Help Technologies are presented through Videos and Step By Step Guides with Local Language Live Support through Video Calls.

Yours Sincerely

Timur

Question 1: 

• Use of blanket recommendation: in most developing countries farmers are not in a position to make informed and appropriate decision to apply any agricultural inputs rather farmers are forced to use a blanket recommendation without knowing the type and amount of nutrients lack to his/her soil. Mostly agriculture professionals recommend based on the research findings done somewhere else.
• How much farmers especially in developing countries will have access to the technology better to be considered.
• Not only socio-economic divides but also socio-cultural divides is better to be considered.
• Data quality should be considered boldly.

Question 2: 

• Be loyal: the digital council shall be loyal to give constant support or allegiance to the rural community.
• Transparent and fairness.

Question 3

The proposed concept note might have difficulties to link Role 1 (Building a Central Knowledge Hub) and Role 2 (Policy and Regulatory Framework for Digitalization) when it comes to ground level. Role 1 keeps an interaction of Farmer - Technology – Council, whereas Role 2 keeps nation(s) only and this leads more chances to formulate a top-down approach again. Is there any room that we can bring the nation into Role 1?

Question 1. What are the potential entry points for government to address challenges and foster the development of digital agriculture?

• Add: Inadequate availability and accessibility of open data and lack of open data ecosystems
• Increase of socio-economic divides: Not only between countries, but also within countries / societies themselves!
• Low affordability is not necessarily restricted to new solutions. Business models are required that reduce barriers and can bring solutions to scale, whether new or old.
• Data ownership: Add “data protection”

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Question 4

When we are talking about open data, open source, open APIs, and closing the digital divide, it is important to also consider open governance structures as an alternative.

 The proposed structure is very Top Down and Top Heavy. The Executive Council who  "ultimately decides" everything is far removed from working groups, implementation, monitoring, and avisory aspects and their accountability stucture is not presented. It looks like an old political model, which is not the norm in the digital sector lead by global public agencies.

Alternative structures formed around participatory and open governance models have been endorsed by multiple UN and partner agencies (including FAO) in the Digital Principles. They are prefered by UN Innovation Network, Open Goverment Partnerships (74 National Governments, and 20 local governments are members), Transparancy International have delivered important results in countries as well as globally. Open Governance models are critical and feasible for this council since it aims for digital transformation also at the grassroots. An executive council, removed from practice, ultimately making decisions, with a pre-dermined number of seats (21) is not going to create this transformation and looks to be motivated by political reasons rather than needs, evidence and results.

Key pillars for open governance have already been identified and have also been implemented  (e.g. colaboration, participation, transparancy, accountability) and are gaining traction in countries. A Secretariate, Community Interest Groups, Technology Interest Groups, Peer-support groups, and Working groups with independant reporting structures is an alternative model. Ultimately decisions should rest with Data, Evidence, and Results shared and discussed with transparancy, including with those who are more vulnerable and are affected the most by these policies.

I would like to suggest an open governance structure as an alternative.

Contribution received through the e-Agriculture platform

Question 1

Most governments in the developing countries tend to move slow on new technologies. Take the case of drone technology and the rigid processes entailed in their importation. There is a big scare in line with security and this has rustrated innovators.

There is a need to relax this.

Question 2

The digital council shall liaise with Governments in multiple ways to encourage them to embrace technology. Without doubt, the council's influence can create a bigger impact in terms of policy and agenda setting.

Contribution received through the e-Agriculture platform

Question 1

1. A serious need is village officers needs to be trained in to the technologies,and deliver same to the agriculture community.
2. Start a tab-in smart phone,and let the regional connectivity,digital/video/radio connectivity-interactive to e established.
3. Insurance companies needs to be linked to the owner/or land holder along with their Adahar or social security number.
4. Village development officers shall be able to byepass the immediate bosses when needed.
5. In put materials needs to be inside roofed buildings,having-silos,bins etc.Modernise the age old systems for people to use.[Bins-silos were in every house at least 70 years back]

Question 2

Farming solutions-shall be digitalized[1]available-region wise[2]area wise[3]technology used for seedlings to harvesting shall have no importance.

