Technology-Driven Agriculture and the Need for Sustainability: FAO's Balancing Act for Food Security

In the face of global food shortages, technology has emerged as a transformative force in agriculture with the promise of increased productivity. Mechanization, cutting-edge digital applications, and advancements in biotechnology in food production have offered potential benefits; however, concerns have risen over the risks associated with technology in agriculture. There is a dichotomy between reaping the rewards of technology and mitigating its potential drawbacks, such as the digital divide, threats to the environment, and the associated health hazards, which puts a question mark on the sustainability of technology in the agri-food domain. This study delves into the responses of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to the impact of technological advancements on global food systems. Being the only international platform to bring multiple stakeholders, the discourse at the FAO is critical to understanding the direction that public policy is taking at the global level. The study critically examines the perspectives and debates within the FAO regarding the adoption of technology in agriculture by analysing the negotiations at the FAO, particularly its Committee on World Food Security. It will shed light on how the FAO navigates the complex landscape of leveraging technological tools to achieve food security while addressing socio-economic, ethical, and environmental concerns related to sustainability. The study adopts the method of critical discourse analysis of the primary documents to understand the politics, ideology and context behind the food security discourse at the FAO. Thus, it will contribute to the understanding of how the global stakeholders look at the trade-offs between agricultural technology and sustainability.