The Digital Village Initiative Knowledge Exchange (DVI-KE) is a regional platform and database of digital solutions, initiatives, and villages covering the whole of agrifood systems in Asia and the Pacific region. Version 1.0 of DVI-KE includes 500 digital solutions from 20 Asian and Pacific countries. The digital solution cases in the platform cover the entire gamut of the agrifood system, including farming, aquaculture, markets and prices, value chain and supply chains, rural services, and e-government services serving rural communities. Included digital solutions must meet minimum requirements specific to agrifood services targeted, targeted users and beneficiaries, clearly developed digital technologies and delivery modes, and evidence of current deployment and use. Digital initiatives are well-defined programs and interventions that support an enabling digital ecosystem with clearly defined goals by the lead developers, targeted audiences, and initiative recipients. DVI-KE also includes several examples of "digital villages" described in terms of current digitalization status, digital readiness, and examples of digital services benefiting the local community cohorts. The DVI-KE platform is public and open to outside contributors, provided the minimum requirements for DS, DI, and DV are met and presented according to FAO style, standards, and the platform objectives.

The FAO Regional Office in Asia and the Pacific(FAO RAP) implements the DVI through technical assistance to Member Countries (by supporting digital agriculture strategies and rural digitalization initiatives following country-led, user-centered, bottom and flexible solutions to the digitalization of rural areas. FAO DVI is also implemented through knowledge sharing of best practices in digital agriculture advances. Under DVI, FAO contributes to knowledge sharing via an annual Digital Agriculture Solutions Forum (DASF) for Asia and the Pacific and through the Digital Village Initiative Knowledge Exchange (DVI-KE), a regional platform and database of digital solutions for agrifood systems in Asia and the Pacific.

A Digital Solution (DS) in the context of DVI-KE is any digital technology, service, or innovation with a clearly defined ICT technology combined with specific target functions related to one or more aspects of the agrifood system. The DS cases in the platform cover the entire gamut of the agrifood system, including farming, aquaculture, markets and value chains, rural services, and e-government initiatives serving rural communities. A DS in the platform must meet minimum requirements and data information specific to ICT technology, the agrifood segment, targeted users and beneficiaries, and a well-defined business model. The DS must be beyond the proof of concept stage and needs to demonstrate evidence of use and deployment and, if available, impacts.

A Digital Initiative (DI) in the context of the DVI-KE platform is any program or intervention supporting the enabling ecosystem for leveraging digital technology, enhancing capacity, or facilitating digitalization processes within agrifood systems and rural communities. A DI is between a national digital strategy or policy and a digital solution, service, or technology targeting specific problems and needs. A DI must have a lead agency (or champion) with co-partners. The DI can be technology-specific or technology-agnostic, targeting the digital ecosystem. The DI must also have a well-defined targeted beneficiary and may not be multi-stakeholders. The DS must be beyond the proof of concept stage and needs to demonstrate evidence of use and deployment and, if available, impacts.

A Digital Village (DV) in the context of the DVI-KE platform refers to a specific rural locality described by the general digitalization ecosystem status and readiness for last-mile digitalization. The DV is also defined through a specific digital service, technology, or innovation(s) currently implemented by some or all village residents, districts, or communities. The DV illustrates successful examples of digitalization where the deployment of digital technology meets specific cohorts' needs within the local digital ecosystem.

Digital solution refers to a specific digital service or innovation that combines ICT technologies with agrifood knowledge to solve an agrifood-related problem or need. A digital initiative is any intervention or program operating at the ecosystem level and may be technology-specific or generic. DI is somewhere between a digital policy or strategy on the one hand and a specific digital technology (solution) on the other.

Yes outside readers or platform users may contribute new cases by filling out the template provided in the DVI-KE and propose a new DS, DI or DV candidate. They may also contact FAO to inquire about such an option. In case of full submission through the template, FAO will review and if deemed suitable for the DVI-KE, FAO may request additional information to mee the record information requirements. FAO may ultimately decide whether or not to include the new submission after careful review. The new records will follow the same style and standards implemented by FAO as the existing cases.

No, submitting the new case doesn't guarantee acceptance and publication into the DVI-KE Platform. Only FAO makes that determination at the end.

Anyone can leave comments in the comments section of DVI-KE or contact the responsible officer listed on the platform. The standard email for DVI-KE is RAP-DVI@fao.org.

Yes, new submissions are welcome from any country within the Asia and Pacific Region under FAO mandate (The countries within Asia and the Pacific are (in Alphabetical order):