Digital agriculture and e-commerce have been growing in recent years in industrialized as well as developing countries, but probably not as rapidly as its promoters have suggested. The COVID-19 crisis has now created a new “digital optimism” as digital tools may solve some of the problems that the COVID-19 lock-down measures have created. E-commerce appears promising in strengthening food value chains, and digital tools may also support on-farm production during the crisis, e.g., by providing online advice and facilitating access to inputs and machinery services. Governments and donors are promoting policies to stimulate the growth of digital agriculture in an effort to “build agriculture back better” and foster climate-smart production as part of a sustainable bioeconomy. Could the COVID-19 pandemic thus accelerate a digital revolution in agriculture and, more broadly, the bioeconomy? This is the central question of this webinar, which will be addressed by distinguished speakers from academia, the public and the private sector and international organizations.
The webinar is organized by the International Consortium on Bioeconomy Research (ICABR).
Participation in the webinar is free and no registration is required.
Contact: Regina Birner (Regina.Birner@uni-hohenheim.de) and Carl Pray (cpray@sebs.rutgers.edu)
Part I: Does COVID-19 accelerate the use of digital tools in agricultural value chains?
15:00 – 16:30 (Central European Summer Time)
15:00- 15:05 |
Welcome remarks and overview |
15:00- 15:05 |
How does the pandemic influence the demand for digital tools in agricultural value chains? A conceptual framework |
15:15 – 15:25 |
The perspective of the agricultural input industries |
15:25 – 15:35 |
How can agricultural advisory services use digital tools to support farmers during the crisis? A perspective from Uganda |
15:35 – 15:50 |
Discussion |
15:50 – 16:00 |
How does the Pandemic foster e-commerce? A research perspective |
16:00 – 16:10 |
E-commerce during COVID-19 times – A food industry perspective |
16:10-16:30 |
Discussion opener by David Zilberman, Wolf Prize Laureate, Professor and Robinson Chair, University of California, Berkeley. |
Part II: How do international organizations promote digital tools in COVID-19 related agricultural programs?
17:00 – 18:00 (Central European Summer Time)
17: 00 – 17:10 |
World Bank |
17:10 – 17:20 |
IFAD |
17:20 – 17:30 |
CGIAR |
17.30 – 17:40 |
FAO |
17:40 – 18:00 |
Discussion |