AI for food systems

Summary

The discussion centered on the launch of the “AI for Food Systems” initiative, a collaborative effort led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with major UN agencies including the World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Seizo Onoe, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, opened by emphasizing that the global food system faces unprecedented challenges from climate shocks, supply disruptions, and demographic pressures, positioning artificial intelligence as offering practical, scalable solutions.

The initiative aims to develop common frameworks and standards for digital food systems, ensuring that AI solutions are interoperable, secure, and adaptable across different contexts. A central theme throughout the discussion was the focus on reaching smallholder farmers, who represent 80% of people in remote areas and produce one-third of the world’s food despite having limited land and resources. Speakers emphasized that these farmers are often the least connected, least capitalized, and least visible in global innovation systems.

Pieternel Boogaard from IFAD stressed that AI must be developed and deployed ethically, equitably, and responsibly, with innovations designed specifically with and for farmers. Magan Naidoo from WFP highlighted the organization’s mission to build resilience into food systems and viewed AI as an opportunity to solve world hunger through smarter, more inclusive systems. Dejan Jakovljevic from FAO noted the urgency of addressing food insecurity affecting 700 million people globally, describing AI as both an enabler and accelerator for transforming agri-food systems.

The initiative builds upon previous collaborative work between ITU and FAO, particularly their focus group on AI and IoT for digital agriculture. All speakers emphasized the importance of partnerships and collective action to ensure that technological innovations reach the most vulnerable populations and contribute to global food security.

Keypoints

**Major Discussion Points:**

– **Launch of AI for Food Systems Initiative**: The ITU (International Telecommunication Union) officially launched a global initiative focused on using artificial intelligence to transform food systems, with emphasis on creating standards and frameworks for implementation.

– **Global Food Security Crisis**: Multiple speakers highlighted the urgent need to address food insecurity affecting over 700 million people worldwide (1 in 11 people), with particular focus on smallholder farmers who produce one-third of the world’s food but lack resources and connectivity.

– **Importance of Partnerships and Collaboration**: Strong emphasis on multi-stakeholder cooperation between UN agencies (ITU, FAO, IFAD, WFP), governments, private sector, research institutions, and civil society to ensure AI solutions reach those most in need.

– **Ethical and Responsible AI Implementation**: Speakers stressed the need for AI to be developed and deployed ethically, equitably, and responsibly, with solutions designed specifically with and for farmers, particularly in remote and underserved areas.

– **Standards and Interoperability**: Discussion of the critical need for common frameworks, standardization, and interoperable systems to ensure AI solutions can be scaled effectively and integrated into existing public systems.

**Overall Purpose:**

The discussion served as the official launch event for the “AI for Food Systems” global initiative, bringing together key UN agencies and stakeholders to announce their collaborative effort to leverage artificial intelligence for addressing global food security challenges and transforming agricultural systems.

**Overall Tone:**

The tone throughout the discussion was consistently formal, optimistic, and collaborative. It maintained a ceremonial quality appropriate for a launch event, with speakers expressing gratitude, shared commitment, and enthusiasm for the initiative. The atmosphere was professional yet warm, with participants demonstrating genuine excitement about the partnership and its potential impact. The tone remained positive and forward-looking from beginning to end, culminating in a celebratory photo session.

Speakers

– **LJ Rich**: Moderator/Host of the discussion

– **Seizo Onoe**: Director of Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), ITU

– **Pieternel Boogaard**: Managing Director, Office of Technical Delivery, United Nations International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD)

– **Magan Naidoo**: Chief Data Officer, World Food Programme (WFP)

– **Dejan Jakovljevic**: CIO and Director, Digitalization and Informatics Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

– **Sebastian Bosse**: Co-chair of the ITU-FAO focus group on AI and IoT for digital agriculture

**Additional speakers:**

None identified beyond the provided speakers names list.

