FAO in review: Digital transformation and new technologies at FAO

FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy - Meatless Monday Around the Globe: How young people can shape a healthier planet, a more sustainable food system and influence change.
© FAO /  Valeria Mottaran

Over the last six years, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has embarked on a transformative journey, strategically advancing its use of new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to enhance both internal operations and the impact of its work on the ground. 

An internal culture of innovation

FAO’s digital transformation journey began with the launch of the Digital FAO initiative on 1 December 2019, under the leadership of the Director-General QU Dongyu. The overarching goal was to modernize operations, moving from paper to process, from delays to delivery, and from ordinary to extraordinary.

Since then, through the FAO Efficiency Roadmap, the Organization has committed to reducing costs and time, becoming increasingly fit for purpose in strategic sectors such as finance, procurement, logistics, shared services, human resources, and information technology.

One of these initiatives is the ELEVATE incubator programme, which supports 26 multidisciplinary teams in developing, testing, and scaling new ideas. This fosters experimentation and cross-regional collaboration, ensuring that innovation becomes an integral part of FAO’s daily operations.

In human resources, AI is utilized among others to implement change management. Following the successful launch of FAO CertusCare, a multilingual, AI-powered chatbot offering FAO employees instant, around-the-clock access to critical human resources and social security information, such as pensions, medical insurance, and service-incurred compensation, the Organization introduced its first Virtual Colleague, Ms FAO AI. This digital companion supports FAO employees globally by helping them make informed decisions by providing real time answers to their questions.

“With Ms FAO AI, we are entering a new era of operational excellence, service quality, and innovation,” said the Director-General, emphasizing the potential for AI to enhance decision-making and service reliability.

FAO has also launched the digital tool OPTIWASTE to identify, measure, and reduce food waste across food services. OPTIWASTE has been implemented in all FAO cafeterias and tested in school feeding programmes.

Rome, Italy. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu (R) and Serge Nakouzi (L), Director Human Resources Division, attend the launch of the AI-powered HR Avatar and Virtual Colleague.
©FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto

Data and capacity building to support Members

Externally, guided by the its Science and Innovation Strategy, FAO has significantly enhanced its capacities at the science-policy interface, focusing on digital and data-driven solutions, as well as AI-driven agriculture.

Since the launch of the Hand-in-Hand Initiative in 2019, the Hand-in-Hand Geospatial Platform has provided farmers and governments with targeted, context-specific advice and live situation services. Furthermore, the Digital Villages Initiative, launched in 2021, has supported countries in expanding access and use of digital tools in agrifood systems and rural areas.

In addition, a series of digital maps, including the Global Map of Salt-Affected Soils, have been produced to tackle salinization and boost productivity. SOILFER is another initiative to improve global soil data, monitoring, and governance, enabling countries to protect soil health and strengthen sustainable agrifood systems.

The launch of the FAO Risk Monitor Platform marks a significant advancement in proactive management of agrifood systems crises and risks. By leveraging geospatial data, expert analysis, and automated alerts, FAO is now better equipped to serve decision-makers worldwide, identifying food security risks in real-time and mitigating their impact through anticipatory and rapid responses.

FAO’s efforts on data and digital solutions have been significantly enhanced by the inauguration of the Liberia Situation Room at its headquarters. This facility strengthens an integrated system designed to monitor natural hazards such as droughts, floods, and earthquakes, along with man-made threats like conflict and political instability.

FAO’s leadership in agro-informatics has been recognized with its election as Chair of the UN Geospatial Network for the first time.

Furthermore, the Agrifood Systems Technologies and Innovations Outlook (ATIO) provides a major open-access reference for emerging technologies and trends. Its launch during the Science and Innovation Forum in October 2025 showcased a forward-looking vision, demonstrating how science and innovation can accelerate progress and support sound investment and policy choices.

Knowledge Sharing is another pillar of FAO’s support to Members. The E-learning Academy has surpassed one million users, establishing itself as one of the most accessible and free knowledge platforms within the UN system. This achievement highlights FAO's commitment to education and capacity building in the agrifood sector.