Michael Riggs

An accomplished professional in information management, technology transfer and development, Michael joined the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2000. Currently in the headquarters based Knowledge and Capacity for Development branch, his work is devoted to improving the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for sustainable rural development and food security, with a particular focus on issues related to content, communication processes, organizational capacity, and knowledge sharing.

As the Lead Facilitator of the growing (9,000 members as of July 2012) e-Agriculture Community of Practice (www.e-agriculture.org), Michael serves as a catalyst for institutions and individuals to recognize the vital role that ICTs can play in agriculture and rural development, and to exchange knowledge and expand good practices, thereby improving the livelihoods of rural communities. He is FAO's focal point for follow-up to the WSIS action line on ICTs and rural development, and works actively with other involved UN agencies.

From 2000 to 2008, Michael was based in Thailand and led FAO’s efforts in the Asia-Pacific region to improve the efficiency, quality, and relevance of information and knowledge exchange for rural development. He provided strategic assistance to national and regional information centers with an emphasis on communication standards and the appropriate application of ICT at the field level.

Michael is a member of the ICT4D Collective as well as an associate member of Orbicom.

Prior to joining FAO, Michael worked in the private sector with responsibility for new project development and global technology transfer. He has a Masters of Arts in International Economics and Finance from Chulalongkorn University (Thailand), and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Columbia Business School (New York).

• Mobile technologies for food security, agriculture and rural development: Role of the public sector

  • FAO
  • October 2012
  Authors: Michael Riggs, Stephen Rudgard, Gerard Sylvester

• 2013 ICT Observatory on e-agriculture strategies in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Countries

  • January 2013 to Present
  Team Members: Michael Riggs, Ken Lohento, Nawsheen Hosenally

  Farmers and other agricultural actors are increasingly using ICTs, particularly mobile phones, at different stages and in all segments of the agricultural value chain. As recommended by the United Nations, the need to put in place strategic and holistic frameworks, that guide and support the full integration of these technologies into agricultural activities, has become crucial. CTA will focus the 2013 ICT Observatory meeting and other activities on this issue.

• e-Agriculture Community

  • January 2007 to Present
  Team Members: Michael Riggs, Stephen Rudgard, Sophie Treinen

  e-Agriculture is a global Community of Practice, where people from all over the world exchange information, ideas, and resources related to the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) for sustainable agriculture and rural development. With over 10,000 members from 160 countries and territories, the e-Agriculture Community is made up of individual stakeholders such as information and communication specialists, researchers, farmers, students, policy makers, business people, development practitioners, and others. 80% of the community members are based in developing countries. The members have a common interest that brings us together: improving policies and processes around the use of ICT in support of agriculture and rural development, in order to have a positive impact on rural livelihoods.

• Independent Coursework

  • Mobiles for International Development (TC105)

• Thai

1. Agriculture
2. Information Development
3. Knowledge Management
4. International Development
5. Knowledge Sharing
6. Information Management
7. Capacity Building
8. Rural Development
9. International Relations
10. Program Management
11. Policy Analysis
12. Research
13. Proposal Writing
14. Policy
15. Governance
16. Project Management
17. Analysis
18. Qualitative Research
19. Strategic Planning
20. Government

Siti Web:

• Sito Web aziendale
• My Twitter
• My UnHub (virtual presences)

Interessi:

The potential for ICT and knowledge sharing to have a positive impact on society and livelihoods; the anthropological side of the Internet; culture and economics taken together; organizations as organisms; food & wine; Bhutan, China, Thailand (my adopted home). I am active using social media under the moniker "mongkolroek" (a name that was given to me in Thailand).

Gruppi e associazioni:

ICT4D Collective, Grand Jury member eINDIA 2010 Awards, International Association of Agricultural Information Management Specialists (IAALD), FAO RAP Staff Association (RAPSA) Chairperson 2005-9

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  Agriculture
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  CBS Cluster Q Alumni
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  Climate change mitigation in agriculture
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  Columbia Business School Alumni
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  Columbia Business School Alums
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  Euro-Africa Cooperation on ICT Research
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  Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations current and former employees
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  Global ICT4D Network
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  Global development professionals
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  IAALD
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  ICT in Agriculture
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  ICT4D in Africa
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  ICTforD
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  Integrating ICTs into Agricultural Commodity Value Chains
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  Knowledge Management Experts
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  Rural Development Group
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  SmartAgriFood
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  Web2forDev - Participatory Web 2.0 for Development
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  e-Agriculture
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  eIndia - India's Largest ICT Event