Melchiade Bukuru, Former Director, UNCCD Liaison Office in New York; Chair, EWABELT Session at IWC23

Statement by Melchiade Bukuru, Former Director, UNCCD Liaison Office in New York.

During the the 23rd Infopoverty World Conference "AI turmoils digital processes: how to act to ensure human rights and provide e-welfare for all?" that took place on April 12, 2024 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, organised by OCCAM - Observatory on Digital Communication, under the aegis of the Italian Mission of Italy to the UN in New York, Mr Melchiade Bukuru chaired the 2nd session of the Conference dedicated to the EWABELT Project. With the title "Poverty eradication and hunger: a first challenging priority for AI", this session delved into the challenges and opportunities in food-security that digital technologies bring.

In particular, with poverty levels expanding across the globe, raising concerns about a potential recurrence of the 1929 crisis – stemmed from oversaturated production and a shortage of buyers – must be addressed. It has thus become imperative to craft comprehensive policies aimed at fostering development among the most impoverished populations. The conference's historical mission lies in highlighting exemplary practices, such as the EU H2020 EWABELT Project (GA 862848) that, executed across villages in 30 sub-Saharan regions by 20 partners among universities, research centers and businesses, showcases how the integration of AI-empowered digital technologies into agriculture fosters tangible development within Africa's most underserved communities. This approach mirrors the successful model of ICT Villages, endorsed by the WSIS since 2005, concurrently addressing the migration phenomenon.

**
🌾Linking East and West African farming systems experience into a BELT of sustainable intensification
**
🇪🇺 This Project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 862848.
The opinion stated in this video reflects the opinion of the authors and not the opinion of the European Commission.
All intellectual property rights are owned by EWA-BELT consortium members and are protected by the applicable laws. Reproduction is not authorized without prior written agreement.
The commercial use of any information contained in this document may require a license from the owner of that information.
**
Website: ewabelt.eu
Facebook: ewabelt.project
Instagram: ewabelt_project
X: ewabelt_project
LinkedIn: showcase/ewa-belt