In the Republic of Moldova, creating a single online trading platform for small-scale agricultural producers could improve sales and market access, thus increase growth and economic competitiveness. Returning migrants could benefit, too, and become agents of change thanks to their digital skills, as well as inspire other farmers who are still reluctant to adopt and use online solutions. These are the main conclusions of the first feasibility study on the development of an e-commerce platform for small and medium-sized agricultural producers, including returned migrants, in the Republic of...
In line with this, the WFF is launching a call for applications for young scientists to identify scientists from all relevant disciplines to accelerate the positive transformation of our agrifood systems . The WFF Young Scientists Group ( YSG ) will provide scientific evidence and technical knowledge to the various initiatives of the Forum and will develop an annual WFF Young Scientists report on specific policy issues of particular concern to youth, related to agrifood systems transformation. Leveraging FAO areas of expertise, and engaging with partners and relevant academic networks, the...
All roads this week lead to Accra, Ghana which hosts the African Green Revolution Forum 2019 under the theme, “ Grow digital: Leveraging digital transformation to drive sustainable food systems in Africa ” The Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) is a platform for global and African leaders to develop actionable plans that will move African agriculture forward. Initially established as an annual “African Green Revolution Conference” by Yara International ASA in Norway in 2006, the conference moved to the African continent in 2010 with the championing of the late Kofi Annan to take an African...
The Government of Japan and FAO have handed over to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement a project that is aimed at strengthening small farmers overcome bird flu and fall armyworm (FAW). Amongst other things the project provided the following tools - For HPAI, an active surveillance system consisting of two Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machines will be used for the rapid detection of influenza viruses. Whereas for FAW, 340 government extension officers will be provided with smartphones equipped with the FAW Monitoring and Early Warning...
The Secretariat of the High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation has shared the Digital Cooperation Survey to interested persons to gather views on how to improve digital cooperation across sectors and regions. The surveys comes after the widespread use of digital technologies across regions and disciplines. The preamble acknowledges that ‘digital technologies have enabled profound changes in societies around the world, empowering people, allowing them to communicate cheaply, and spurring new businesses’. The survey calls participation from, individuals, governments, the private sector, civil...
The Humanitarian Hackathon is a two-day event, taking place in Egmont Palace. It is designed to create technology-driven solutions for the most pressing humanitarian challenges. International and Belgian humanitarian organisations, donors, large companies, startups, scientists and engineers will be...
Perhaps the name sounds negative, but not until you dig deeper. The rate of technology change has affected many people, processes and sectors. With regards to agriculture, our colleagues published an article, ' digital disruption in agriculture ’. They premise that, the pace of digital disruption over the last two decades has been breathtaking, transforming every sector of the global economy, including agriculture. By using diverse technologies – smartphones, GPS, satellite imagery, big data, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things – farmers can optimize crop growth and farm...
The Digital Technologies for Resilience Workshop , which FHI 360 is organizing with support from the Rockefeller Foundation , will take place in Bangkok on November 27-28, 2018. This workshop follows the first similar workshop held in 2017. The workshop was set up as a space where participants within the developmental field can share with and learn from like-minded practitioners about how to sustainably scale digital technologies to enhance resilience. The workshop is funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and is organized by FHI 360 and Digital Impact Alliance (Dial) is a resource partner...
An interesting article appeared in The Guardian and reports that Dutch scientists say they can create millions of bee-like drones to take over if the insects die out. This comes at a timely moment when bees and other pollinators are reported to be under threat. In a recent report the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations noted that “present species extinction rates are 100 to 1 000 times higher than normal due to human impacts”. The solution of robotic bees by scientists at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands is an example of using ICTs to tackle world’s...
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) and its GODAN Action partners in collaboration with Agricultural Data Interest Group (IGAD) are pleased to announce an Open Data in Agriculture Workshop to be held during International Data Week in Gaborone, Botswana on 6 November 2018. The workshop will be part of a two-day meeting of the Agricultural Data Interest Group (IGAD) at the RDA Pre-Plenary meeting. It will provide an overview of open data in agriculture and nutrition and help participants to make better use or share open data. The workshop will provide users with the...
The Humanitarian Hackathon is a two-day event, taking place in Egmont Palace. It is designed to create technology-driven solutions for the most pressing humanitarian challenges. International and Belgian humanitarian organisations, donors, large companies, startups, scientists and engineers will be...
