The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) participated in Open Repositories 2026, the leading international conference dedicated to digital repositories, open science and knowledge infrastructures. Bringing together repository managers, librarians, researchers, software developers and information specialists from around the world, the event explored how repositories are evolving in response to emerging technologies, changing research practices and growing expectations around openness, interoperability and access to knowledge.

As part of the program, FAO AGRIS Information Specialist Mercy Moyo presented Connecting Global Agricultural Research: FAO AGRIS as a FAIR and Digital Public Good Infrastructure. The presentation focused on two key messages. First, it highlighted the role of FAO AGRIS as a FAIR-aligned infrastructure that increases the visibility and discoverability of agricultural research by aggregating and standardizing metadata from institutions around the world. By applying international metadata standards and promoting interoperability, FAO AGRIS helps ensure that research outputs can be more easily found, accessed and reused across different systems and communities. Second, the presentation emphasized FAO AGRIS as a Digital Public Good that supports equitable access to agricultural knowledge. Through its open and multilingual approach, FAO AGRIS helps connect research produced in diverse regions and languages with a global audience, enabling wider knowledge exchange and supporting evidence-based decision-making in agriculture and food systems.

Building the next generation of knowledge infrastructures

A strong theme emerging from the conference was the growing need to modernize repository infrastructures to meet evolving user expectations and technological demands. Presentations from other participant organizations explored topics ranging from metadata harvesting and repository interoperability to artificial intelligence, user experience and digital preservation.

Together, these discussions highlighted a shared challenge facing repository communities worldwide: ensuring that knowledge infrastructures remain scalable, discoverable and responsive to changing research practices while continuing to provide reliable access to scientific information. As research outputs continue to grow in volume and diversity, repositories are increasingly expected to function not only as storage platforms, but also as active gateways to knowledge discovery.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping repository services

Artificial intelligence emerged as one of the most discussed topics throughout Open Repositories 2026. Sessions led by experts explored how AI is beginning to transform repository services, from semantic search and automated metadata generation to accessibility and content discovery.

At the same time, discussions highlighted important questions around governance, transparency and responsible use. Participants examined how repositories can benefit from AI-driven tools while addressing concerns related to content harvesting, data stewardship and user trust. The conversations reflected a growing reality: the future value of repositories will depend not only on preserving knowledge, but also on making it easier to discover, connect and use through emerging technologies.

Strong communities remain essential

While technology was a major focus of the conference, another recurring message was that successful repositories depend on strong communities and collaborative networks. Sessions emphasized that repositories are sustained not only by software and infrastructure, but also by partnerships, shared governance and collective expertise.

These discussions highlighted the importance of collaboration in building sustainable knowledge ecosystems. Long-term success depends on creating environments where institutions contribute knowledge, experience and infrastructure collectively, transforming repositories from isolated platforms into interconnected systems that strengthen the visibility, preservation and exchange of research.

Looking ahead

Open Repositories 2026 demonstrated that the future of knowledge sharing will be shaped by the infrastructures that enable that research to be discovered, connected and applied. As scientific communities increasingly embrace FAIR principles, interoperability and open science, the ability to make knowledge visible and reusable becomes just as important as generating it.

For agriculture, this is particularly significant. Solutions to challenges such as food security, climate change and sustainable resource management often emerge from research conducted in specific local contexts. When that knowledge can be discovered, accessed and connected across institutions, languages and borders, its potential impact expands considerably.

In this evolving landscape, infrastructures such as FAO AGRIS remain essential cornerstones in helping ensure that agricultural knowledge does not remain hidden, but instead reaches the researchers, practitioners and decision-makers who can turn evidence into action.