The 2024 World Expo on Digital Agriculture (WEDA) was held from 20 to 23 September in Chengdu, China. During the event, CSAM and the Expo hosts, the Foreign Economic Cooperation Center (FECC) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China (MARA), convened a panel on ‘Leveraging Digital Innovation for Sustainable Agricultural Development in Asia and the Pacific’ on the afternoon of 20 September.

The panel was opened by Dr. Lubiao Zhang, Director-General of FECC, and Dr. Yutong Li, Head of CSAM, following which five panelists shared insights on digital agriculture, smart farming, precision agriculture, digital applications for arid and semi-arid agriculture, information systems applications for agricultural engineering, and robotics as well as opportunities for international cooperation.

Dr. Minyoung Kim, Senior Researcher of the Department of Agricultural Engineering National Institute of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration of the Republic of Korea, elaborated on initiatives such as smart farming, greenhouses and precision livestock management in addressing agricultural challenges. Dr. Ahmad Safuan bin Bujang, Director of the Engineering Research Centre of the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, highlighted the need for harmonized digital technology standards and regional data platforms to support precise, data-driven farming and traceability. Dr. Golibjon Fozilov, Senior Researcher from the Scientific Research Institute of Agricultural Mechanization under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, addressed Uzbekistan's broader digital transformation efforts on digital applications for arid and semi-arid agriculture. Prof. Zhenbo Li, Vice Dean from China Agricultural University, introduced the role of his college in developing and using AI, big data, and automation to support smart agriculture and rural revitalization. Prof. Hasan Silleli from Ankara University, also Chair of the OECD Working Group on Agricultural Robots, presented the working group and its activities on robotics as well as his recent focus on greenhouse-specific robots.

The Expo, themed "Digital Agriculture, Data-Driven Rural Areas", attracted over 100 Chinese and 20 foreign companies showcasing advanced agricultural innovations. Alongside the Expo, representatives from ASEAN and other international organizations, governments and private sector shared their experiences in smart agricultural development at the second China-ASEAN Digital Agriculture Forum and the Symposium on International Big Data Application Cases in Agriculture. These events aimed at providing solutions for digital transformation of agriculture and rural areas, enhance agricultural production efficiency, and drive high-quality agricultural development.