ELEVATE Forward: Digital Innovation for Children, Agriculture & Food Security 

Explore the transformative power of digital technology across three FAO ELEVATE initiatives at this compelling exhibition: 

• DIGICHILD: A pioneering GIS-based tool developed under the FAO ELEVATE Programme (2024–2025) to map and assess rural communities at high risk for child labour in agriculture. Combining georeferenced risk indicators—such as poverty, food insecurity, school access, climate-related events, and more—this index enables policymakers and businesses to shift from reactive responses to targeted prevention. Piloted via FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Geospatial Platform in Uganda and Honduras, DIGICHILD offers high-resolution, cost-effective, and time-efficient data to support anticipatory action and due-diligence compliance.  
• Revolutionizing Agricultural Disaster Response – Nepal: A cutting-edge initiative integrating remote sensing, drone technologies, and AI to enhance agricultural disaster preparedness and response in Nepal. While detailed project documentation wasn't retrieved in this session, this enterprise exemplifies FAO’s drive to bolster resilience in agriculture through real-time, tech-enabled innovations. 
• LUMINA – South Sudan: An AI-powered local modeling approach to tackle acute childhood malnutrition in South Sudan. In a context where cases have surged—from approximately 2.1 million to 2.3 million children under five—this project employs artificial intelligence to support proactive interventions for nutrition security.  

From Data to Action: Interactive Simulation of Rift Valley Fever and Avian Influenza Risks with FAO’s Decision Support Tools

In this interactive session, participants will engage in a hands-on simulation exercise using FAO’s Rift Valley Fever (RVF) and Avian Influenza (AI) Decision Support Tools (DSTs). Through group-based activities, attendees will explore and identify areas at risk of RVF in Africa and AI spillover globally. The exercise will provide a unique opportunity to understand how environmental monitoring, risk data, and forecasting models can guide early warning systems and inform decision-making in real time. By the end of the session, participants will have a deeper understanding of how FAO’s DSTs contribute to strengthening One Health surveillance and improving resilience to disease outbreaks. 

Bridging Science and Market with CGIAR’s Accelerate for Impact Platform 

Discover how CGIAR accelerates agrifood innovation—connecting science, startups, and investors to drive climate-smart, scalable solutions, featuring an interactive card game! 

Promoting Sustainable Pest Management with PlantwisePlus 

In the face of escalating plant health threats and climate shocks, PlantwisePlus provides timely and responsive science-based support to national and regional public and private stakeholders. Through digital and face-to-face approaches, the programme improves food security and food safety through strengthened plant health systems—from early pest detection to farmer-level decision-making—and helps them to predict, prevent and prepare for plant health threats. 

PlantwisePlus is a global programme led by CABI that empowers smallholder farmers in 27 low- and middle-income countries to apply sustainable, climate-smart crop production practices. Since its launch in 2021, the programme has reached over 40 million farmers and is on track to empower 75 million by 2030—contributing directly to improved food security, income generation, and environmental resilience. 

Implemented in close collaboration with over 300 public and private sector partners, including FAO, PlantwisePlus drives change through three impact pathways: 

1. Pest preparedness – strengthening national and regional capacity in detection and response to pest outbreaks 
2. Pesticide risk reduction – improving awareness and understanding of pesticide risks and increasing the availability and use of lower-risk plant protection solutions 
3. Farmer advisory – enhancing the capacity of both private and public actors to support farmers, including through the innovative plant clinic approach. 

Smart Water, Smart Crops: The FAO and IrrigOptimal® Experience

A breakthrough AI technology to tackle water scarcity, predict pests and disease, and reduce the usage of fertilizers. Already installed at FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in Tajikistan and in Georgia for greenhouses, with initiatives ongoing with FAO in Caribbean countries (Belize, Antigua and Barbuda). The application uses AI to predict the optimal amount of water in the next three days, including optimal windows for irrigation along the day. IRRIGOPTIMAL can also predict disease and pests by monitoring environmental, plant and soil conditions, and can monitor key NPK nutrients, pH and EC to verify need for fertilizations. IRRIGOPTIMAL® is a suite that will enable farmers to save resources and optimize their crops. 

BetterSea Power – Innovative Hub for Clean Energy, Water Purification & Environmental Monitoring 

Sentinel is BetterSea Power’s early warning system designed to protect freshwater ecosystems and ensure water safety and food security. It is a solar-powered floating station equipped with sensors, a filtering system, and a water dispenser. Sentinel enables real-time monitoring of freshwater ecosystems, contributes to the depollution of water bodies, and — thanks to a two-stage filtration process — provides a continuous supply of clean drinking and irrigation water in remote, rural, and Indigenous territories.