UK (Commonwealth Union)_ The Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda has initiated a groundbreaking effort to assist member countries in establishing a comprehensive national infrastructure for climate data, a crucial step towards fortifying more resilient food systems. Supported by the Open Society Foundations, the Commonwealth aims to create a model of digital public infrastructure (DPI) that serves as a foundational framework for national governments, aiding them in making informed policy decisions related to climate and agriculture.
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Addressing an event on the sidelines of COP28, the UN climate change summit, Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC emphasized the urgency of viewing agricultural data as a national asset essential for economic growth and sustainability. She stressed the drawbacks of fragmented data sets, deeming them inefficient, ineffective, and detrimental to productivity. Secretary-General Scotland also advocated for digitalization as a ray of hope, providing innovative solutions to traditional challenges in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
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The Secretary-General stated, “It is imperative to view agricultural data as a national asset, a cornerstone for economic growth and sustainability. Fragmented data sets are inefficient, ineffective, and have a negative impact on productivity. Digitalization emerges as a beacon of hope, offering innovative solutions to traditional challenges in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.” The gathering also aimed to advance discussions with member nations on fostering collaborative and efficient data management across the Commonwealth, with the overarching aim of enhancing intra-Commonwealth trade and investment.
Benjamin Kwasi Addom, Agriculture & Fisheries Trade Policy Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat, lamented the absence of a national approach to data management in most countries. This lack results in the deployment of multiple data management systems and approaches. Moreover, data holders’ reluctance to share their data leads to duplicated systems and various inefficiencies, hindering policymaking and the ability to scale up production. Advocating for a national approach to data management, Addom highlighted the need to leverage data from both the public and private sectors. This approach aims to address the current challenge of multiple external players developing their own frameworks to assess a country’s key performance indicators (KPIs).
The Commonwealth is at the forefront of a multisectoral dialogue, exploring a model of DPI for agricultural and climate data through national data infrastructure, not only within the Commonwealth but also extending beyond. Serving as a coordinator, the Commonwealth facilitates bilateral engagement with key actors, convenes policymakers, and produces knowledge products to guide interventions. The event witnessed the participation of representatives from the governments of Bangladesh, Barbados, Ghana, and Malawi, along with the Global Centre on Adaptation and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.
