The policy guide for investing in national agricultural data infrastructure presented in this report is a generic guide for all countries.
The guide, which was collaboratively produced with the support of member countries and experts, was validated in 2025 through a webinar with over 60 experts globally. It provides a comprehensive overview of a sectoral approach to digital public infrastructure (DPI) aimed at establishing a coordinated and collaborative framework for agricultural data management across Commonwealth countries and beyond.
The ambitious target of boosting trade across the Commonwealth, in the process grow intra- Commonwealth trade to US$2 trillion by 2030 and expand investment remains an enormous hurdle for the 56 member countries.
Data has become the engine of economic growth for many economies today and it is the fuel that propels digitalisation. But despite its huge potential, harnessing the gains of digitalisation for intra-regional trade faces a significant challenge due to the absence of a coordinated foundational layer for data in these countries.
In response to the above challenge, the Commonwealth Secretariat, through the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment, and in collaboration with other
technical partners, has begun exploring the concept of national data infrastructure for countries in 2022.
