Rapid adoption of digitization and innovation seen as key

08/05/2021 MEDIA ADVISORY AND INVITATION

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) hosts virtual forum of world leaders from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to help members regain momentum towards the goals development programs (SDGs), hard hit by the global pandemic, the current three-dimensional forms of malnutrition and the increasingly extreme natural risks linked to climate change.

Co-organized by the Government of Fiji, FAO will organize the SIDS Solutions Forum, August 30 – 31. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will partner with FAO for the event.

The Heads of State and Government of Pacific SIDS will be joined by representatives of SIDS countries from the Africa and Americas regions. Ministers with key government portfolios related to agriculture, food, nutrition, environment, health and ICT should participate and play a leading role – as should the private sector, the civil society and others – in sharing replicable solutions.

The specific case of a SIDS Solutions Forum

While COVID-19 has impacted the lives and livelihoods of many countries around the world, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have been particularly affected. Many of those heavily dependent on tourism were forced to close their borders, losing much-needed income while individuals and families lost their income. Even before the pandemic, SIDS in particular shared other challenges such as frequent natural disasters, limited arable land, reliance on small-scale agriculture, high-priced imports and prevalence high rate of noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease. type 2 disease and diabetes. All of these issues have hampered their progress towards achieving the 2030 SDGs.

The SIDS Solutions Forum creates a space for government leaders, development partners, farmers, fishermen, community development practitioners and leaders, entrepreneurs, women and youth to discuss, share, promote and encourage solutions local and imported to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19, and many of those that pre-existed the pandemic. The ultimate goal is to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs related to agriculture, food and nutrition in SIDS.

Digitization and innovation – an important path for SIDS on the road to 2030

Digital technologies are transforming agrifood systems. Although this is an important development everywhere, it is of great importance for remote areas such as SIDS. The expansion of mobile technologies, remote sensing services and distributed computing is already improving smallholder access to information, inputs and markets, increasing production and productivity, streamlining supply chains and reduces operating costs.

Robotics, along with artificial intelligence (AI), are examples of how digital innovation helps farmers in herd and crop management. Digital innovation has the potential to unlock employment opportunities, bridge the rural divide and empower young people and women to access information, technology and markets.

Sharing these rapidly evolving digital innovations will accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs in SIDS. Therefore, the SIDS Solutions Forum will launch a knowledge exchange platform to incubate, promote, develop and replicate locally grown ideas to accelerate the realization of agriculture, food, nutrition, environment and health.

A global event – a major media opportunity [30 — 31 August] – before and during.

The two-day virtual event will attract high-level participation. The agenda and the list of participants will be available soon. Media can find a registration page here or by accessing the event page here

Prior to the forum, for media interview offers and other specific media questions (e.g. facilitating thematic story ideas, sharing contacts in SIDS and arranging interviews in SIDS), please contact [email protected] +66898915003 (GMT + 6) More information about the event here.