This presentation lays out a human-centered approach to the digital transformation. It analyses the conditions under which digital technologies can lead to enhancing the economic and human well-being of local and rural communities. The second section of the presentation provide 7 concrete case studies on how blockchain innovations can directly benefit citizens and poor communities in developing countries.

1. Digital Innovations
for Sustainable & Inclusive
Development
Sören Gigler, PhD
Senior Digital Innovation Specialist
Digital Transformation Department
DG CONNECT, European Commission
IFAD- 17 June 2021

2. Digital Development- Conceptual Framework
• Under which conditions can digital technologies enhance the human
wellbeing of rural communities?
• Which factors influence whether poor communities can enhance their
economic and human development through the use of digital
technologies?
• How can disruptive technologies, i.e. AI, Blockchain, IOT be
transformational for rural development?
• What is the role of intermediary organizations, such as grassroots
farmers organizations, CSOs or local governments in the process of the
adoption of digital technologies by rural communities?

3. Human-Centered Approach to Digital Development
Source: Gigler (2015)
Development as Freedom in
a Digital Age

4. New Commission Priorities
• A European Green Deal
• A Europe fit for the digital age
• An economy that works for people
• A stronger engagement in the world
• A new push for European democracy
‘ ..a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure Europe leads the
way on the twin ecological and digital transitions’.
S

5. Green-Digital Transition
Relevant EU policies and programmes
• Shaping Europe‘s Digital Future
• European Strategy on Data
• Circular economy action plan
• SME strategy
• EU Investments:
• Horizon Europe: Research and Innovation
• Digital Europe: Support Deployment
• Connecting Europe Facility 2: Infrastructure
• NextGenerationEU – Recovery and Resilience Facility
• Invest EU: Investment support
The European Green Deal (EGD)
Source: Ilias Iakovidis

6. Why Blockchain?
• Brings trust to digital transactions
• Decentralisation and Disintermediation (digital payments)
• Transparency and Accountability (immutable)
• Empowers people to control the use of their personal data
• Efficiency lower transaction costs (traceability, real-time
data)
• Effective to verify and validate data (peer-to-peer
network)
• Provides incentives for behavioural change (tokenisation)

7. Key Challenges
• Energy Consumption (Proof of work vs Proof of stake)
• Interoperability (Open Standards)
• Technological Maturity
• Digital skills
• Scalability (permissionless vs permission blockchains)
• Data Quality (data controls at entry)
• Data protection and privacy
• Regulatory Framework (regulatory sandbox)

8. Blockchain: Concrete applications
1. Global Supply Chains: traceability & verification
2. Development Effectiveness: accountability, coodination
3. E-Government: records and verification
4. Financial inclusion: cash transfers
5. Governance: public service delivery & digital identity
6. Climate Action: transparency and traceability
7. Incentives: smart contracts

9. JOINT POLITICAL VISION AND ACTION (EU-MS): EBP & EBSI (DIGITAL EUROPE, RFF)
JOINT DECLARATION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EUROPEAN BLOCKCHAIN PARTNERSHIP (EBP) AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EUROPEAN BLOCKCHAIN
SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE (EBSI) FOR CROSS-BORDER DIGITAL SERVICES OF PUBLIC INTEREST and OF AN EBP REGULATORY SANDBOX
INVESTING IN EU RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND START-UPS: (HE, InvestEU, RRF)
THROUGH THE CONNECTING EUROPE FACILITY AND H2020 PROGRAMMES, THE EU IS CO-INVESTING IN THE MOST ADVANCED DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND
THE MOST INNOVATIVE EU START-UPS; NEW EU INVESTMENT SCHEME FOR AI AND BLOCKCHAIN + SUPPORT PROGRAMME
CONNECTING GLOBAL and EUROPEAN EXPERTISE: EuBO&F
THE EU BLOCKCHAIN OBSERVATORY AND FORUM BRINGS TOGETHER THE LEADING GLOBAL EXPERTS TO IDENTIFY OBSTACLES,
INCENTIVES AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO PROMOTE BLOCKCHAIN UPTAKE.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE DIALOGUE: INATBA
SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TRUSTED BLOCKCHAIN APPLICATIONS (INATBA); A
MULTISTAKEHOLDER ORGANISATION TO PROMOTE TRUST AND INTEROPERABILITY AT GLOBAL LEVEL
160 COMPANY MEMBERS & UNFCCC, UNICEF, UNWFP, EBRD, EIB, IMF, ECB, WTO, OECD & EU Cion, EU 27, USA, UK, JP, CAN, CH
PROMOTING AN ENABLING LEGAL FRAMEWORK, (MICA, EuID, …)
INTEROPERABLE STANDARDS,
SKILLS
EU Blockchain Strategy
9

10. 1) Traceability along supply chains
• Transaction along the supply change can be monitored
and tracked through immutable records
• Transparency and traceability of products from source
to end consumers
• Provides control & compliance mechanism by connecting
all stakeholders in a global supply chain

11. 2) Improved Development Effectiveness
• Enhanced transparency & traceability of funds
• Real-time data on the use of funds
• Improved sharing of data among donors
• Reduce transaction costs

12. 3) Land Rights & titling in Georgia
• Enhanced transparency for citizens and businesses
• Increased Efficiency (disintermediation, transaction cost)
• Embedded in existing Governance (World Bank)

13. 4) E-Payment & Cash transfer
Building Blocks Program by UN-WFP
• All entitlements and transactions are
recorded and verified in real time on the
blockchain
• A virtual wallet is created for each
beneficiary were their transactions are
recorded
• The blockchain is in the backend, so that
citizens do not need to interact with the
technology
Source: UN-WFP

14. 5) Public Service Delivery & Digital-Identity
EU Blockchain Services Infrastructure

15. 6) Blockchain for Climate Action
• Enhance traceability and transparency along global
supply chains
• Improve the Measuring, Reporting & Verification of
GHG emission
• Make carbon markets more efficient and transparent
• Expand the access to sustainable finance and
innovative financing
• Provide incentives for businesses and citizens to
change behaviours (rewards for climate-friendly
actions through tokens)

16. 7) Smart Contract- Incentives
• Blockchain-enabled platforms can expand the access to
sustainable finance and impact investments
• provide efficient, fast and transparent cross-border
payment systems (i.e. reforestation programs)
• Tokenized Economy- enables business innovations to
provide efficient and transparency services
• Blockchain-based services provide incentives for
businesses and citizens to change behaviours
• Rewarding climate-friendly actions by issuing financial
rewards in the form of tokens (i.e. Plastic Bank)

17. Thank you!
• Bjorn-Soren.GIGLER@ec.europa.eu
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjorn-soren-
gigler-phd-19648917/
•