This project is a collaborative initiative between the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and CIAR.

The core of the project is to enhance digital transformation and innovation in the agricultural sectors of developing countries, particularly within the Asia and Pacific Region. This was achieved through a scoping study to identify the demands, challenges, and viable solutions for implementing digital agriculture in selected Asia-Pacific countries. The findings will inform IFAD's strategic direction in this area. Additionally, the project organized a high-level capacity-building event in China and producing an action-oriented project brief to foster policy engagement and dialogue among key policymakers. This initiative aims to contribute to development of digital agriculture and poverty reduction in selected countries and other economics in Asia-Pacific region.

Smallholder farmers across the Asia-Pacific region face persistent challenges, including climate change impacts, inefficient supply chains, and limited access to markets. Digital agriculture offers a transformative pathway to enhance productivity, resilience, and rural livelihoods. This project brief, based on a comprehensive study of eight Asia-Pacific countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam), posits that South-South and triangular Cooperation (SSTC) could be a strong mechanism to accelerate this transformation by leveraging shared experiences and context-specific solutions of countries such as China, which has accumulated remarkable experience in this field.

The analysis identifies three priority areas of common need for cross-border collaboration: 

a.Climate-Smart Precision Agriculture;

b.Digital Supply Chains & Market Access;

c.Inclusive Digital Services & Infrastructure.