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BookletTackling poverty and hunger through digital innovation 2018
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No results found.Information and communication technologies (ICTs) make a significant contribution to growth and socio-economic development in countries and regions around the globe. The widespread adoption and integration of ICTs has reduced information and transaction costs, improved service delivery, created new jobs, generated new revenue streams, and helped conserve resources. ICTs have also transformed the way businesses, people and governments work, interact, and communicate. ICT innovation is also revolutionizing the agriculture and food sectors. In developed economies, innovations such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of things, data analytics and block-chain are changing the way agriculture does business. Remote sensors collect data on soil moisture, temperature, crop growth and livestock feed levels, enabling farmers to achieve better yields by optimizing crop management and reducing the use of fertilizers, pesticides and water. However, the rapid global revolution in ICT stands in stark contrast to the continuing high numbers of extreme poor and hungry individuals in the world. The new digital technologies and innovative use of ICTs creates enormous opportunities and poses daunting challenges to ending poverty and hunger. On one hand, there is potential to increase productivity and wealth, generate new activities, products and services, and improve livelihoods. On the other hand, such opportunities can lead to further alienation of marginalized communities and an exacerbation of existing socio-economic inequalities. This information note explores these questions and the potential for ICTs and digital technologies to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 1 (No poverty) and 2 (Zero hunger) within the context of rural areas. -
BookletClimate-Smart Agriculture in Seychelles 2019
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No results found.The climate smart agriculture (CSA) concept reflects an ambition to improve the integration of agriculture development and climate responsiveness. It aims to achieve food security and broader development goals under a changing climate and increasing food demand. CSA initiatives sustainably increase productivity, enhance resilience, and reduce/remove greenhouse gases (GHGs), and require planning to address trade-offs and synergies between three pillars: productivity, adaptation and mitigation. The priorities of different countries and stakeholders are reflected to achieve more efficient, effective, and equitable food systems that address challenges in environment, social, and economic dimensions across productive landscapes. The country profile provides a snapshot of a developing baseline created to initiate discussion, both within countries and globally, about entry points for investing in CSA at scale. Seychelles is a small island state in the western Indian Ocean, which has developed a high-income economy and eliminated extreme poverty. Agriculture contributes about 2.2% of the country’s gross domestic product with tourism and the fisheries and seafood industries serving as the main pillars of the economy. Agricultural land occupies about 3.4% of the total land area of the country. A large portion of the land area (88.4%) is covered by forest mainly natural and established plantations for commercial purposes. Seychelles is divided into two large agro-climatic zones based on biophysical characteristics- mountainous/forest zone high ground and coastal plateau. In terms of agriculture, two agroecological zones can be distinguished mainly based on soil: upland and sandy soil. Main cropping systems includes food crop-based systems and perennial crop-based systems. Livestock production include goat, pig and chicken. Most crop production is under rainfed or irrigation system. Most farms are under 2 ha with backyard farming done to supplement household food or income. The main crops and products include coconut, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potato, cassava, banana and tuna. Seychelles has the highest rate of overweight and obesity in Africa due to the shift from predominantly unprocessed traditional foods to a more westernised dietary intake consisting mainly of refined and processed foods. most greenhouse gas (GHG) emission come from the energy sector, followed by waste and agriculture which contributes 0.79% of the total. Seychelles has outlined in its nationally determined contributions mitigation actions in the forestry, energy and transport, and waste sectors. In agriculture, actions to mitigate climate change include: promotion of agricultural practises such as agroforestry which would involve mainstreaming strategies to limit deforestation and increase the sink capacity of forests. Challenges for the agricultural sector include (i) deforestation and unsuccessful intensification, (ii) uncontrolled urbanisation, land clearing, bush fires and population pressure, and (iii) high reliance on food imports. Agriculture in Seychelles is limited by a lack of arable land and extreme rainfall patterns and meteorological events like tropical storms, floods and droughts. Climate change poses serious challenges to the country such as uncontrolled economic and social consequences of floods, land degradation, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, declining agricultural yields, health vulnerability, and increased occurrence of drought. CSA technologies and practises present opportunities for addressing climate change challenges as well as for economic growth and development of the agriculture sector. Identified CSA practises in use in the country include: crop production under shade houses, inter cropping, use of organic manure and mulch, use of weather information, water control through irrigation, anti-erosion arrangement, windbreak and shelter, and use of climate-adapted seeds. Seychelles has several key institutions and policies aimed at supporting and increasing agriculture productivity and advancing CSA practises. These include government ministries and agency structures of ministries, firms operating in the agricultural sector, academic institutions, specialised laboratories and agricultural research institutes and training centres. The Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC) serving as the country’s UNFCCC focal point and nationally designated authority to the Green Climate Fund is responsible for country’s climate change plans and policies. On the agriculture front the ministry of agriculture and fisheries is the key government institution for partnerships for climate-smart agriculture work in the communities as well as for policy and investment related issues through the national agricultural investment plan. A number of csa-related policies and strategies have been developed: National Programme on climate change strategy, national strategy for disaster risk management, national biodiversity strategy and action plan and the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation into the country’s strategic plan- a definitive document intended to guide land-use management up to the year 2040. A number of projects that foster the development of knowledge and evidence on the effectiveness of climate smart agriculture in improving food security, mitigating climate change and improving the adaptive capacities of production systems and populations in Seychelles have received support from various donors and financing schemes. In addition, AfDB, COMESA, FAO, EU, IFAD, etc. have invested hugely in several aspects of the climate/agricultural sector of Seychelles which also include the development and promotion of csa innovations. From various sources of climate finance available internationally, Seychelles is currently eligible for only a limited number of these and has not wholly accessed major funding instruments such as the Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund. The county is a small island nation whose prospects rely heavily on external demand, especially tourism. This poses major challenges for diversification and resilience. Its commitment to csa is relatively new with limited institutions and sources of funding. -
Brochure, flyer, fact-sheetDigital Innovation Accelerator Programme
Transforming high-potential ideas into large-scale digital services to empower rural farmers and democratize food and agriculture solutions
2019Also available in:
No results found.Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and digital innovation are key catalysts for sustainable development and socioeconomic growth in developing countries. However, even though ICT innovations are being rapidly adopted globally, their vital contribution to lifting people out of extreme poverty and hunger, as well further promoting sustainable agriculture, has yet to be realized. FAO’s Digital Innovation Accelerator Programme aims to play a vital role in ensuring that digital innovation and new technologies reach and better serve rural farmers and small-scale producers, who are often among the poorest in society. The programme will seed-fund, pilot and scale up innovative ICT solutions with high potential for impact on food and agriculture, transforming digital solutions and services into global public goods, making them accessible to smallholders. The programme operates a tiered financing model (idea, pilot, scale-up) to identify innovations and ensure responsible risk management: (1) Idea: FAO launches open innovation challenges to source local and global high-potential ideas; (2) Pilot: FAO provides the most promising innovations with seed money for small-scale field pilots; and (3) Scale-up: FAO provides further funds for upscaling innovations with strong evidence of success. The programme will also contribute to FAO’s current Digital Services Portfolio and ongoing work vetting frontier technologies, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. FAO’s Digital Services Portfolio currently includes innovative digital solutions for farmers to detect plant pests and diseases, provide market prices and weather forecasts linked to agro-advisory services, and real-time information on animal disease control and nutritious foods.
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