The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive digital transformation in agriculture during the Mid-Term Review Workshop of the project “Fostering Digital Villages through Innovative Advisory and Profitable Market Services in Africa (FDiVi)”. The four-day event in Lilongwe brought together stakeholders from Malawi, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe to evaluate the project's progress and strategize for impactful outcomes in its second phase.

In his opening remarks, George Mvula, Assistant FAO Representative in Malawi, speaking on behalf of FAO Representative Babagana Ahmadu, emphasized the role of partnership in sustainable digital innovation. He also mentioned that: “This initiative is a key pillar of FAO’s Digital Villages Initiative. In the spirit of leaving no one behind, FAO will continue to support Governments in promoting inclusive and farmer-centric digital innovations.”

The FDiVi project was launched in April 2024 and is funded by FAO’s Flexible Voluntary Contributions (FVC) Scheme facilitated by various donors. It leverages cutting-edge digital tools, including artificial intelligence and social media, which are very relevant for farmers, to enhance advisory services, improve market access, and strengthen rural livelihoods in selected communities.

The workshop convened senior government officials and technical experts from the Ministry of Agriculture of Malawi, including the Department of Agricultural Extension Services (DAES), the digital units of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources of Rwanda, and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate, and Rural Development of Zimbabwe. Participants also included representatives from the FAO regional and country offices, districts involved in the project, CABI, Heifer International, youth groups, producer cooperatives, and the private sector.

Inclusive chatbots helping farmers

Participants discussed several achievements from the first half of the project, including the development of a prototype AI-powered chatbot for the banana value chain in Malawi. This tool is designed to empower extension workers with relevant information to support farmers. In Rwanda, collaboration with MINAGRI is leading to the design of a voice-based SMS chatbot targeting farmers, supporting inclusive access for users with limited literacy or internet connectivity.

Other accomplishments include the profiling of agrifood stakeholders in the targeted locations in Malawi, the organization of digital agriculture training sessions across the three countries, and of digital fairs to promote matchmaking between farmers and digital service providers. Capacity building activities have been organized in all countries targeting extension officers and digital champions and farmer representatives in the targeted rural districts.

During the event, some of the partners showcased a range of digital agriculture tools they are supporting and discussed partnership opportunities with the project implementers. Improving knowledge sharing between involved districts on how to use digital tools to improve rural transformation was also discussed.

Seeing action in the field

A major highlight of the event was a field visit to the BOMFA Agricultural Cooperative in Kasungu District. This vibrant, women-led organization showcased its use of social media tools like WhatsApp and Facebook for coordination and marketing, despite limited digital infrastructure. Increased sales and visibility have been recorded as initial results. BOMFA’s model of collective farming, local processing, and digital engagement served as a vivid example of inclusive rural transformation that other cooperatives and farmer groups involved in the project may adopt.

The final day of the workshop featured internal review meetings focused on refining the monitoring and evaluation framework, aligning budgets, and revising workplans to guide the project's next phase.

Ken Lohento, FAO’s regional coordinator for the FDiVi project, expressed appreciation to all participants: “We deeply appreciate the rich insights and experiences shared with us during these sessions. They will not only enhance the effective completion of the current phase but also inform the design of a forward-looking, impactful follow-up to this project.”

The insights and experiences exchanged in Lilongwe are expected to inform the next phase of the FDiVi project and contribute to shaping future initiatives including for the larger Digital Villages Initiative. The collaborative spirit and shared commitment demonstrated throughout the sessions offer a hopeful path forward for enhancing the role of digital tools in supporting rural livelihoods and inclusive agricultural development.