“let farmers innovate with new technologies’ an interview with FAO’s Nevena Alexandrova

Nevena Alexandrova, is the Agricultural Research and Biotechnology Officer based in the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU). Nevena has worked in support to FAO’s agricultural innovation and knowledge sharing and believes all farmers deserve a chance to use technology to improve their productivity and thereby fighting hunger and malnutrition.

Recently, FAO together with the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and the Institute for Agrostrategies and Innovation organized the “2gether 4 Strong Digital Agriculture” (more information here).

On the eve of this meeting, Nevena was interviewed by Sharon Lee Cowan, FAO senior communication officer. In her interview she advocates for e-Agriculture and how technologies can change agriculture in the region. For example she noted, "ICTs can be used to transmit prices and other market data to farmers, so that they can make informed decisions about what to bring to the market”.

Some aspects she mentioned include:-

• Traceability of food
• Use of drones
• Use of mobile phones and mobile telephony
• Blockchain technology

Read the full interview here