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At the FAO High-Level Ministerial Special Event on innovation and technology in agrifood systems, WFO calls for a farmer-centred approach that empowers farmers rather than replacing them...
If farmers are to thrive in the digital era, innovation must meet them where they are, not leave them further behind. That was the central message delivered by Dr Andrea Porro, Secretary General of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), during the Plenary Session on “Unlocking Potentials with Technology and Innovation for Improved Productivity and Sustainability in Agrifood Systems.” The session was part of the High-Level Ministerial Special Event “From Vulnerability to Resilience – Strengthening Food Security and Better Life in Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries,” at FAO Headquarters alongside the 44th Session of the FAO Conference.
The Ministerial Special Event brought together governments from SIDS, LLDCs and LDCs, alongside international organisations and key stakeholders, to share best practices and foster collaboration aimed at strengthening food security, promoting inclusive growth, and accelerating progress towards SDG 2 – Zero Hunger.
Bringing farmers’ voices to the global stage, the WFO Secretary General emphasised that while food systems operate at local, national, regional, and global levels, farmers themselves act locally, often under conditions of limited connectivity and market exclusion.
“In a context of rapid urbanisation, what is ‘local’ for those who produce food, feed, fibre, and fuel is increasingly different from what is ‘local’ for consumers. Many farmers, particularly in developing countries and small-scale contexts, remain excluded from markets due to geographic remoteness, infrastructure deficits, and limited digital access. These farmers often operate in fragmented and informal value chains where transactions often go unrecorded and farmers’ contributions remain invisible to buyers, financial institutions, and policymakers,” he remarked.
The Secretary General pointed to the transformative potential of digital solutions, such as e-commerce platforms, e-certification tools, and mobile-based marketplaces. Referencing successful examples from the WFO membership, he highlighted Farm Pass, an initiative developed by WFO member KENAFF in Kenya, where the current (and growing) 700,000 farmers registered can access services including digital payments, credit, insurance, and AI-powered agronomic advice. The platform is supported by a growing network of Digital Agricultural Champions, ensuring last-mile inclusion and user support. He also cited F.A.L.C.O.N, a WFO member from Mauritius, where young farmers have leveraged Facebook Marketplace and WhatsApp to reach eco-hotels and local consumers, to promote and sell their products. Additional experiences come from Madagascar and Seychelles, where local cooperatives have piloted mobile-based coordination for transport pooling and selling. WFO promotes not only North-South and South-South Cooperation, but also uphold the Farmer-to-Farmer Cooperation, which sits at the heart of WFO values. Peer-to-peer learning and exchange of experiences remain central to how WFO empowers its members to drive innovation from the ground up.
“These initiatives show the transformative potential of technology to connect farmers to markets,” he noted. However, Dr Porro cautioned that technology alone is not enough. “Without the right foundations, innovation risks being imposed rather than owned—reinforcing inequalities instead of resolving them, and ultimately isolating farmers instead of connecting them.”
He called for greater attention to four essential enabling conditions for success: co-creation with farmers, rural digital infrastructure, fair and interoperable standards and farmers’ data protection.
In this context, the WFO Secretary General urged FAO to go further in its efforts to ensure that technology becomes a tool for equity, resilience and inclusion, not another layer of exclusion: “Over 12,000 years of agricultural history show that farmers have been innovators—by necessity and by tradition. FAO can support this legacy by recognising farmers’ central role not just in adopting innovation, but in shaping it—starting with co-designing the enabling policy frameworks.”
He referenced the WFO’s newly approved Policy on Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, which promotes a farmer-centric approach to the governance and deployment of digital tools in agriculture. Among recommendations, he flagged some areas for convergence with FAO’s work:
- Strengthen the engagement of farmers and their organisations in policy development and support their role as trusted intermediaries in scaling digital tools and delivering farmer-centred services.
- Build trust in data systems by promoting frameworks that uphold data ownership, privacy, portability, and fair compensation for farm data.
- Ensure inclusive international standards by working with partners to develop interoperable, equitable frameworks for digital trade, certification, and AI governance.
He closed with a strong reminder: “We should not ask whether farmers are ready for innovation. We must ask whether innovation is ready for farmers. Digital tools must empower — not displace — farmers. Let’s ensure that in this digital era, farmers, women and men, young and old, remote and local, are not just connected to markets, but also to the value they create within them.”
Source: www.wfo-oma.org
