FAO showcases smart farming solutions to boost productivity and resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) showcased experiences from Latin America and the Caribbean demonstrating how smart farming can help producers make better decisions, improve productivity, optimize the use of natural resources and strengthen the resilience of agrifood systems.

At a time of increasing climate change impacts and growing pressure on natural resources, smart farming offers practical solutions to produce more with fewer resources by optimizing the use of water and other agricultural inputs. The integration of digital technologies with capacity development is helping strengthen productivity and resilience across agrifood systems.

Speaking at the Global Conference on Smart Farming, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Rene Orellana Halkyer, stressed that smart farming should not be understood as a stand-alone technology, but rather as an integrated system that combines data, local capacities, innovation, support services and market access.

During his presentation, the Regional Representative highlighted three FAO initiatives from the region that demonstrate how digital technologies can help address concrete challenges faced by producers and rural communities.

In Peru, FAO is supporting the development of SANISMART, an aquaculture intelligence system implemented in Tumbes that combines sensors, data analytics and artificial intelligence to monitor water quality and generate early warnings of sanitary risks. The system enables producers to anticipate disease outbreaks, physiological stress and other factors affecting aquaculture production.

SANISMART integrates environmental, production and epidemiological information through real-time sensor data and predictive models capable of identifying between three and five high-impact pathogens. The results demonstrate its potential to strengthen biosecurity, improve traceability and reduce production losses by enabling more timely decision-making.

In Bolivia, where water availability and efficient water management are increasingly critical challenges for agriculture, the EMA system combines field sensors, satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to optimize irrigation and crop management. The platform enables farmers to move from fixed irrigation schedules to real-time, data-driven decisions based on soil moisture, temperature and nutrient levels, improving water-use efficiency while reducing production costs.

The Regional Representative emphasized that smart farming represents "the bridge between local data, better decisions, stronger markets and more resilient agrifood systems," reaffirming FAO's commitment to supporting countries in building inclusive, affordable and scalable digital ecosystems that contribute to more productive, sustainable and resilient agriculture in the face of the region's climate, economic and social challenges.

Orellana also highlighted the 1,000 Digital Villages initiative, through which FAO is building a regional network of Digital Agents from smallholder farming communities to bring technology and digital services closer to rural areas. The initiative's first call for applications created a roster of 3,670 qualified candidates, with more than 3,500 young agricultural professionals from farming communities identified as potential Digital Agents across nine countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. These professionals combine technical expertise, strong local roots and digital skills to facilitate the adoption of innovation within their own communities.

"Technology alone does not transform agriculture," Orellana said. "Scaling solutions requires local capacities, support services, enabling policy and governance frameworks, investment, and accessible tools that empower producers to make better decisions."