Transforming Agrifood Systems with Digital Public Infrastructure, one of the paths to sustainable development 

In today's interconnected world, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is becoming an essential component for modern societies, acting as the backbone for digital services and economic Activities. DPI encompasses a range of digital tools and platforms designed to be accessible, interoperable, and secure, fostering connectivity, communication, and innovation. Its impact on accelerating digital transformation is imperative across various sectors, including agriculture, where it is proved to be crucial by providing the essential building blocks for seamless digital integration in revolutionizing agrifood systems, enhancing sustainability, and improving the livelihoods of millions globally.  

The recent webinar on "Digital Public Infrastructure for Agrifood Systems," organized by the Office of Innovation in FAO highlighted the transformative potential of DPI in agrifood systems. The webinar brought together a diverse group of experts, policymakers, and innovators to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with DPI, particularly in the context of agriculture and rural development.  Despite the proven importance of DPI in agrifood systems advancement, many rural areas and agrifood system actors still lack access to its transformative tools. During the webinar the panelists and participants discussed how that gap can be bridged by exploring practical solutions, showcasing successful case studies, and identifying opportunities for collaboration. 

Vincent Martin, Director of the Office of Innovation, FAO, opened the webinar expressing the importance of DPI and how DPI encompasses foundational digital systems that provide essential services like identity verification, financial transactions, and communication or data exchange. He added that these systems are crucial for integrating rural farmers and agribusinesses into the digital economy ecosystem and ultimately reshaping agrifood systems in a broader sense.  

Martin underscored the necessity of creating the open, inclusive, and interoperable systems as part of digital innovations and digitalization in agriculture specifically, that serve as a backbone for delivering agricultural services to the public services and fostering innovation in both public and private sectors. He added that DPI is often seen as a key enabler for socioeconomic development, playing a significant role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and addressing pressing challenges such as climate change and dwindling natural resources by enabling more efficient and environmentally friendly farming techniques. He also mentioned that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a member of the Digital Public Good Impact Alliance (DGPA) and that it is at the forefront of developing digital public goods. Since Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPG) are two sides of the same coin, this combination fosters a dignified and just digital transformation. FAO collaborates with various stakeholders to enhance this powerful digital transformation for global development and innovation.  

These insights of the director set a perfect tone for this webinar’s discussion. Jon Lloyd, the Director of Advocacy at the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA), emphasized the importance of understanding the distinction and contrast between Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs). He explained that DPI includes foundational components like digital identity, payments, and secure data exchange, while DPGs encompass open-source software, standards, data, AI systems, and content collections. Lloyd highlighted the benefits of using open-source components to build DPI, such as rapid deployment, scalability, and avoiding dependency on specific technologies. He also introduced the "50 in 5" campaign, aiming for 50 countries to implement safe, inclusive, and interoperable DPI within five years, fostering global collaboration and innovation. Lloyd also touched based on the recent DPGA annual members meeting held in Singapore, saying that it showcased the remarkable energy and ideas within the community, reaffirming its potential to drive transformative positive change through Digital Public Goods (DPGs) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). He added that the meeting led to several calls for joint action, including the adoption of open-source policies within Governments and organizations to promote innovation and sustainability in agri-food systems. 

Henry van Burgsteden, Senior Innovation Officer, FAO, emphasized the importance of empowering farmers through digital public infrastructure. Despite rapid digital advancements, he noted that many farmers still lack connectivity and digital literacy. He affirmed that DPI is essential for advancing digital transformation by providing secure, interoperable, and accessible systems that promote productivity, sustainability, and resilience in agrifood systems worldwide. Van Burgsteden added that as member of DPGA since 2022, FAO’s contributions include eight certified digital public goods provided that is making the biggest contributor in the UN System.  Van Burgsteden also addressed the challenges of achieving SDG 2 and the digital divide, particularly affecting rural areas and women. He stressed the need for innovative solutions and business models to make digital tools more accessible, affordable and trustworthy, and called for joint action to incorporate open-source principles and finance digital public goods. 

