In the misty mountains of Yunnan Province, Jie Bulu, a tea farmer from the Jinuo ethnic group, proudly displays leaves harvested from 300-year-old trees at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS). His participation highlights a groundbreaking initiative: an AI-powered traceability platform developed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
From Ancient Trees to Global Markets
The 'One Country, One Priority Product' platform enables real-time virtual tours of Jie Bulu's tea plantation, letting buyers inspect terrain and cultivation methods. This transparency bridges the gap between remote farms and international markets, with similar opportunities extending to Panama's coffee growers and Papua New Guinea's vanilla producers.
Global Agricultural Transformation
Nelson Simbiken of Papua New Guinea's National Agricultural Research Institute told CGTN: 'Our vanilla farmers now have digital proof of quality that commands premium pricing.' Bangladesh's Deputy Agriculture Secretary Harunur Rashid added that AI-driven demand forecasting could help redirect surplus tropical fruits to new export markets.
The system's blockchain-backed authentication addresses growing consumer demand for ethical sourcing while helping smallholders bypass traditional supply chain barriers. As agricultural officials from 17 countries engage with the platform, it emerges as a potential game-changer in sustainable trade practices.