# Comprehensive Report: Launch of the AI for Food Systems Initiative

## Executive Summary

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) officially launched the “AI for Food Systems” initiative during a high-level discussion featuring key representatives from major UN agencies. This collaborative effort brings together the ITU, World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to address global food system challenges through artificial intelligence solutions. The discussion, moderated by LJ Rich, highlighted the urgent need to transform food systems that currently leave 700 million people without adequate food security. The initiative builds on four years of previous collaborative work and aims to develop standards and frameworks for responsible AI deployment in agriculture and food systems.

## Opening Context and Global Food Crisis

Seizo Onoe, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), opened the discussion by establishing the critical context for the initiative. He highlighted that the global food system faces unprecedented challenges from climate shocks, supply disruptions, and demographic pressures, creating an urgent need for innovative solutions. Onoe positioned artificial intelligence as a critical tool for ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of food security, particularly emphasising the need to reach smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities.

The scale of the crisis was further emphasised by Dejan Jakovljevic, CIO and Director of Digitalization and Informatics Division at FAO, who noted that food insecurity affects more people than ever before, with 700 million people—representing one in eleven people globally—still lacking adequate food access.

## The Smallholder Farmer Challenge

A central theme throughout the discussion was the critical importance of supporting smallholder farmers. Pieternel Boogaard from IFAD provided compelling statistics: 80% of people in remote areas are smallholder farmers who produce one-third of the world’s food despite having only small portions of land. She emphasised that these farmers are often the least connected, least capitalised, and least visible in global innovation systems, yet they play a crucial role in global food production.

Boogaard argued that AI can be transformative by connecting smallholders to help them grow, process, distribute, and access food more effectively. However, she stressed that for innovations to make a difference at scale, they must actually reach “the last mile”—meaning they must be designed with and for farmers, integrated into public systems, and supported by sustainable finance.

## Ethical and Responsible AI Implementation

The discussion placed significant emphasis on the ethical dimensions of AI deployment in food systems. Boogaard referenced a quote from Professor Stephen Hawking, shared by His Excellency, the President of Estonia at an ITU-hosted lunch: “AI is either the best or the worst that has happened to humanity.” This framing established the moral imperative underlying the initiative and highlighted the responsibility to ensure AI serves humanity positively.

The speakers emphasised that AI must be developed and deployed ethically, equitably, and responsibly to benefit vulnerable populations. This ethical framework was treated as a foundational requirement for the initiative’s success.

## Standards and Technical Framework Development

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the critical need for standardisation and common frameworks in digital food systems. Onoe emphasised that standards are enablers of global cooperation that bring innovation with sustainability through inclusive processes. The initiative aims to create common frameworks for digital food systems that ensure interoperability, security, and adaptability across different contexts and platforms.

Jakovljevic highlighted the importance of horizontal enablers and reference architectures for responsible AI use, describing standardisation as a foundational element that must be addressed before widespread implementation. Sebastian Bosse, co-chair of the ITU-FAO focus group on AI and IoT for digital agriculture, emphasised the goal of making “discrimination-free and open interoperability a reality in agriculture.”

Onoe noted that the outputs will feed into key ITU standardisation workstreams to ensure relevance and adoption at scale.

## Partnership and Collaboration Framework

The initiative builds upon proven collaborative frameworks, particularly the ITU-FAO focus group on AI and IoT for digital agriculture, which Bosse noted began four years ago. The collaborative approach brings together multiple UN agencies and stakeholders, with Onoe highlighting partnerships with WFP, FAO, IFAD, and other collaborators as fundamental to the initiative’s potential success.

Magan Naidoo from WFP briefly outlined how the collaboration aligns with her organisation’s work in delivering food assistance and building resilience into food systems. Jakovljevic noted that AI is already in motion, with many examples of how artificial intelligence is transforming various aspects of food systems, suggesting that the initiative needs to coordinate and guide existing AI developments.

## Implementation Approach

The initiative aims to develop shared digital infrastructure and pilot programmes that will empower governments and innovators to achieve real-world impact. The approach emphasises integration into existing public systems rather than creating parallel structures, recognising that sustainable impact requires working within established governmental and institutional frameworks.

The focus remains on ensuring that AI solutions reach those most in need and contribute meaningfully to global food security, with particular attention to supporting smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities who are often marginalised in global innovation systems.

