In the framework of The Connected World – one of the four interdisciplinary profiling themes of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s research agenda – a conference is organized, titled: “Shared Pathways to a Sustainable and Just Future: Navigating the Anthropocene”.
EURIDICE contributes to this relevant event by organizing this round table panel discussion with students and lecturers.
The central question
How can we put to use today’s advanced digital technologies to the benefit of creating sustainable food systems in the world, while recognizing and properly employing the indigenous agroecological knowledge already existing in so many rural communities?
Everywhere in the world, people are talking about the Digital Transformation. Artificial Intelligence (AI), once a rather obscure and contested area in mainstream Computer Science, has now even become a coffee-table conversation topic. Many countries and blocks (incl. EU) have now policies and programs in place to educate and enhance digital skills, and they aim (all, without exception!) to be internationally leading. How this is connected to progress in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is however unclear.
In this session we try to get feet more on the ground, investigating how advanced ICT technologies such as AI can be helpful in achieving real-world sustainable results — especially related to sustainable food systems in the world. We show results from many (student) projects that already have societal impacts in different parts of the Global South. And we outline policies and principles (such as the “Plug-In Principle”) how to achieve local community-supported progress with the Sustainable Development Goals and ICT.
Relevance – Thematic positioning:
This session is a cross-over between Connected World, in particular the Digital Divide and Global South development with advanced ICT technologies and sustainable food systems in Africa and the associated betterment of rural livelihoods employing and respecting agro-ecological indigenous knowledge.
Duration: 1.5 hours
This event is part of the conference Shared Pathways to a Sustainable and Just Future: Navigating the Anthropocene, From challenges to solutions, from power to partnership, from ego to empathy – embracing a new era.