FAO highlights the transformative power of AI and digital innovation at the Digital Agriculture Forum 2025

Wuzhen, China – 8 November 2025

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) took part in the Digital Agriculture Forum 2025, held within the World Internet Conference – Wuzhen Summit, a leading global platform for dialogue on digital innovation and sustainable transformation. This year’s Forum brought together policymakers, researchers, and innovators from across the world to explore how AI and digital technologies can, hand in hand, accelerate agricultural transformation and strengthen food systems resilience.

Representing FAO, Dejan Jakovljevic, Director, Digital FAO and Agro-informatics, Nikola Trendov, Office of Innovation Senior Digital Agriculture and Innovation Specialist, Angelique Uwimana, Innovation Specialist (Digital Agriculture), which across various sessions emphasized FAO’s leadership and commitment to ensuring that innovation serves farmers and rural communities everywhere.

In his opening remarks, Dejan Jakovljevic set the tone by reminding that “today, as our agrifood systems face multiple and interconnected challenges, from the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss, to rising food costs, food insecurity, and rural inequality, digitalization and in particular AI offers powerful solutions to accelerate progress.” He stressed that digital solutions enable farmers and policymakers to make data-driven decisions, improve productivity, optimize resource use, and connect producers with markets. More importantly, these technologies help bridge the rural digital divide, empowering youth, women, and smallholders to fully participate in the digital economy.

Mr. Huang Xianhai, Vice President of Zhejiang University, also reaffirmed that ‘’artificial intelligence is reshaping all aspects of agriculture and food systems at an unprecedented speed, from precision agricultural management, smart supply chain construction to post-expiration resilience and food security’’, but at the same time stressed that ‘’the true value of AI lies...in our ability to harness this technology responsibly, making it a key force in driving global agriculture and food systems towards smarter, more equitable, inclusive, and more sustainable development.” Nikola Trendov, FAO’s Office of Innovation Senior Digital Agriculture and Innovation Specialist, embraced this point reminding that, while artificial intelligence offers tremendous potential, the focus must remain on the farmers themselves, especially the smallholders and those in developing countries. It is therefore important to ‘’ensure that advanced technologies are accessible, affordable, and effectively reach farmers at the last mile of agriculture’’ through investment in ‘’public infrastructure, capacity building, and education so that no one is left behind in the digital transformation of agriculture.”

Dejan Jakovljevic renewed FAO’s commitment to supporting Members in this transition through a wide range of initiatives and partnerships aiming at Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life, leaving no one behind. He underscored FAO’s ongoing initiatives to advance digital transformation, including the 1000 Digital Villages Initiative, the FAO Digital Services Portfolio, and the Global Network of Digital Agriculture Innovation Hubs, connecting governments, academia, and the private sector to scale inclusive solutions globally. At the same time, he cherished the People’s Republic of China for its strong commitment to advancing South–South and Triangular Cooperation in digital agriculture, as well as its collaborations, like the one with Zhejiang University under the FAO–ZJU Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This serves as "an excellent example of how academia and international organizations can work hand in hand to promote AI and digital innovation in agriculture.”

Mr. Huang Xianhai, Vice President of Zhejiang University, reiterated that, ‘since the signing of the FAO–ZJU MoU, these ‘’jointly released a number of important research reports in the field of digital agriculture’’, promoted ‘’inclusive knowledge sharing’’ and created ‘’brand activities such as the Global Agricultural Maker Competition and the Global Digital Agriculture Forum’’, empowering ‘’young and female innovative talents and deepen international dialogue and cooperation in the field of digital agriculture.” 

Wang Xiaobing, Director of Information Centre at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the Republic of China, also shared FAO’s remarks on the importance of joining forces to advance smart agriculture for smallholder farmers, modernization and sustainable development for all particularly in China, ‘’a nation characterized by both vast scale and numerous small-scale farmers’’. He concluded that, while this year, the first smart agriculture competition in Deqing, Zhejiang was successfully held, next year, in line with the guidance of Minister Han Jun, they would like to organize an international multi-track smart agriculture competition with the formal ‘’support of the FAO, as well as the ongoing collaboration with Zhejiang University and Pinduoduo.”

Finally, Mr. Fan Jiezhen, co-founder of the private company Pinduoduo, shared the panellists' vision that “to build a grand picture of global digital agriculture’’, there is the need to gather the strength of all sectors of the world, reaffirming Pinduoduo’s central role in sowing together ‘’a more resilient and prosperous digital future for the land we rely on for survival’’.

Overall, DAF2025 underscored a shared commitment to harness digital innovation and artificial intelligence for the benefit of farmers and agrifood systems worldwide. FAO’s engagement—alongside partners such as Zhejiang University, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, and Pinduoduo—reinforced the importance of working collaboratively to ensure that digital transformation reaches the last mile and leaves no one behind.