## Conclusion

The launch of the AI for Food Systems initiative represents a significant collaborative effort among major UN agencies to address global food insecurity through responsible artificial intelligence deployment. The discussion demonstrated strong alignment among participating organisations on both problem definition and solution approaches, building on four years of previous collaborative work.

The initiative’s emphasis on ethical AI development, support for smallholder farmers, standardisation, and multi-agency partnerships positions it as a potentially important effort in global food security. The event concluded with a photo session, marking the formal launch of this collaborative initiative.

The discussion successfully established the moral, technical, and collaborative foundations for the AI for Food Systems initiative, setting the stage for detailed implementation planning and concrete action to address global food insecurity.

LJ Rich: the Director of Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, the TSB, the ITU, and it’s a key driver behind this initiative. So let’s hear from his opening remarks. The floor is yours.

Seizo Onoe: Dear colleagues, partners, the global food system is under an unprecedented system, from climate shocks to supply disruptions and demographic pressures. In the face of these colleagues, artificial intelligence offers not just hope, but practical, scalable solutions. This initiative, AI for Food Systems, is part of our broader commitment to ensure that emergency technology services, humanities, are most urgent needs. Standards are not just technical tools, they are enablers of global cooperation. Through inclusive and consensus-driven processes, ITU develops standards that bring innovation with sustainability. This initiative will contribute to creating common frameworks for digital food, ensuring solutions are interoperable, secure, and adaptable. The strength of this initiative lies in partnerships. We are grateful to work alongside actors like the WFP, FAO, IFAD, and other collaborators. To pursue knowledge, I am honored to be launching AI for Food Systems today, together with our partners. Through shared digital infrastructure, pilot, and standards responsibilities, we aim to empower governments and innovators to deliver real-world impact for resilient food systems. The output of this initiative will also feed into key ITU standardization workstreams, ensuring relevance of adoption at scale. Let us work together to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital age, especially not smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities. Thank you.

LJ Rich: Thank you so much, Seizo Onoe, for your opening remarks. And now we’ll turn to our fabulous panelists. Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, we have a real power panel for you this afternoon. So many acronyms, all of them awesome. So let’s invite them up onto the stage today. We have Pieter-Neil Bugar, Managing Director, Office of Technical Delivery, United Nations International Fund for Agriculture Development. And we also have Magan Naidoo, Chief Data Officer from the World Food Programme. Dejan Jokovic, CIO and Director, Digitalization and Informatics Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. And Sebastian Boss, who served as the co-chair of the ITU-FAO focus group on AI and IoT for digital agriculture. My goodness, let’s welcome them all to the stage. Well, these seats are nice and comfortable. So we’re ready to start, I think. Is everyone ready? Good. Excellent. I am too. All right. Let me please start by first inviting Pieter-Neil Bugar to tell us a little bit more about what’s happening with the IFAD. Well, first of all, thank you for having me and a privilege to be here and be part of this distinguished group, as you alluded to.

Pieternel Boogaard: Yesterday, I had the pleasure to join an ITU hosted lunch where one of the guest speakers, His Excellency, the President of Estonia, reminded us of a quote of Professor Stephen Hawking. AI is either the best or the worst that has happened to humanity. So that is why I’m thrilled that we’re coming together here with so many in Geneva and to make sure it’s actually the best. To emphasize the importance of technology for shared prosperity, equity and sustainability. And today’s launch of the Global Initiative on AI for Food Systems Transformation represents an important moment. And it’s a step forward for the UN and the world. A collective work aimed to support member states in their efforts to standardize the adaptation of AI and all its aspects. And for us at IFAD, it’s a particularly important supporting tool as we provide governments with finance, offer our experience and expertise to transform rural areas and create better lives for those that live in it. Governments who have the right policies in place will be much more effective. With technology, we can now reach and connect people in remote areas where 80% of people are smallholders. People who produce one third of the world’s food and yet have a small portion of land. They are often the least connected, the least capitalized and the least visible in global innovation systems. In other words, they have hardly any external support. And we believe that AI is not just a tool for efficiency, it’s transformative as it connects these smallholders. We can help them grow, process, distribute and access food and have a future. But this will only happen if AI is developed and deployed ethically, equitably and responsibly. Innovations will only make a difference at scale if they actually reach the last mile. That means they must be designed with and for farmers, integrated into public systems and supported by sustainable finance. And that’s why this initiative matters. We are proud to join forces with UN agencies, with governments, research institutions, civil society and the private sector to launch this global initiative to make sure AI is the best that happened to the most vulnerable people in the world. Thank you.

