Digital Villages Initiative in Africa

Accelerating rural transformation by leveraging innovative digital tools

The Digital Villages Initiative in Africa

 

The DVI is an integrated development vision that enshrines digitalisation at the core of rural transformation and prosperity, addressing on-farm and off-farm socio-economic elements. Pilot activities have been launched in countries including Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia and Zimbabwe.

 

The Initiative has three pillars: 

  • improving productivity through ICT, climate-smart agriculture services, and precision agriculture
  • market linkages and financial services
  • e-health, e-education, and agrotourism bolstered by digital technologies

     

    The DVI in Africa is implemented as part of the Digital Innovation Strategy for Africa of FAO

About the Digital Innovation Strategy (DIS)

The Digital Innovation Strategy (DIS) of the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) has been prepared to respond to critical challenges facing inclusive and sustainable agrifood system transformation in sub-Saharan Africa. It will contribute to the implementation of the overall FAO Science and Innovation Strategy.

It is enshrined in the new FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2030 that aims to accelerate the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

A stronger infusion of digital technologies across operations and programmes of FAO in Africa is vital for the region to successfully implement the Africa Regional Initiatives, RAF's Programmes Priority Areas (PPA) and to support countries to achieve the African Union Malabo Commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Feature stories
News
FAO Director-General shares vision and experience on digitalization of agriculture during his visit to Senegal

The Director-General noted the key achievements of the Digital Villages Initiative in Senegal which is bringing agricultural services closer to farmers, providing them with real-time climate information and forecasts

Story
Zimbabwe embraces FAO Digital Village Initiative

The Digital Village Initiative (DVI) has been met with great enthusiasm and support from various stakeholders, including government officials and rural smallholder farmers.

Publication
Pilot Digital Villages Initiative in Africa

The Digital Villages Initiative (DVI) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a corporate programme aiming to combat hunger, poverty and inequality by fostering digital rural transformation.

News
Global digital initiative to benefit Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is set to benefit from a global digital initiative that aims at promoting digital innovations, support inclusive gender-sensitive rural development and sustainable agrifood systems transformation in Africa.

News
Ten success factors for rural digital transformation in Africa

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s Digital Villages Initiative (DVI) aims to turn 1,000 villages globally into hubs where digitally-enabled farm and non-farm services

News
Public and private stakeholders and communities explore digital solutions for enhanced social protection in rural Liberia

Promoting equitable and inclusive agrifood systems transformations hinges on the integration of digital access and tools in rural communities.

Featured Publications
Publication
Fostering rural transformation through the Digital Villages Initiative (DVI) in Africa

FAO has launched the corporate programme with the goal of converting globally at least 1 000 rural localities into digital village hubs in which a variety of ICT-based services will be offered.

Publication
Digital innovation strategy for agrifood systems in Africa

The Digital Innovation Strategy (DIS) of the Regional Office for Africa (RAF) of FAO has been prepared to respond to critical challenges facing inclusive and sustainable agrifood system transformation in sub-Saharan Africa.