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G20 Ministers of Agriculture Affirm Importance of ICT

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The G20 Ministers of Agriculture have affirmed the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at the end of their meeting, reports NaijaAgroNet.
A communique from the meeting made available to NaijaAgroNet, the ministers affirmed the importance of ICT in agriculture, calling it “essential to human, social and economic development,” and stressing “the potential to reach farmers --including smallholders and family farmers-- with timely and accessible content on markets, sustainable and efficient farming practices and new technologies

The partnership structured at the G20 meeting, NaijaAgroNet gathered is part of a larger digital strategy Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is developing  to integrate a wide range of technologies, ranging from satellite data to mobile phones and social platforms, with the agency’s work to support the most vulnerable with access to information and bottom-up learning.

“We have to bear in mind that small farmers in developing countries are often constrained in their access to inputs, technology, and markets. In order to ensure that farmers fully leverage the ICT opportunities, it is essential to provide digital tailored access, foster capacity development and facilitate the exchange of experiences,” he said.

The FAO Director-General, José Graziano da, highlighted joint work between FAO and G20 countries on such projects as the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS), the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP) and the G20 Technical Platform for the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste.

He also underlined the ongoing international efforts to address Antimicrobial Resistance in partnership with the World Health Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health and called on G20 countries to support FAO in this endeavour. 
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