Kathmandu, May 21, 2024 – Mr. Ken Shimizu, the FAO Country Representative for Nepal, delivered a compelling address at the Co-design Workshop on the National Digital Agriculture Strategy and Action Plan, underscoring the pivotal role of digital agriculture in Nepal’s agricultural sector:
In his opening remarks, Mr. Shimizu commended the Agricultural Information and Communication Technology (AICT) for its leadership and applauded the Government of Nepal for its digital initiatives, including the Digital Farmer Registration System, Digital Soil Map, and Digital Seed System.
Emphasizing the need for strategic action plans, Mr. Shimizu stressed the transformative potential of digital agriculture in enhancing production efficiency, establishing trust through certification, and leveraging big data for informed decision-making.
He highlighted FAO’s initiatives such as the 1000 Digital Village Initiative (DVI) and the foresight exercise on agricultural innovations, which have played a significant role in assessing digital agriculture landscapes and piloting digital agriculture services in selected municipalities.
While acknowledging Nepal’s promising digital infrastructure, Mr. Shimizu acknowledged the existing digital divide between rural and urban areas. He emphasized the importance of bridging this gap and promoting digital literacy to ensure widespread adoption of Digital AgriTech solutions.
Expressing gratitude to all stakeholders for their support and active participation, Mr. Shimizu reiterated FAO’s commitment to supporting Nepal in harnessing digital technologies to empower farmers, enhance productivity, and achieve inclusive growth in the agricultural sector.
In conclusion, Mr. Ken Shimizu reaffirmed FAO’s dedication to facilitating Nepal’s journey towards embracing digitalization in agriculture. The workshop marks a significant step forward in realizing Nepal’s vision for a digitally empowered agricultural sector.