Digital transformation is advancing, but depth, scale and impact vary. Several initiatives illustrate what works, because of what they achieved, not only what they built: Stakeholder integration In the Netherlands, the farmer-led cooperative JoinData gives producers control over how their data is shared through consent-based protocols. Now connected to more than 70 partners across sectors, it has improved trust, reduced administrative burdens and enabled faster financial transactions, demonstrating how cooperative governance can align stakeholder incentives in a digital ecosystem.1 Interoperable and adaptive systems In Brazil, a blockchain-enabled grain traceability system developed in partnership with cooperatives and traders has delivered measurable returns for soy producers. By digitizing quality assessments and ensuring tamper-proof logistics data, the system enabled compliant producers to secure a 15% price premium for verified non-GMO soy.2 The initiative demonstrates how interoperable data infrastructure – when linked to clear economic incentives – can drive both transparency and market access. Public-private collaboration The Government of Telangana – partnering with the World Economic Forum, Gates Foundation and Digital Green – is developing ADeX (Agriculture Data Exchange), a state-level, consent-driven platform aligned with India’s AgriStack. Early results within the broader Saagu Baagu initiative include thousands of farmers receiving AI agronomy advisories and digital quality certification, improving price realization.3 Other public-private collaborations are happening in digital labelling. For example, regulators and industry are working together in the International Uniform Chemical Information Database (IUCLID) or the AgriGuide. Another example is the World Food Programme’s innovation accelerators and multistakeholder platforms that link governments, non-government organizations (NGOs) and private actors to strengthen food security. This approach aligns with the UN FAO’s Digital Agriculture and AI Innovation Roadmap, which provides an ecosystem model and governance toolkit to help countries shift from fragmented pilots to scalable, interoperable solutions that deliver measurable economic, social and environmental value. The lesson is clear: impact comes not from digitization alone, but from strategic readiness, aligned incentives, robust multistakeholder collaboration and inclusive design.Global contextualization2 Worldwide, diverse models show how digital readiness can drive real impact – when systems are built inclusively. Data and Digital Readiness in Food Systems 6

Data Digital Readiness Food Systems 2025