Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As we move into a new decade, overcoming the challenges surrounding climate change, nutrition and food security are more urgent than ever before. Making open data work for agriculture and nutrition requires a shared agenda to increase the supply, quality, and interoperability of data, alongside action to build capacity for the use of data by all stakeholders.

2019 was a landmark year for the GODAN initiative.

Earlier this year we were delighted to share news of our involvement in DfID’s Enhancing Digital and Innovations for Agri-food Systems and Livelihoods (eDIAL) Programme. We have pledged to use our expertise in the field to help the project harness data and innovative technologies, increassing productivity and income for farmers and creating policy impact, with the aim of impacting the lives of at least 10 million farmers and smallholders internationally by enabling greater market access for smallholders and implementing innovations that contribute to the UN SDG2 of zero hunger.

In September, we were excited to announce the next chapter of the GODAN initiative, as we moved to McGill University in Canada. Not only are we grateful of the support extended by our partners - McGill University, Montréal International, the City of Montréal, the Government of Québec and the Government of Canada, the move has allowed access to unrivalled research talent which will help us in our endeavours.

The GODAN network has gone from strength to strength this year. We go forward into 2020 with over 1000 partners from more than 115 countries. 2019 has seen us working more closely with our partners than ever before, combining the thought power of an ever-expanding network of governments, NGO’s and private sector organisations, with the common goal of harnessing data and agricultural technology to reduce incidences of hunger and malnutrition.

On behalf of the GODAN Secretariat, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you Happy Holidays, to thank you for your support in 2019, and to say that we look forward to continuing our work together into 2020 and beyond.

Andre Laperriere
Executive Director,
Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition