Bridging the Technology Divide for Food Security

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched its first in-person regional workshop since the COVID-19 pandemic under the CropWatch Innovative Cooperation Programme (CropWatch ICP) “Advancing satellite-based crop monitoring to increase resilience in the face of global food insecurity”. Hosted in collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI), the workshop brought together technicians, policymakers and other stakeholders from eleven countries to receive training on the CropWatch system. This technology which is free to the participating countries provides access to real time information about national crop land use intensity, conditions, yields, and production.

Strengthening food systems has emerged on the international development agenda not only as an agricultural challenge but as a game-changer to catalyse results across multiple Sustainable Development Goals. At the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment which took place at the end of July the UN Secretary-General highlighted the growth of positive partnerships among governments, businesses, civil society and UN agencies and called for action to leverage “science and technology to improve the efficiency and reach of food systems.” Underpinned by the UN principles of inclusion and partnership, tools such as CropWatch can provide innovative solutions to food security issues.

In her opening remarks Ms. Shamika Sirimanne, Director, Division on Technology and Logistics, UNCTAD highlighted the benefits of the Cropwatch system giving “…policymakers a remarkably up-to-date, accurate and detailed picture and understanding of the agricultural context in their country…to enable them to make data-driven policy decisions to guide long-term and climate-resilient agricultural development.”  

With climate change as one of the key challenges hampering food security, the technology will support earlier responses and response mechanisms to cope with natural hazards including drought, floods and crop disease. In her opening speech Ms. Lisa Simrique Singh, UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles underlined that:

“With only seven years left to deliver on Agenda 2030 we must work together to encourage the use of innovation, technology, and investment for climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture practices. Working in partnership both within countries and regionally is key to achieving a world where people, nature and economies can all thrive.”

Strong regional cooperation is needed to build resilience to the multiple and overlapping crises of the past few years and foster sustainable growth. The CropWatch programme is a model of South-South cooperation. It supports skills transfer by training experts who then have the capacity to pass on the knowledge, as well as addressing technology and data divides which impact on our ability to accelerate towards achievement of the SDGs.

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Background: The CropWatch Innovative Cooperation Programme (CropWatch ICP) was launched in 2021 by the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO), and the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).