LJ Rich: Thank you very much. That was a really inspiring message. Okay, next it’s an honor to invite Magan Naidoo, Chief Data Officer from the World Food Programme. The floor is yours.

Magan Naidoo: Thank you. Well, good afternoon distinguished colleagues. It’s really a privilege to be joining you this afternoon for the launch of this timely and impactful initiative, AI for Food Systems. So the World Food Programme certainly welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with other agencies and partners on this initiative and see this as a bold step forward in how we partner to solve critical humanitarian challenges. We congratulate the ITU and all the partners that have collaborated extensively to bring this initiative to life. At a time where food insecurity affects more than ever. Seizo Onoe, Director-General, World Food Programme, World Food Programme, World Food Programme focus around partnering and sharing knowledge as something that aligns well with WFP’s mission which is around delivering food and working with governments around the world to build resilience into systems. And from that perspective we’re very pleased to collaborate in this journey forward. In terms of our artificial intelligence strategy, we do see artificial intelligence as an opportunity to solve for world hunger, and we therefore welcome the opportunity to partner with other organizations to build food systems that are smarter and more resilient. There’s an immense opportunity for all of us to work together to build systems that are smarter, more resilient, more inclusive. So therefore let’s partner and seize the opportunity to work together. Thank you.

LJ Rich: Oh, thank you. Thank you very much. Yes, I think a little round of applause for every one of you. This is absolutely brilliant, and thank you. So let’s hear next from Dejan

Dejan Jakovljevic: Yakovlevich, CIO and Director, Digitalization and Informatics Division at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It’s over to you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much and good afternoon on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO. And I would like to express my appreciation to ITU for bringing us together. And as I was listening to my colleagues, we indeed have the same objective. As you mentioned, the 700 million people still without the food. We say one in 11. We can see in this room how many would that be. So we, I think, share a common sense of urgency. And we see AI as one of the key enablers, but also accelerators, where we see agri-food systems that need to be transformed and urgently. So in this sense, if we look at the AI, and I think this week we’ve seen many, many brilliant examples of how AI can help us accelerate these changes. But what do we also see? We see AI in motion. Many examples on how AI is already transforming the way we do things, the way we live. We also see from, we had recently in the FAO the dialogue around AI to try to have the foresight on how can we use AI for the benefit of all. And we found a number of dimensions there that it’s not a one-dimensional problem. And particular to this initiative for us, we see horizontal issues around standardization, horizontal issues around structuring the framework on how to use AI and responsibly, and in particular around reference architectures. And we started a joint work already in the past with ITU’s Help Under ITU group. And I’m very happy to see that we are elevating this work now with the global initiative. And it’s, I think, an excellent opportunity for us to establish this horizontal enabler together through this research. And together not only with a lot of acronyms, but actually with action from our organizations. So we are very much looking forward to this initiative. And again, thanks to ITU and all the partners in this work together. Thank you.

LJ Rich: Thank you. Yes, I think so. It’s an afternoon. It’s really amazing what everybody is doing. And we have another person who’s going to tell us a little bit more. And it’s a pleasure to hear from Sebastian Boss. You served as the co-chair of the ITU FAO focus group on AI and IoT for digital agriculture. I’d love to hear what you have to say. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Sebastian Bosse: So this initiative builds actually on the work of the FAO ITU focus group on AI and IoT for digital agriculture. And I remember well when we discussed, I think it was four years ago, how to outline this focus group. And I really enjoyed this collaboration. I’m very, very proud of the results of this focus group. And I’m also very thankful that I was trusted in sharing it. I think that now, and building on our collaboration in the past, with this initiative, we will continue our journey and make discrimination-free and open interoperability a reality in agriculture. I’m very much looking forward to driving these efforts together with our colleagues from FAO, IFAD and WFP. Oh, thank you very much. That was lovely. Okay. Yes, very concise, but very well put. Thank you

