Vol. 77 No. 3 (2022)
Keynote Article

Agriculture and rural areas facing the “twin transition”: principles for a sustainable rural digitalisation

Gianluca Brunori
Pisa Agricultural Economics Group (PAGE), University of Pisa

Published 2022-11-25

Keywords

  • digitalisation,
  • transition,
  • transformative policies,
  • innovation

How to Cite

Brunori, G. (2022). Agriculture and rural areas facing the “twin transition”: principles for a sustainable rural digitalisation. Italian Review of Agricultural Economics (REA), 77(3), 3–14. https://doi.org/10.36253/rea-13983

Abstract

In this paper some of the key issues related to digitalisation in agriculture and rural areas are addressed. In line with the Green Deal, the paper proposes a framework on how to address the “twin transition” (ecological+digital) through transformative policies based on directionality, market integration and reflexivity. The framework is based on a view of digitalisation as a socio-technical process, which implies taking into account the social implications of any technology development, and centring innovation policies on a clear definition of the problems to be addressed. The paper proposes the concept of socio-cyber-physical system as a paradigm for policy strategies and for innovation and discusses its implications for sustainable digitalisation strategies in the field of agriculture and rural areas.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

  1. Abade A., Ferreira P.A., de Barros Vidal F. (2021) Plant diseases recognition on images using convolutional neural networks: A systematic review. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 185.
  2. Abioye E.A., Abidin M.S.Z., Mahmud M.S.A., Buyamin S., Ishak M.H.I., Rahman M.K.I.A., Otuoze A.O., Onotu P., Ramli M.S.A. (2020) A review on monitoring and advanced control strategies for precision irrigation. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 173.
  3. Antle J.M., Basso B., Conant R.T., Godfray H.C.J., Jones J.W., Herrero M., Howitt E., Keating A.K., Munoz-Carpena R., Rosenzweig C., Tittonell P., Wheeler T.R. (2017). Towards a new generation of agricultural system data, models and knowledge products: Design and improvement. Agricultural systems, 155: 255-68. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2016.10.002
  4. Arrouays D., Mulder L.M., Richer-de-Forges A.C. (2021). Soil mapping, digital soil mapping and soil monitoring over large areas and the dimensions of soil security-A review. Soil Security, 5, 100018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soisec.2021.100018
  5. Bacco M., Barsocchi P., Brunori G., Debruyne L., Ferrari A., Gotta A., Koltsida P., Lepore F., Orsini A., Rolandi S., Scotti I., Toli E. (2020). D1.3 Synthesis report on the Taxonomy and Inventory of Digital Game Changers. Zenodo. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4556849
  6. Bacco M., Barsocchi P., Ferro E., Gotta E., Ruggeri M. (2019) The digitisation of agriculture: a survey of research activities on smart farming. Array, 3, 100009. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.array.2019.100009
  7. Basso B., Antle J. (2020). Digital agriculture to design sustainable agricultural systems. Nature Sustainability, 3(4): 254-256. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-0510-0
  8. Brewer S., Pearson S., Maull R., Godsiff P., Frey J.G., Zisman A., Parr G., McMillan A., Cameron S., Blackmore H., Manning L., Bidaut L. (2021) A Trust Framework for Digital Food Systems. Nature Food, 2(8): 543-45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00346-1
  9. Bronson K. (2019). Looking through a responsible innovation lens at uneven engagements with digital farming. NJAS-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 90, 100294. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2019.03.001
  10. Carolan M. (2017). Publicising food: big data, precision agriculture, and co‐experimental techniques of addition. Sociologia Ruralis, 57(2): 135-154. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/soru.12120
  11. Coeckelbergh, M. (2020). AI ethics. Mit Press.
  12. Cowie P., Townsend L., Salemink K. (2020). Smart rural futures: Will rural areas be left behind in the 4th industrial revolution? Journal of rural studies, 79:169-176. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.08.042
