Ossiach Declaration: The uptake of ICT for Agriculture, Forestry, Rural Viability and Environmental Management

The appended: “Ossiach Declaration” was elaborated by a group of agro-experts – the “Club of Ossiach” during the AgriFuture Days. The experts concluded that: - There is an urgent need for a holistic transformation to reduce hunger, poverty and advance food availability, quality, quantity and safety. - The challenge of reducing hunger globally through improving agriculture can be met through a holistic approach that includes political, social and technological changes. - Bringing this change, though being complex, is now essential for mankind.  This change requires courage to face the complexity and willingness to understand it. - Technology can bring abrupt discontinuities that while changing existing systems, organizations and structures can also lay the foundations for constructing new systems, organizations and structures. Destruction and construction are part of innovation and transformations. - Technology needs to be applied with care and equity. A holistic approach ensures complete inclusion of all production chain and related members. - Collaboration and cooperation is a key to universal benefit of innovative technology acceptance and application. The Club of Ossiach experts considered the adoption of the business model for a country-wide Agro-ICT-infrastructure solution introduced during the conference. The model demonstrates a feasible and acceptable approach to meet the above challenges. Requests for details elaborating the considerations will be welcome. The Club of Ossiach plans to meet regularly and publicize its findings. Everyone sharing the values and visions of the Club may join the “Club” and contribute to its goals and progress. Declaration