Today’s Innovation is Tomorrow’s Normal
The world population is growing rapidly and agricultural productivity needs to keep up. Through collaboration with our partners, we can harness the potential of open data and help ensure that no one goes hungry.
Combining open data advocacy and consultancy with innovative products and solutions, GODAN and our partners are looking to improve food security for generations to come, helping to ensure zero hunger and improve the lives and livelihoods of farming communities across the globe.
Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) is a rapidly growing network of over 1000 global innovators and change makers across national governments, non-governmental organisations, and international and private sector organisations. A facilitator for pioneering ideas and cross-continental growth, GODAN aims to impact the lives of at least 12 million smallholders internationally by implementing innovations that help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 - ending global hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and sustainable agriculture by 2030.
THE PLAN
We know that every bold ambition requires a bold strategy.
Today, data is our greatest instrument, opening doors to endless possibilities and providing tools for better decision making. We believe that the future of agriculture and food production can be vastly improved by making data accessible and re-useable, providing the power to improve farming practices everywhere. Key to this change is in the proactive sharing of Open Data, ensuring information about agriculture and nutrition is placed into the hands of every smallholder.
Sustainable impact is at the heart of the GODAN mandate, and changing lives is the call to action. We believe that the focus on introducing and developing Open Data policies will open possibilities for farmers, destroying barriers to better food production and harnessing unprecedented developments, ensuring nobody goes hungry.
Achieving absolute food security by 2030 is no easy feat, but we have the boldest of dreams fuelled by a global collaboration between stakeholders in the food production sector. Whether it be the latest apps, devices or services, we help shape and develop the policies that enable sharing and using of open data, meaning that those that need this knowledge the most can access it at farm level. With access to this data in useable form, farmers and smallholders are equipped with the means to use fertilisers more effectively, reduce pest-related damage and conserve natural resources such as water.
GODAN ORIGINS
The GODAN initiative was announced at the Open Government Partnership Conference in October 2013 following 2012 G8 discussions, where the attending leaders committed to the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition - a shared commitment to achieving global food security.
This Open Government Partnership Conference worked to: “Obtain commitment and action from nations and relevant stakeholders to promote policies and invest in projects that open access to publicly funded global agriculturally relevant data streams, making such data readily accessible to users in Africa and world-wide, and ultimately supporting a sustainable increase in food security in developed and developing countries.” This would go on to form the basis of GODAN’s core mission.
TIMELINE
JUNE 2017
June 2017 – GODAN host first Ministerial Conference on Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition in Nairobi Kenya. 15 African nations commit to developing open data policies.
OCTOBER 2013
October 2013, Open Government Partnership Conference – The GODAN initiative is announced as an outcome of the April meeting and is supported by a secretariat hosted by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI).
APRIL 2013
April 2013 – This commitment is fulfilled as a Global G8 conference takes place in in support of developing new solutions to make agricultural data readily available for African partners and around the world.
2012
2012 G8 Summit – Attending world leaders commit to a new alliance to achieve global food security by 2030, pledging to convene an international conference on Open Data for Agriculture.
The United Nations is a key supporter of GODAN’s mission, with the initiative working closely with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and its Economic and Social Development Department, as well as a number of other UN affiliated organisations that advocate international development and open data.
A network of Visionaries – A joint Statement of Purpose
GODAN partners combine the thought power of an ever-expanding network of governments, NGO’s and private sector organisations who share the common commitment to achieve zero hunger and feed the world as the global population rises beyond 9 billion people by 2050. With partners in over 115 countries, together we conceive agricultural innovations by focusing on a high-level support system to implement a strategy required to optimise farm yields.
What is the GODAN Secretariat?
The GODAN Secretariat offers a range of fee based services and consultancies, which increases the knowledge and use of open data policies.
Full details of how the GODAN Secretariat is funded and how funding is used can be found here. How do I learn more? Contact us to find out more about how your organisation can get involved in this growing network enquiries@godan.info.
Who Can Join GODAN?
Any organisation that supports open access to agriculture and nutrition data. Our partners include governments, donors, and international not-for-profit organisations and businesses.