LJ Rich: so much. All of our distinguished speakers for these incredible reflections and congratulations once again to all of you. This is a milestone launch. We’ve had AI for good and now we’ve got AI for food at AI for good. So it’s perfect. And this initiative is a leap forward, I think, in the global movement to align innovation with impact and ensure that no one is left behind in that pursuit of food security. So as this journey of AI for FS begins, we’re going to invite all stakeholders, governments, private sector, researchers, farmers and civil society to engage, collaborate and innovate together. Now, before we close this session, I would love to invite our speakers and the chair of the initiative for a quick photograph to capture the momentous occasion. So please, if it’s okay to have a little bit of music and we can stand up and take a picture. Thank you. Congratulations, everyone. I think if we all stand here on the AI, it feels appropriate, doesn’t it? And then if we come in a little bit together, then people can also see the QR code on the wide shot. Did everyone hear that? Good. Okay. Here’s the bit where we smile and everyone waits. And I’m going to step away to give a chance for you to have your picture together. And, oh, Noah-san, I’m so glad you could make it. Yes, I did invite the chair. Here we go. A proper photograph now. Sorry about that. I shall step away. Okay. Yes, I think everyone’s got quite a large collection of photographs of you by now. So thank you very much to our fantastic panel on AI for food systems. Excellent. Brilliant. We’ll just make sure our microphones are left and they’re welcome to go off in that direction. Thank you. Thank you so much. Oh, ladies and gentlemen and everyone, a round of applause. What a fantastic initiative that was. And it was actually, it was a very relaxing panel, wasn’t it? I felt very comfortable. So thank you very much, everyone.

Agreement points

Global food crisis urgency and scale

Speakers

– Seizo Onoe
– Dejan Jakovljevic
– Magan Naidoo

Arguments

Global food system faces unprecedented challenges from climate shocks, supply disruptions, and demographic pressures

Food insecurity affects more people than ever before, with 700 million people still without food

AI represents an opportunity to solve for world hunger through smarter, more resilient food systems

Summary

All speakers acknowledge the unprecedented scale and urgency of the global food crisis, with specific statistics highlighting that hundreds of millions lack food security despite various systemic pressures.

Topics

Development | Human rights

AI as transformative solution for food systems

Speakers

– Seizo Onoe
– Pieternel Boogaard
– Magan Naidoo

Arguments

AI offers practical, scalable solutions to address urgent food system needs

AI can be transformative by connecting smallholders to help them grow, process, distribute and access food

AI represents an opportunity to solve for world hunger through smarter, more resilient food systems

Summary

Speakers unanimously view AI not just as an efficiency tool but as a transformative technology capable of fundamentally changing how food systems operate and connect stakeholders.

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

Critical importance of partnerships and collaboration

Speakers

– Seizo Onoe
– Magan Naidoo
– Sebastian Bosse
– LJ Rich

Arguments

Initiative’s strength lies in partnerships with WFP, FAO, IFAD and other collaborators

Collaboration aligns with WFP’s mission of delivering food and working with governments to build system resilience

Initiative builds on previous successful collaboration through ITU-FAO focus group on AI and IoT for digital agriculture

Initiative ensures no one is left behind in the pursuit of food security through stakeholder collaboration

Summary

All speakers emphasize that successful food system transformation requires multi-stakeholder partnerships, building on proven collaborative frameworks and engaging diverse actors from government to civil society.

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

Focus on supporting smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities

Speakers

– Seizo Onoe
– Pieternel Boogaard

Arguments

Initiative aims to ensure no one is left behind, especially smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities

80% of people in remote areas are smallholders who produce one-third of world’s food but have small land portions

Smallholders are least connected, least capitalized, and least visible in global innovation systems

Summary

Speakers agree on prioritizing smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities as key beneficiaries, recognizing their critical role in food production despite facing multiple disadvantages and limited access to resources.

