Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

The ‘Digital Agriculture Report: Rural E-commerce Development—Experience from China’, produced by FAO and Zhejiang University, has been officially released. The publication examines how rural e-commerce could advance the digital transformation of agri-food systems, including increasing production efficiency, expanding farmers’ market access, improving poverty alleviation, fostering agricultural entrepreneurship, and attracting young generations back to their villages for economic revival and rural revitalization. 

It is highlighted that an enabling ecosystem with favourable government policies and strategies, public-private partnerships and innovative business models is of great importance to accelerate the development of rural areas in China, and generate larger economic, social and environmental impacts. As the largest developing country in the world, the experience of digital agriculture transformation in China could be shared with other developing countries.

The report also discusses some of the challenges encountered and lessons learned during the development of rural e-commerce, as well as the proposals for the way forward.

The report is available in English and can be downloaded here.

The agricultural sector will face enormous challenges to feed the projected 9.6 billion people who will inhabit the planet by 2050. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in severe economic and social distress around the world, triggering several negative impacts on agri-food systems. However, e-commerce entered the outbreak period ahead of time, especially in the agri-food sector, and with the new opportunities it creates, it is considered a potential solution to this difficult situation.

To continue its active work in promoting digitilization of the agricultural sector, FAO, in close collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Zhejiang University (ZJU), participates in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum. 

Following WSIS Action Line C7 on eAgriculture that focuses on using ICT applications for e-agriculture, the jointly organized webinar "E-commerce for agriculture and rural development" will aim at enhancing knowledge and exchanging experiences, involving a wide range of experts from various organisations, institutions, academia, and private sector businesses, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Alibaba, and African young e-commerce entrepreneurs.

During the event, the Digital Agriculture Flagship Report will be presented, which is based on experiences with successful business models and on results of technology applications in the field of rural e-commerce in China. 

The webinar takes place on Friday, 7 May 2021, 15:00–16:00 (CEST).

For more information on this event and to register, please click here. 

Global food commodity prices rose sharply in November to their highest level in nearly six years, according to a benchmark United Nations report released on 3 December 2020.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 105.0 points during the month, up 3.9 percent from October and 6.5 percent higher than its value a year earlier. The monthly increase was the sharpest since July 2012, putting the index at its highest level since December 2014, the Food and Agriculture Organization said.