Transforming Agriculture Through Open Data
We are the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition - driving sustainable development through knowledge sharing and data-driven systems.
Our Vision & Mission
Our Vision
A knowledge-driven, data-supported framework that promotes efficient and effective decision-making to support economic and social development efforts intended to realize the sustainable development goals at the micro and macro levels of national development.
Our Mission
To support the sustainable development of South-South Countries through an experientially empowered workforce, supported by knowledge actors in academia, research, policy, and development using affordable capacity-building initiatives of youth, women, and men along with supporting sustainability.
Key Objectives
Our strategic objectives guide our efforts to create sustainable change through data-driven innovation and collaborative partnerships.
Promote Sustainable Development
Empower communities with affordable capacity-building initiatives and leverage open data for evidence-based decision-making.
Empower Rural Communities
Integrate rural communities into socially inclusive SMEs and agribusiness frameworks to address poverty and create economic opportunities.
Establish FarmHub/FoodFarmacy Models
Develop share-based frameworks that promote traceability, transparency, and localized innovation for sustainable agribusiness.
Drive Local Economic Development
Align P4CDA initiatives with development priorities, fostering public-private partnerships to attract investments.
Leverage Technology and Open Data
Use open data, IoT, AI, and digital tools to enhance agricultural productivity and support climate-resilient development.
History & Evolution
Our journey from a global initiative to an impactful organization driving sustainable development through open data.
2013
The Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) initiative was conceived following the G8 International Conference on Open Data for Agriculture held in Washington, D.C. in April. The conference emphasized the transformative power of open data in agriculture and led to the G8 Open Data Charter. In October, GODAN was formally launched as a global multi-stakeholder initiative focused on promoting the availability, accessibility, and usability of open data for agricultural and nutritional development.
2014
GODAN gained momentum with endorsements and support from key global actors, including G8 member states, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Bank. This support reinforced GODAN’s legitimacy and broadened its international influence within agricultural and nutrition policy circles.
2015
GODAN was formally recognized at a United Nations conference and aligned its work with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 2: Zero Hunger. Open data principles became a recognized framework for achieving food security, improved nutrition, and sustainable agriculture worldwide.
2016
The first GODAN Summit was held in New York City in September alongside the UN General Assembly. The summit convened government leaders, civil society, academia, and private sector actors to evaluate GODAN's progress and reinforce commitments to open data. This marked a key milestone in global awareness and multi-sectoral collaboration.
2017
Following the momentum of the 2016 summit, GODAN co-hosted the GODAN/GoK Nairobi Conference in June. This marked the beginning of the South-South Collaboration movement, encouraging regional ministers and policymakers to embrace open data as part of a broader data revolution. The event culminated in the Nairobi Declaration, setting a strategic course for data-centered development in the Global South.
2018
To implement the Nairobi Declaration, GODAN launched its South-South Secretariat at the University of Nairobi, hosted within the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Technology. The Secretariat led to the creation of CANDAI (Center for Agriculture and Nutrition, Data Analytics and Innovation), a flagship center designed to drive policy impact through research, education, and community engagement.
2019
CANDAI spearheaded the FoodFarmacy initiative, which uses agroecological practices and nutrition-sensitive agriculture to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as Type II Diabetes. This effort positioned GODAN at the intersection of agriculture, health, and data, promoting food-based interventions rooted in open data practices.
2020
GODAN expanded its work in Kenya by aligning with the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy (ASTGS), particularly Flagship #8. GODAN also began piloting data use cases that targeted improved planning, resource allocation, and evidence-based policymaking in agriculture and food systems.
2021
GODAN deepened its grassroots presence by advancing the iFoodSOS platform—a data dashboard and analytics framework focused on nutrition, climate resilience, and community-based agriculture. The HEEANDS (Health, Experiential Education, Agriculture and Nutrition for Data Sourcing) model was also rolled out to integrate education, health, and agriculture into one experiential learning and data collection framework.
2022
After financial support from G7 countries diminished, GODAN's operations in Montreal were closed. The global mandate was assumed by the Program for Capacity Development in Africa (P4CDA), and the initiative was rebranded as GODAN P4CD. In the same year, GODAN helped the Murang’a County Assembly in Kenya pass the Agroecology Act and co-develop its 2023 Agroecology Policy. GODAN also launched the Data Think Tank Initiative (DTTI) comprising 14 thematic working groups and formalized a partnership with Strathmore University to develop Communities of Practice for open data use in agriculture and nutrition.
2023
The Murang’a Agroecology Policy was formally implemented, integrating GODAN's FoodFarmacy and HEEANDS models into county-level policy and health systems. CANDAI continued to expand across academic institutions in Kenya, establishing new knowledge centers and training hubs to build local capacity in data-driven agriculture.
2024
Regional pilot programs were launched under the iFoodSOS framework. These programs tested thematic data use cases in real-world contexts across Africa, focusing on nutrition, agroecology, value chain transparency, and climate-smart practices. Communities of Practice were scaled, and policy impact assessments were introduced in several participating counties and regions.
2025
GODAN 2.0 reached global maturity with the formal rollout of Country Agendas and the establishment of Regional and Continental Hubs across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. These hubs coordinated GODAN’s strategic goals through the iFoodSOS framework, supporting national governments, academic institutions, and civil society in developing evidence-based, open-data-driven responses to food insecurity and agricultural transformation.
GODAN Global Specialists
Our Global Chapters represent a network of dedicated individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote the principles of open data in agriculture and nutrition.
Our Partners
Any organization that supports open access to agriculture and nutrition data. Our partners include government, donors, international and not-for-profit organisations and businesses.
