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Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) is a global partnership of governments, non-governmental organizations and businesses committed to opening data in the agriculture and nutrition sectors in order to create sustainable agricultural systems, help achieve food security and make relevant information available for farmers and their organizations, consumers and decision-makers worldwide

Overview
GODAN aims to promote the release of data relevant to agriculture and nutrition, making it ‘open’ to allow better decision-making by governments, farmers and consumers worldwide in order to achieve food security and provide a better quality of life, especially for farmers in developing countries. . As the world’s population continues to increase rapidly there will be more demand for food, feed and fibre from a finite resource of land. Climate change and volatile markets are also likely to increase demand.

Origins and Administration
GODAN was launched in October 2013 at the Open Government Partnership Conference following G8 discussions in 2012 to recruit partner organizations committed to open data in the sector. A small secretariat located in England, the Netherlands and Rome supports this active partnership with administration and communication functions. From September 2015 André Laperrière, previously at the World Bank and UN, will be GODAN’s Executive Director.

Focus
GODAN aims to support the sharing of open data that can be used to make better decisions. and works with its partners to advocate for this worldwide. Initial research produced by GODAN and the Open Data Institute highlights examples where it is already making an impact, including farmers in Ghana using a mobile phone app to access local weather and cultivation information to help make decisions on crop planting, and farmers in the Netherlands using satellite information to spot areas of rodent infestation to tackle rodent infestations in crops food hygiene inspection data being available to diners to help them avoid food poisoning.

Development of the Partnership
By August 2015 137 partners had joined, from national governments (US Government, UK Department for International Development, Government of the Netherlands and Government of Kenya),  businesses and not-for-profit organizations including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, ONE and the World Food Programme. Partners join without cost but commit to engage proactively in moving forward the agenda for open data.

Engagement
GODAN partners, supported by the secretariat, engage in international advocacy and discussion to communicate the role of open data in achieving food security. This takes place in one-to-one conversations with governments and potential partners and at international discussions and events. The partnership hosted discussion at the 3rd International Open Data Conference in Ottawa (May 2015)and the Africa Open Data Conference in Tanzania (September 2015).