JULY-AUGUST. 2026 | @ AGROBiz

Held in Rome under the theme“ Leveraging data and technology for sustainable agrifood systems”, the three-day conference brought together agriculture ministers, policymakers, farmers, researchers, private sector representatives, development partners, and women and youth leaders.

Discussions focused on how smart farming can help farmers respond to climate variability, soil and water degradation, rising input costs and labour constraints, while improving productivity and the sustainable use of resources.

The conference highlighted the role of data, digital technologies and scientific knowledge in supporting decisions across agricultural production. These tools can help improve the use of water, fertilisers, pesticides and energy while supporting productivity, profitability and environmental sustainability.

The FAO Director-General Dr Qu Dongyu said innovation and technology had become a central priority for the organisation, while emphasising that smart farming was also about resilience and transformation, particularly in rural areas.

The conference also stressed that technology alone would not be sufficient. Scaling smart farming requires coordinated action involving governments, research institutions, farmers’ organisations, the private sector and development partners, supported by appropriate policies, investment and technical expertise.

Participants discussed the need to ensure that small-scale farmers can access relevant skills, finance, tech-

• Global leaders and agriculture stakeholders call for wider adoption of data-driven farming technologies.

• Smart farming can improve productivity while reducing the use of water, fertilisers, pesticides and energy.

• FAO stresses affordable, inclusive technologies and stronger partnerships to ensure small-scale farmers can benefit.

nologies and markets, while adapting solutions to local agricultural conditions and knowledge.

Sessions covered precision livestock farming, smart cropping systems, governance, investment and partnerships, as well as opportunities to strengthen youth and women’ s entrepreneurship and digital skills.

An exhibition featuring 29 exhibitors showcased smart farming technologies and practical solutions from around the world, providing examples of how digital and data-driven approaches are being applied in agriculture.

FAO highlighted projects in Uzbekistan and Viet Nam, where its smart farming approach has focused on affordable technologies, quality inputs and digital tools for high-value horticultural crops. Similar approaches are being replicated in Honduras and Zambia.

In Uzbekistan, low-cost greenhouse innovations have enabled vegetable

FARMING FUTURES: The

Global Conference on Smart Farming brought together global leaders, experts and farmers to explore how data and technology can transform agriculture and strengthen resilient, sustainable food systems.

farmers to triple their yields and earn higher incomes while using less water, illustrating how appropriately scaled technologies can improve both productivity and resource efficiency.

Participants were expected to develop practical recommendations to help countries scale up smart farming systems that are affordable, inclusive and accessible to farmers, while strengthening resilience and supporting more sustainable agrifood systems.

VIETNAM is looking to science, technology and digital transformation to sustain agricultural growth as climate change and uncertainty in global trade threaten to weigh on the sector’ s expansion.

Agricultural, forestry and fishery exports reached an estimated US $ 35.88 billion in the first half of 2026, up six per cent year-on-year, while the sector’ s gross domestic product grew more than 3.8 per cent, exceeding the government’ s 3.7 per cent target, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Dang Ngoc Diep said.

The results were supported by stable production across key industries, although the area planted with winter-spring rice fell by nearly

38,000ha from a year earlier to more than 2.9 million ha.

Higher yields offset the decline, rising by 120kg per hectare and lifting output to about 20.5 million tonnes, an increase of more than 88,000 tonnes year-on-year.

Fisheries also remained a significant contributor, with total output approaching five million tonnes, up 3.6 per cent.

Export performance was similarly strong in several major segments. Seafood exports rose 11.4 per cent to US $ 5.7 billion, while fruit and vegetable shipments increased 17.7 per cent to US $ 3.6 billion.

Wood and wood products generated US $ 8.5 billion, up 4.4 per cent, while

AGRICULTURAL GROWTH: Vietnam’ s agricultural sector is turning to science and technology to sustain production, strengthen exports and respond to emerging climate and trade challenges.

livestock products recorded the fastest growth among the segments, with exports surging 34.6 per cent.

China remained a key market, with exports increasing 23.1 per cent in the first half, while shipments to Japan rose 1.6 per cent.

With production and exports maintaining momentum, science and technology, digital transformation and the green transition are being positioned as key drivers for sustaining agricultural growth amid emerging challenges.- @ AGROBiz