Africa must seize the opportunity of the COVID-19 pandemic to deepen the digitalization of agricultural value chains and transform the sector, speakers at a webinar jointly hosted by the FAO Investment Centre and the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) said.

The webinar, held on 10 June, is the first of a four-part series discussing transforming agriculture in Africa through digitalization. It explored digital responses that can be quickly deployed to address the disruptions to food systems, caused by COVID-19. It also examined the requirements for digital transformation in agriculture on the continent.

Nearly 500 people, representing agri-tech, telecom, government agency implementers, policymakers, farmers and development partners, participated. The panelists included Wuraola Jinadu, Business Development Manager, Vodacom Business, Nigeria; Myriam Said, Digital Adviser, Office of the Prime Minister, Ethiopia; Mao Yohannes, Agricultural Transformation Agency, Ethiopia; Benito Eliasi, Programme Officer, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions, and Chris Lukolyo, Digital Country Lead, UN Capital Development Fund, Uganda.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media Contact:
Kwasi Kpodo
Communication and External Relations Department
African Development Bank
Email: w.kpodo@afdb.org