E-Agriculture

January 2018 News and Events

January 2018 News and Events

  • Invitation to young leaders within ICT4Ag

    European Commission is inviting young people to participate and play an active role in this year’s EDD 2018 Young Leaders Programme . The programme is looking for 15 extraordinary young people aged 21-26 who can represent the powerful impact that youth are having in the development field. Are you a young person within the ICT4Ag and you have outstanding ideas within ICTs and Agriculture? Do you have achievement within SDGs and Agriculture? Requirements need If you are aged max 26 years old this year, you may be interested in this. Applications close on 2 March 2018 . Application Guidelines...
  • e-service to support agriculture in the Republic of Latvia

    Does your agricultural ministry still use paper for filing documents and submissions? How can technology help? The e-service support to farmers in Latvia is a good example of how technology can help in these situations. The Electronic Application System (EAS) of the Rural Support Service of the Republic of Latvia was created to electronically submit different types of applications for EU and Latvia’s state support for agriculture, fisheries, forestry, rural areas development, fishermen and rural entrepreneurs. The EAS system held in administration of the ministry and the implementation of...
  • The role of ICTs in sustaining capacity development of African youths in agriculture

    There is a growing momentum to encourage the participation of youths in agriculture in Africa. Migration – both rural to urban and intercontinental - seemed to have sparked this debate. In any case, agriculture is poised to be a major path to eradicate hunger and poverty in Africa. The theme of youth, ICTs and agriculture arose during the online discussion forum held by FAO and partners (on FSN Forum Africa ) from 25 October to 17 November 2017. The debate was aimed at soliciting opinions on capacity development sustainability for young agripreneurs in Africa and to contribute to identifying...
  • Can ICTs be used to fight pests’ outbreaks (for example Fall Armyworm?)

    Agriculture has always been affected by plant pests and diseases, outbreaks can cause huge losses to crops and pastures and threatening the livelihoods of vulnerable smallholder farmers. The following are some of the known pests that have caused in agriculture include, locusts, armyworm, fruit flies, banana diseases, cassava diseases and wheat rusts. Currently, the Fall Armyworm (FAW) has ravaged many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. FAO has already offered a briefing note on FAW which can be read here . The following map shows the countries in Africa affected by the FAW ICTs and pests...
  • UN Broadband Commission aims to bring online the world’s 3.8 billion not connected to the Internet

    UN Broadband Commission sets global broadband targets to bring online the world’s 3.8 billion not connected to the Internet. This is designed to bring the unconnected online so that they also can benefit from Internet as a resource. Therefore, in response the United Nations’ Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development launches 2025 targets to support “Connecting the Other Half ”. This announcement and targets were launched today at the joint meeting of the Commission and the World Economic Forum. Read the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development 2025 Targets here The press...
  • FAO is using drones to help end hunger

    FAO is using drones to fight hunger, improve nutrition and counter the effects of climate change and extreme weather events. A documentary from Asia and the Pacific Office of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization shows collaboration with countries to leverage the used of ICTs using drones. Philippines is a country prone to typhoons, aerial drones are used to map out the risk areas of agricultural land to mitigate the risk. This ensures that once a disaster strikes farmers affected can get assistance quicker. Drones have an advantage of wider coverage and since they are remotely...
  • How technology aids agriculture in Bhutan

    For commercial agriculture to succeed, an investment into cash crops and investing in traditional agriculture is essential, also using information and communication technology (ICT). Mountain Hazelnuts is a company established with funding from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank , to develop innovative uses of ICT for its commercial agriculture operations. The company has helped farmers integrate ICTs within each step of the Mountain Hazelnuts business model. Furthermore, about 150 staff provide extension support to farmers and also use smart phones and ICTs to communicate with...
  • Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference committed to ICTs in agriculture …

    The recently ended Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference under the auspices of the 10th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (organized by Federal Ministry of Agriculture ) held in Germany affirmed to the role of ICT technologies as an important tool to agriculture, for example in improving water-use efficiency. The theme of the meeting as “ Agriculture and Water – Key to Feeding the World ”, and pointed out that climate change, land degradation and many trends such as urbanisation, population growth, migration have increased the competition for the demand of water, resulting in the need...
  • A FOCUS on e-AGRICULTURE ACTIVITIES IN 2018

    The curtain of 2018 came down, and as we begin the year e-Agriculture is hopeful to main the 2017 momentum in facilitating the dialogue, information exchange and sharing ideas related to the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in agriculture and rural development. We are looking forward, first and foremost, to the launch of a newly improved and redesigned platform under the FAO Domain. This will provide the community with a corporate look at feel and while maintaining the core- services, such as News , Blogs , Forum Discussions and other capacity development activities,...