Topics

Development | Human rights

Need for standardization and technical frameworks

Speakers

– Seizo Onoe
– Dejan Jakovljevic
– Sebastian Bosse

Arguments

Standards are enablers of global cooperation that bring innovation with sustainability through inclusive processes

Initiative will create common frameworks for digital food systems ensuring interoperability, security, and adaptability

Standardization and reference architectures are horizontal enablers needed for responsible AI use

Focus on making discrimination-free and open interoperability a reality in agriculture

Summary

Speakers consistently emphasize the critical role of standards and technical frameworks in enabling interoperability, security, and inclusive access to AI solutions across food systems.

Topics

Infrastructure | Legal and regulatory

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize the ethical imperative of ensuring AI development serves the most vulnerable populations rather than exacerbating existing inequalities, with specific focus on inclusive deployment.

Speakers

– Pieternel Boogaard
– Seizo Onoe

Arguments

AI must be developed and deployed ethically, equitably, and responsibly to benefit vulnerable populations

Initiative aims to ensure no one is left behind, especially smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities

Topics

Human rights | Development

Both speakers represent UN agencies focused on addressing food insecurity through government partnerships and system-level interventions, emphasizing the scale of the challenge and collaborative solutions.

Speakers

– Magan Naidoo
– Dejan Jakovljevic

Arguments

Collaboration aligns with WFP’s mission of delivering food and working with governments to build system resilience

Food insecurity affects more people than ever before, with 700 million people still without food

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

Both speakers emphasize the technical foundations needed for responsible AI implementation, focusing on open standards and non-discriminatory access to ensure equitable benefits across agricultural systems.

Speakers

– Sebastian Bosse
– Dejan Jakovljevic

Arguments

Focus on making discrimination-free and open interoperability a reality in agriculture

Standardization and reference architectures are horizontal enablers needed for responsible AI use

Topics

Infrastructure | Human rights

Unexpected consensus

Ethical AI development as fundamental requirement

Speakers

– Pieternel Boogaard
– Sebastian Bosse
– Seizo Onoe

Arguments

AI can be either the best or worst thing for humanity, emphasizing need for responsible development

Focus on making discrimination-free and open interoperability a reality in agriculture

Standards are enablers of global cooperation that bring innovation with sustainability through inclusive processes

Explanation

Unexpectedly, speakers from different organizational backgrounds converged on emphasizing ethical considerations and responsible development as foundational requirements rather than secondary considerations, suggesting a mature understanding of AI’s dual potential.

Topics

Human rights | Legal and regulatory

Technical standardization as enabler of equity

Speakers

– Seizo Onoe
– Sebastian Bosse
– Dejan Jakovljevic

Arguments

Initiative will create common frameworks for digital food systems ensuring interoperability, security, and adaptability

Focus on making discrimination-free and open interoperability a reality in agriculture

Standardization and reference architectures are horizontal enablers needed for responsible AI use

Explanation

The consensus on technical standardization serving equity goals is unexpected, as technical standards discussions often focus on efficiency rather than social justice. This suggests a sophisticated understanding of how technical choices impact access and inclusion.

Topics

Infrastructure | Human rights

Overall assessment

Summary

Speakers demonstrated remarkable consensus across multiple dimensions: acknowledging the urgent scale of global food insecurity, viewing AI as transformative rather than merely incremental, emphasizing collaborative partnerships as essential, prioritizing vulnerable populations including smallholder farmers, and recognizing technical standardization as fundamental to equitable outcomes.

Consensus level

Very high level of consensus with strong alignment on both problem definition and solution approaches. This suggests the initiative has solid foundational support across participating organizations and indicates potential for effective implementation. The consensus extends beyond superficial agreement to include shared understanding of ethical requirements, technical needs, and collaborative approaches, which bodes well for sustained cooperation and coordinated action.

Different viewpoints

Unexpected differences

Overall assessment

Summary

No significant disagreements were identified among the speakers. All participants expressed strong alignment on the need for AI solutions to address food system challenges, the importance of supporting smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities, the value of collaborative partnerships, and the necessity of ethical AI implementation.