Talking about enhancing Connectivity Infrastructure in Rural Areas for Inclusive Digital Public Infrastructure, Tafadzwa Jowa, Project Manager for National Digital Economy Advisory at Smart Africa, underlined the organization's commitment to enhancing connectivity infrastructure in rural areas to promote inclusive digital growth. He mentioned that Smart Africa, as a multilateral organization comprising 40 member states and over 50 private sector members, aims to drive digital transformation through a bold and innovative multi-stakeholder approach. Jowa highlighted key initiatives such as the Smart Continental Backbone project, which seeks to connect countries via fiber optics, and the One Africa Network, designed to enable seamless communication across the continent without the need for multiple SIM cards. These projects are crucial for building resilient and sustainable digital infrastructure that supports the inclusion of rural communities in the digital economy. 

Jowa underscored the importance of affordable connectivity solutions to ensure that rural areas benefit from Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiatives. He mentioned the Smart Community Connect program, which includes a pilot project with Starlink in Rwanda to provide satellite-based internet services, reducing infrastructure costs and improving access to digital tools for farmers. By leveraging inclusive digital public goods and promoting policy and regulatory harmonization, Smart Africa aims to bridge the digital divide and empower rural communities. Improved connectivity not only enhances financial inclusion and access to market information but also enables the use of precision farming tools, thereby boosting productivity and efficiency in the agricultural sector. 

Benjamin Kwasi Addom, Adviser to Agriculture & Fisheries Trade Policy at the Commonwealth Secretariat, emphasized the critical role of DPI in advancing digital platforms and services for agricultural development. He highlighted the Commonwealth's efforts to develop a model of DPI that supports agricultural growth through the development of National Agricultural Data Infrastructure (NAgDI). This decentralized, secure, and interoperable system aims to facilitate data exchange and enhance the sustainability of digital solutions. By focusing on data infrastructure, the Commonwealth seeks to provide a robust foundation for digital agriculture innovation, enabling farmers to access valuable information and services that improve productivity and resilience. 

Addom emphasized the importance of shared spaces for data exchange, managed by independent governance and administration, and facilitated by agreed policies and regulations. He explained that these spaces should be supported by a business model and incentives to ensure sustainability and incentivize data sharing. The goal of this model is to strengthen existing data siloed systems in countries and reduce duplication, allowing stakeholders to access comprehensive and reliable data for informed decision-making. The Commonwealth's approach aims to create a collaborative environment where digital platforms and services can thrive, ultimately contributing to the transformation of the agricultural sector and boosting intra-Commonwealth trade. 

Juan-Carlos Guzman-Hidalgo, an advisor to the Data Economy team at GIZ, emphasized the importance of leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to enhance traceability and transparency in agricultural systems. With a decade of experience in data and innovation for development, particularly in agriculture and rural development, Guzman-Hidalgo highlighted the team's objective to maximize the value of data and ensure its equitable distribution. By providing better access to data for small farmers and enterprises, DPI can enhance the benefits, enabling these stakeholders to make informed decisions and improve their productivity and sustainability. This approach aims to support partner countries in harnessing the full potential of data to drive agricultural development and rural growth. He shared some examples of their efforts including the development of Agriculture sector Data Spaces in Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory coast), Tanzania, and Rwanda, following the common data space policy and technology promoted by the European Commission since 2020 and integrating AI and open source to enhance supply chain traceability and transparency, data driven AI-enabled agricultural digital extension services among others.  

The webinar highlighted and praised the importance of governments in fostering Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). Their central role in this effort through enabling policies, investing in digital infrastructure, and promoting public-private partnerships in undeniable. The discussions confirmed that a whole-of-government approach to DPI implementation is essential for success. 

As a conclusion to the webinar, Jon Lloyd emphasized the transformative potential of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) through collaboration, both internationally and within governments. He highlighted the importance of a whole-of-government approach to addressing societal challenges, with examples of how DPI can enhance financial inclusion, access to market information, and reduce losses for farmers. Lloyd stressed the need for strong data governance, regulatory frameworks, and support for local vendors to build systems that incentivize data sharing. By embracing DPI, particularly through open-source solutions, we can foster innovation, address food security, climate resilience, and economic empowerment, ultimately building a sustainable and equitable agrifood system for all.