With the largest area of arable uncultivated land in the world, a youthful population of approximately 60 percent and vast natural resources, sub-Saharan Africa is uniquely positioned to double or even triple its current agricultural productivity. Such an increase in agricultural productivity would help lift more than 400 million people in sub-Saharan Africa who live on USD 1.9 or less a day out of extreme poverty, and improve the livelihood of approximately 250 million smallholder farmers and pastoralists in the region.

This session at ICTforAg 2022, co-created by ITU and FAO, discussed the findings of a report on the need to enhance key digital infrastructure, and initiatives existing in sub-Saharan Africa that can be promoted, replicated and scaled up to advance digital agriculture transformation.

Speakers:

• Ken Lohento, Digital Agriculture Specialist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• Torsten Fischer, Advisor for Start-ups in Development Cooperation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

• Beth Crawford, Officer-in-Charge of the FAO Office of Innovation, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• Anthony Renner-Micah, ICT Officer, FAO

• Anne-Rachel Inné, Regional Director for Africa, International Telecommunication Union

• Brenda Gunde, IFAD, Global Senior Technical Specialist for ICT4D

• Dr. Yvonne Pinto, World Bank, Lead Specialist Digital Agriculture Innovation

• Abebe Haile Gabriel, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• Hani Eskandar, Senior Coordinator- Digital Services, Telecommunication Development Bureau, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)