Output 1 - Survey and Virtual Consultation:
A consultant will be hired to prepare and monitor a questionnaire or template to collect information on tools and platforms that promote digital commerce for smallholder farmers, whether initiated by the public or private sector. The target audience will include policymakers and stakeholders, researchers and experts closely related to the topic, from all APEC member economies, with a focus on countries that have expressed interest in actively participating in the project: Canada; Chile; China; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; Indonesia; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico and Philippines.

Simultaneously, the consultant will conduct a brief review of the literature about the current challenges of family farmers in APEC on issues of information and communications technologies (ICT) used in the digitalization of agricultural trade. Subsequently, will prepare an initial report minimum of9 pages excluding annexes, which will be the basis of the final report and will cover an analysis of the current state of digitalization for small producers within APEC economies and will incorporate the findings from the distributed questionnaire. That information will be presented during the workshop.

Output 2 - Workshop:
The workshop scheduled for August 2024 aims to showcase tools and platforms promoting the use of information and communication technologies(ICT) among smallholder farmers in APEC economies. This 8-hour event will include the presentation of survey findings on ICT adoption, expert presentations on digital tools, discussions on best practices from various economies, and interactive group sessions. Participants will include policy and decision makers, as well as researchers and experts closely related to the topic.

Session 1: Workshop Introduction and Context, introduction to the workshop, its objectives, and the importance of digitalization in agricultural trade within the APEC region.

Session 2: Understanding the Challenges of Family Farmers in APEC, presentation on the specific challenges faced by family farmers in APEC economies with a focus on the role of digital tools and platforms.

Session 3: Building Trust and Security in Digital Agricultural Inclusion, delves into the critical aspects of building trust and ensuring security in digital transactions for farmers, emphasizing best practices and solutions.

Session 4: Spotlighting Transformative Digital Agri-Startups, will explore how digital agricultural startups have significantly benefited family farmers by improving access to markets, increasing productivity, etc. (with focus on production, sustainability, inclusion and commercialization).

Session 5: Digital Tools and Platforms in APEC Economies, share experiences from at least three APEC member economies in implementing digital platforms for family farmers, highlighting lessons learned and best practices.

Session 6: Panel Discussion and Workshop Conclusion, invite the speakers and key stakeholders for a discussion on insights gained throughout the workshop, with a focus on policy implications, future directions, and the broader impact of digitalization in agriculture. A wrap up and brief discussion on the recommendations and insights on how the Workshop contribute to their role in their economy.

Additionally, right after the workshop, the post-workshop survey will be conducted

Output 3 - Final Report:
After the workshop, the consultant will prepare a final report that will cover a detailed analysis of the survey results and will be enriched by the ideas, comments and feedback generated during the workshop, especially on the panel. This final report is expected to be an APEC publication of minimum 17pages, containing an executive summary, analysis of the virtual review of the literature, survey results, presentation of the tools and platforms that promote digital trade for small farmers, summary of the conclusions of the workshop and some recommendations for for future initiatives aimed at facilitating the adoption of digital technology among smallholder Farmer.

Outcomes:
1) Increased awareness of available tool and/or platform options: Policymakers attending the workshop are likely to be more aware of the tool and/or platform options they can replicate to support ICT adoption in agriculture. This impact can be measured through surveys or interviews to measure understanding and knowledge before and after the workshop.

2) Strengthened APEC Collaboration: The project will seek to identify tools and platforms that can be replicated in APEC economies as a direct result of the workshop and project activities. That would be measured through the post-workshop survey.

3) Increased knowledge and resourced to guide APEC economies in promoting ICT adoption in the agricultural sector with a focus on smallholder farmers, which would be measured through the delivery of written project products, such as the reporting of the results of the survey and the Final Report.

Beneficiaries:
The direct beneficiaries of the project will be the authorities, policy and decision-makers, and private sector involved in the development of digital technologies and platforms in the agricultural sector for the benefit and interconnection of small farmers, who will use the product that provides specific recommendations on tools and platforms derived from the workshop discussions. It will serve as a tool to assist in the decision-making processes for future initiatives aimed at facilitating the adoption of digital technology.

●Indirect: Farmers' associations, women, and youth in small-scale agriculture will also benefit from the implementation and development of tools and platforms that provide the possibility of interconnecting in an innovative and direct way with consumers, giving visibility to their offer and increasing their sales, which will contribute to increasing their economic income.