  13. Duncan J., DeClerck F., Bàldi A., Treyer S., Aschemann-Witzel J., Cuhls K., Ahrné L., Bisoffi S., Grando S., Guobys L., Kohl J., Hansen H.O., Hudson R.L., Lutzeyer H-J., Nielsen V.H., Ruiz B., Saggau E., Valceschini E., Siebielec G., Brunori G. (2022). Democratic directionality for transformative food systems research. Nature Food, 3(3): 183-86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00479-x
  14. Duru M., Therond O. (2015). Designing agroecological transitions; A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 35(4): 1237-1257. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-015-0318-x
  15. EU Commission (2020). Communication from the commission to the european parliament, the european council, the council, the European economic and social committee and the committee of the regions: The European Green Deal. Brussels, 11.12.2019 COM (2019) 640 final
  16. European Environment Agency (2021). The European environment — state and outlook 2020. Knowledge for transition to a sustainable Europe.
  17. Frazzon E.M., Hartmann J., Makuschewitz T., Scholz-Reiter B. (2013). Towards socio-cyber-physical systems in production networks. Procedia CIRP, 7: 49-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2013.05.009
  18. Geels F.W. (2019). Socio-technical transitions to sustainability: A review of criticisms and elaborations of the Multi-Level Perspective. Current opinion in environmental sustainability, 39: 187-201. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2019.06.009
  19. Geels F.W., Kemp R. (2007). Dynamics in socio-technical systems: Typology of change processes and contrasting case studies. Technology in society, 29(4): 441-455. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2007.08.009
  20. Giurca A., Befort N., Taylor A. (2022). Exploring transformative policy imaginaries for a sustainable Post-COVID society. Journal of cleaner production, 344, 131053. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131053
  21. Gnesi C., Borrelli F., Sermoneta L., Colasanti A. (2022). Digitalizzazione ed innovazione nelle aziende agricole italiane. XIII conferenza italiana di scienze regionali
  22. Grillitsch M., Hansen T., Coenen L., Miörner J., Moodysson J. (2019). Innovation policy for system-wide transformation: The case of strategic innovation programmes (SIPs) in Sweden. Research Policy, 48(4): 1048-1061. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2018.10.004
  23. Hilbeck A., Tisselli E. (2020). The emerging issue of “digitalization” of agriculture. The IAASTD+ 10 Advisory Group, p. 59.
  24. Hoogstraaten M.J., Frenken K., Boon W.P. (2020). The study of institutional entrepreneurship and its implications for transition studies. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 36: 114-136. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2020.05.004
  25. Ingrand S. (2018). Opinion paper: “Monitoring te salutant:” combining digital sciences and agro-ecology to design multi-performant livestock farming systems. Animal, 12(1): 2-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731117001999
  26. Javaid M., Haleem A. (2019). Using additive manufacturing applications for design and development of food and agricultural equipments. International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 58(2-3): 225-238. DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2019.10018137
  27. Jia S., Gao H., Hang X. (2019). Research Progress on Image Recognition Technology of Crop Pests and Diseases Based on Deep Learning. Transactions of the Chinese Society for Agricultural Machinery, 50: 313-17. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3025325
  28. John A.J., Clark C.E.F., Freeman M.J., Kerrisk K.L., Garcia S.C., Halachmi I. (2016). Review: Milking robot utilization, a successful precision livestock farming evolution. Animal 10(9): 1484-92. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731116000495
  29. Kanoria Y., Saban D. (2021). Facilitating the search for partners on matching platforms. Management Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2020.3794
  30. Kerber W., Schweitzer H. (2017). Interoperability in the digital economy. Journal of Intellectual Property, Information Technology and E-Commerce Law, 8(1): 39-58.
  31. Klerkx L., Rose D. (2020). Dealing with the game-changing technologies of Agriculture 4.0: How do we manage diversity land responsibility in food system transition pathways?. Global Food Security, 24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.100347
