UN Dialogue Cites Pinduoduo’s Work in Bringing Agriculture into The Digital Economy

Technology and innovation can play an important role in helping to uplift disadvantaged communities such as farmers by improving their productivity and access to market, according to experts and high-level government officials at an informal interactive dialogue at the 76th United Nations General Assembly in April.

At the dialogue convened at the invitation of the President of the General Assembly Abdulla Shahid, UN agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization and UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shared their findings on trends in the commodities markets in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Another session focused on digital technology and agriculture, citing the work of companies like Pinduoduo, China's largest agricultural platform, in helping farmers to stay connected and expand their reach to consumers. 

In her presentation, Professor Fu Xiaolan, Director of Oxford University's Technology and Management Centre for Development, highlighted the importance for all countries to seize the digital window of opportunity, and mentioned Pinduoduo as an example of a company that harnesses digital technology to increase and aggregate demand for agricultural products, helping farmers to improve their livelihoods.

Pinduoduo, which connects more than 16 million farmers to 868 million customers in China through its e-commerce platform, organizes regular "harvest festivals"to promote agricultural products from different regions of the country to its customers. The company also makes live streaming available to all of its merchants so that smallholder farmers can bring consumers right into their fields and processing facilities, lending intimacy, immediacy and trust to the sales process. 

In the same session, Fan Shenggen, Chair Professor at the China Agricultural University, shared his views on how digital technology can help countries build back better following COVID-19. China Agricultural University is a co-organizer of the annual Smart Agriculture Competition with Pinduoduo. The contest features top agronomists and data scientists devising growing algorithms and managing automation systems to boost farm productivity.

Another panel at the webinar dealt with the best practices in diversifying energy sources and increasing access to reliable and less-polluting energy against the backdrop of supply shocks and crises. 

Pinduoduo had previously participated at the UN High-Level Political Forum Open Dialogue on "Building resilience against future shocks through structural changes and investment in sustainable infrastructure" in July 2021 at the invitation of ECOSOC President Ambassador Munir Akram.

During that forum, Andre Zhu, Pinduoduo Senior Vice President of Global Affairs, highlighted the importance of partnership and infrastructure design to build future food systems that are resilient and benefit all.