Shengyao Tang, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative and director of the FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in the Republic of Korea, speaks in a video message at an event of the FAO’s World Food Forum at Ondream Society in central Seoul on Oct. 16.FAO
The chief of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s liaison office in Seoul on Wednesday stressed the significance of AI in the agriculture industry and Korea’s ability to share “its experience in building agricultural data systems."
“AI is becoming a practical tool across agrifood systems,” Shengyao Tang, FAO representative and director of the FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in the Republic of Korea, told the Korea JoongAng Daily.
Tang shared his thoughts on how Korea can contribute to global food security through AI ahead of Thursday’s 2026 FAO-World Food Forum National Chapter of the Republic of Korea Satellite Event, which took place in central Seoul on Thursday. The FAO is a United Nations agency that works to end hunger, improve nutrition and make farming more productive around the world. The Republic of Korea is Korea’s official name.
“AI is becoming a practical tool across agrifood systems,” Tang said in a statement submitted to the Korea JoongAng Daily. “It can support early warning and climate adaptation, help detect pests and diseases and improve decisions on farms and along value chains. FAO’s role is to help ensure that these benefits are responsible and inclusive. Korea can help by sharing how smart farming can work for small- and medium-sized farms, by sharing its experience in building agricultural data systems and by supporting developing countries in adapting such tools to local conditions.”
Tang also underlined that Korea could contribute more by “bringing Korea’s technology and investment into FAO’s work in partner countries, alongside local governments, research institutions and universities.”
Thursday’s event, called “Harvesting Tomorrow with AI: Women Farmers and Future Food in the AI Era,” was the Korean Satellite Event of the FAO’s World Food Forum (WFF), an event held in Rome every October. The FAO Liaison Office and the WFF National Chapter of the Republic of Korea co-organized the event to connect global food and farming issues to Korea and to get young Koreans involved in the discussion.
Speakers at Thursday’s event discussed case studies on female farmers, AI and digital agriculture and future food industries.
Attendees pose for a photo at an event of the Food and Agriculture Organization's World Food Forum at Ondream Society in central Seoul on Oct. 16.FAO
Participants from the National Chapter of the Republic of Korea also adopted a joint declaration statement containing views of young people in Korea and abroad on AI agriculture and policy visions on future food industries and female farmers, submitting it to the FAO headquarters.
“One of the main themes of our declaration was women, AI and female farmers,” said Shim Yeo-eun from the National Chapter of the Republic of Korea. “I think we need to do more than simply introduce AI to women. We need to help women learn about it, develop their skills and use it. Beyond that, we should empower women to design and develop AI themselves.”
This year was also designated by the UN as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, a year that aims to highlight women’s essential role in agriculture and food systems and to encourage action on the barriers they face, such as limited access to technology.
Shim also shared her view on what the National Chapter of the Republic of Korea can do to raise awareness of the significance of agriculture among young people in the country.
“We should make agriculture feel more familiar and relevant to young people,” she said. “For example, we could share stories about young farmers and show how people use technology in agriculture. We could also give them more opportunities to experience smart farming and other agricultural technologies firsthand.”