Disagreement level

Minimal to no disagreement. This high level of consensus suggests strong institutional alignment among UN agencies and partners on AI for food systems, which facilitates initiative implementation but may also indicate limited critical examination of potential challenges, trade-offs, or alternative approaches. The unanimous support creates favorable conditions for moving forward but might benefit from more diverse perspectives on implementation strategies and potential risks.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers emphasize the ethical imperative of ensuring AI development serves the most vulnerable populations rather than exacerbating existing inequalities, with specific focus on inclusive deployment.

Speakers

– Pieternel Boogaard
– Seizo Onoe

Arguments

AI must be developed and deployed ethically, equitably, and responsibly to benefit vulnerable populations

Initiative aims to ensure no one is left behind, especially smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities

Topics

Human rights | Development

Both speakers represent UN agencies focused on addressing food insecurity through government partnerships and system-level interventions, emphasizing the scale of the challenge and collaborative solutions.

Speakers

– Magan Naidoo
– Dejan Jakovljevic

Arguments

Collaboration aligns with WFP’s mission of delivering food and working with governments to build system resilience

Food insecurity affects more people than ever before, with 700 million people still without food

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

Both speakers emphasize the technical foundations needed for responsible AI implementation, focusing on open standards and non-discriminatory access to ensure equitable benefits across agricultural systems.

Speakers

– Sebastian Bosse
– Dejan Jakovljevic

Arguments

Focus on making discrimination-free and open interoperability a reality in agriculture

Standardization and reference architectures are horizontal enablers needed for responsible AI use

Topics

Infrastructure | Human rights

Key takeaways

The AI for Food Systems Initiative was successfully launched as a collaborative effort between ITU, WFP, FAO, IFAD, and other partners to address global food insecurity affecting 700 million people

AI is positioned as a transformative solution that can provide practical, scalable approaches to climate shocks, supply disruptions, and demographic pressures facing food systems

Standards and common frameworks are essential enablers for ensuring AI solutions are interoperable, secure, adaptable, and can facilitate global cooperation in food systems

Smallholder farmers, who produce one-third of the world’s food but remain the least connected and supported, are a primary focus for AI-driven transformation

Ethical, equitable, and responsible AI deployment is crucial, with emphasis on ensuring innovations reach ‘the last mile’ and are designed with and for farmers

The initiative builds upon previous successful collaboration through the ITU-FAO focus group on AI and IoT for digital agriculture, demonstrating proven partnership effectiveness

Resolutions and action items

Launch the Global Initiative on AI for Food Systems Transformation with shared digital infrastructure and pilot programs

Develop common frameworks for digital food systems ensuring interoperability, security, and adaptability

Create standardization processes and reference architectures for responsible AI use in agriculture

Integrate AI solutions into public systems with sustainable finance support

Feed initiative outputs into key ITU standardization workstreams for relevance and adoption at scale

Engage all stakeholders including governments, private sector, researchers, farmers, and civil society in collaboration

Unresolved issues

Specific technical implementation details for AI standardization frameworks were not discussed

Timeline and milestones for initiative deliverables were not established

Funding mechanisms and resource allocation among partner organizations were not addressed

Concrete metrics for measuring success and impact on smallholder farmers were not defined

Specific pilot program locations, scope, and selection criteria were not outlined

Suggested compromises

None identified

AI is either the best or the worst that has happened to humanity

Speaker

Pieternel Boogaard (quoting Professor Stephen Hawking via the President of Estonia)

Reason

This quote frames the entire discussion around the dual nature of AI technology – its potential for both tremendous benefit and significant harm. It establishes the moral imperative underlying the initiative and highlights the responsibility of the participants to ensure AI serves humanity positively.

Impact

This comment set the philosophical foundation for the entire discussion, shifting it from a purely technical or operational focus to one that acknowledges the profound ethical implications of AI deployment. It provided the moral framework that subsequent speakers referenced when discussing responsible AI development.