[a]The importance shall be food security

[b]less use of water

[c]conserve water for drinking purposes

[d]Escaping by saying the veternary doctor deals with the cows and buffalows

[e]Humans find no medicines -for masquitos,and other NCD

[f]Good communication with all the requiremnts of the farmer needs to be digitalised

[g]The money transfers shall be digitalised

Question 4

Technologies are changing.The secretariat has to have the input knowledge and contineous traing to the on going technologies innvation.

Imperative to know the nitrogen mix up in nature,methane release from various human and animal activities  as well from constant soaking of the roots of rice plants[constant water in paddy production fields] and carbon emissions from the cut crop of paddy etc.

Question 5

Social scientists-teachers, students shall be connected with the farming community

Help them with the technologies

Train them with the new technologies

Contribution received through the e-Agriculture platform

Question 1

1. Governments need to update their existing website and provide up to date current information on their website.
2. Governments need to make it very clear to their staff that research information on agricultural development does not belong to the individual staff members but belongs to the citizens of those countries, therefore such information must be made accessible to the public in a timely manner and efficient manner.
3. Many Government signed and agreed on Open Data Portal for purposes of making information access to the public.  Many Government continue to not avail or update  agricultural data and information which is essential for the citizens and other in making information discussion in agricultural production and trade.

Question 2

1. The Digital Council will certainly help in pushing that Government are uphold  their committment to various agreeement especially with regard to digital agriculture.  The Digital Council is well placed to speak to the Government at a much higher policy level than the average citizen.
2. The Digital Council will certainly be a voice for the many small holder farmers, youth, private sector and many development partners who want to transform Food and Agricultural across the globe.
3. The Digital Council will help draft policies that have the interest of government and all other stockholders, especially since many governments especially those from the developing countries lack the necessary skills, expertise, and technologies to address the various issue the Digital Council can.

Question 3

Yes the are.  I however would like to caution that the Digital Council does not use a copy paste type approach, because all developing countries are not the same.  They come with different cultures and solutions.  While the over arching goal is one, the approaching will certainly be different.  I suggest you engage private sector, rural farmers, women and youth.  Allow them to have a voice, otherwise the council will be meeting expert who have theoritical knowledge however greatly luck implementation experience.  We don't want to end up with solutions that cannot be easily adopted because those who are affected where never involved in the first place.

The roles identified above do not seem to have private sector involvement yet the private sector a huge stakeholder.

Question 4

All Ministers of Agricultural, Trade, and Other Related ministries should be part of the council, and should be held responsible by their Government or Presidents in ensuring that all countries implement whatever discussions are reached by the Council, so we don’t have some countries ahead of others.  The Internet has made the world one global market, we need to ensure that we are all on the same page especially with regard to food production and agricultural markets.  From the governance structure above it is not clear how that will happen.  There is need for  more clarity on the nature and the role of the working group.  What will their be doing, what will their represenation look like etc.

Question 5

1. Please ensure that Private Sector, Smallholder Farmers, Women and Youth are represented, it is not unusual to find out they are forgotten in these high level consultative meetings and discussions especially in the working groups.  
2. Cyber Security should also be discussed extensively.

Contribution received through the e-Agriculture platform

Question 1

Bring the Youth and the center and enable them to own the process

Contribution received through the e-Agriculture platform

Question 1

The potential entry point for government in addressing the challenges and foster development of digital agriculture will includes the following:

1.In African,greater percentages of those practicing agriculture is inadequately trained or untrained,let alone in digital agriculture. Government have to sincerely harness people of interest and not money dependent political officcials.

2.Many remote areas where Agriculture is practiced lack access to networks and that can affect the use of GPS gadgets. Government have to finance the availability of network in the rural areas.

3.Government have to provide an enabling environment ranging from good polices,laws and allow for private participation.

Question 2

The establishment of the Digital Council can address the numerous barriers to adoption of these technologies by using:

1.People of interest. My experience so far in agricultural sector thought me that agriculture is all about interest. The council have to include participated individual in the consultancy process in the council.

2.Uniform technologies within member countries for effective delivery.

3.Result-oriented ideology; result encourages technological adoption.

Question 3

YES

It is suitable.

Question 4

The governance structure is politically feasible but I want to suggest that the 21 members of the executive council should not all be nominated by region's constituent government because they may nominate people who don't have interest or politicize it.The digital council should include participated individuals in the consultancy forum from each countries expect in a case where no body participated, the region government can now appoint people of their choice.

Question 5

I suggest that digital agriculture courses should be established in high schools and universities to increase adoption.

Thanks