80% of people are smallholders. People who produce one third of the world’s food and yet have a small portion of land. They are often the least connected, the least capitalized and the least visible in global innovation systems.

Speaker

Pieternel Boogaard

Reason

This statistic powerfully illustrates the paradox at the heart of global food systems – those who produce much of the world’s food are simultaneously the most marginalized from technological advancement. It highlights the scale of inequality and the potential impact of inclusive AI solutions.

Impact

This comment shifted the discussion from abstract policy goals to concrete human realities, emphasizing the ‘last mile’ challenge. It reinforced the urgency expressed by other speakers and provided quantitative context for why this initiative matters beyond technological advancement.

Innovations will only make a difference at scale if they actually reach the last mile. That means they must be designed with and for farmers, integrated into public systems and supported by sustainable finance.

Speaker

Pieternel Boogaard

Reason

This comment addresses a critical gap between technological capability and real-world implementation. It introduces the concept of participatory design and systemic integration as prerequisites for meaningful impact, moving beyond technology-first approaches.

Impact

This insight elevated the discussion from focusing solely on AI capabilities to considering the entire ecosystem needed for successful deployment. It implicitly challenged traditional top-down approaches to technology deployment and emphasized the need for farmer-centric design.

We see AI in motion. Many examples on how AI is already transforming the way we do things, the way we live… it’s not a one-dimensional problem.

Speaker

Dejan Jakovljevic

Reason

This observation acknowledges that AI adoption is already happening organically and emphasizes the complexity of the challenge. It suggests that the initiative must work with existing momentum rather than starting from scratch, and must address multiple interconnected dimensions.

Impact

This comment grounded the discussion in current reality rather than future possibilities, suggesting that the initiative needs to coordinate and guide existing AI developments rather than create entirely new ones. It added complexity to the conversation by acknowledging the multi-dimensional nature of the challenge.

We will continue our journey and make discrimination-free and open interoperability a reality in agriculture.

Speaker

Sebastian Bosse

Reason

This comment introduces the critical concepts of non-discrimination and open interoperability as core principles for AI in agriculture. It suggests that technical standards must embed social justice principles and avoid creating new forms of digital divide.

Impact

Though brief, this comment introduced important technical and ethical principles that weren’t explicitly addressed by other speakers. It connected the technical work of standardization with broader equity goals, adding depth to the discussion of how AI systems should be designed.

Overall assessment

The key comments shaped this discussion by establishing a clear moral framework (the Hawking quote), providing concrete context about the scale and nature of the challenge (smallholder statistics), introducing critical implementation principles (last-mile design, multi-dimensional complexity), and connecting technical standards with social justice goals (discrimination-free interoperability). Together, these insights elevated the conversation from a typical technology launch to a nuanced discussion about responsible innovation that must address systemic inequalities. The comments created a progression from philosophical foundation to practical implementation challenges, ensuring that the initiative was framed not just as a technical exercise but as a moral imperative requiring careful attention to equity, participation, and systemic change.

How to ensure AI is developed and deployed ethically, equitably and responsibly for smallholder farmers

Speaker

Pieternel Boogaard

Explanation

This is critical because smallholder farmers are often the least connected, least capitalized, and least visible in global innovation systems, yet they produce one third of the world’s food

How to make innovations reach the last mile and be designed with and for farmers

Speaker

Pieternel Boogaard

Explanation

Innovations will only make a difference at scale if they actually reach smallholder farmers in remote areas where 80% of people live, requiring integration into public systems and sustainable finance

How to establish horizontal enablers and reference architectures for AI in food systems

Speaker

Dejan Jakovljevic

Explanation

There are horizontal issues around standardization and structuring frameworks for responsible AI use that need to be addressed as foundational elements

How to make discrimination-free and open interoperability a reality in agriculture

Speaker

Sebastian Bosse

Explanation

This builds on previous work from the FAO ITU focus group and is essential for ensuring AI solutions can work together effectively across different systems and platforms

How to build food systems that are smarter, more resilient, and more inclusive through AI partnerships

Speaker

Magan Naidoo

Explanation

There’s an immense opportunity for organizations to work together to address food insecurity that affects more people than ever before