  32. Klerkx L., Jakku E., Labarthe P. (2019). A review of social science on digital agriculture, smart farming and agriculture 4.0: New contributions and a future research agenda. NJAS-Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 90, 100315. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2019.100315
  33. Klerkx L., Rose D. (2020). Dealing with the game-changing technologies of Agriculture 4.0: How do we manage diversity and responsibility in food system transition pathways? Global Food Security, 24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.100347
  34. Köhler J., Geels F.W., Kern F., Markard J., Onsongo E., Wieczorek A., Alkemade F., Avelino F., Bergek A., Boons F., Fünfschilling L., Hess D., Holtz G., Hyysalo S., Jenkins K., Kivimaa P., Martiskainen M., McMeekin A., Mühlemeier M.S., Nykvist B., Pel B., Raven R., Rohracher H., Sandén B., Schot J., Sovacool B., Turnheim B., Welch D., Wells P. (2019). An agenda for sustainability transitions research: State of the art and future directions. Environmental innovation and societal transitions, 31: 1-32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2019.01.004
  35. Koutsouris A. (2010). The emergence of the intra-rural digital divide: A critical review of the adoption of ICTs in rural areas and the farming community. In 9th European IFSA Symposium (Vol. 4, No. 7).
  36. Lajoie-O’Malley A., Bronson K., van der Burg S., Klerkx L. (2020). The future (s) of digital agriculture and sustainable food systems: An analysis of high-level policy documents. Ecosystem Services, 45, 101183. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101183
  37. Kaiyuan L., Chavalarias D., Panahi M., Yeh T., Takimoto K., Mizoguchi M. (2020). Mobile-Based Traceability System for Sustainable Food Supply Networks. Nature Food, 1(11): 673-79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00163-y.
  38. Lin Y.B., Lin Y.W., Lin J.Y., Hung H.N. (2019). SensorTalk: An IoT device failure detection and calibration mechanism for smart farming. Sensors, 19(21), 4788. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s19214788
  39. Lowenberg-DeBoer J. (1996). Precision farming and the new information technology: Implications for farm management, policy, and research: Discussion. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 78(5): 1281-1284. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1243507
  40. Mazzucato M. (2013) The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking public vs. private sector myths. London: Anthem Press
  41. Metta M., Ciliberti S., Obi C., Bartolini F., Klerkx L., Brunori G. (2022). An integrated socio-cyber-physical system framework to assess responsible digitalisation in agriculture: A first application with Living Labs in Europe. Agricultural Systems, 203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103533
  42. Morris W., James P. (2017). Social media, an entrepreneurial opportunity for agriculture-based enterprises. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 24(4): 1028-1245. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-01-2017-0018
  43. Nawar S., Corstanje R., Halcro G., Mulla D., Mouazen A.M. (2017). Delineation of Soil Management Zones for Variable-Rate Fertilization: A Review. Advances in Agronomy, 143. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.agron.2017.01.003
  44. Norton T., Chen C., Larsen M.L.V., Berckmans D. (2019). Review: Precision livestock farming: Building “digital representations” to bring the animals closer to the farmer. Animal, 13(12): 3009-3017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S175173111900199X
  45. Ollivier G., Magda D., Mazé A., Plumecocq G., Lamine C. (2018). Agroecological transitions: What can sustainability transition frameworks teach us? An ontological and empirical analysis. Ecology and Society, 23(2): 18. DOI: 10.5751/ES-09952-230205
  46. Pirola F., Cimini C., Pinto R. (2019). Digital readiness assessment of Italian SMEs: a case-study research. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 31(5): 1045-1083. DOI: 10.1108/JMTM-09-2018-0305
  47. Pylianidis C., Osinga S., Athanasiadis I.N. (2021). Introducing digital twins to agriculture. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 184. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2020.105942
  48. Rijswijk K., Bulten W., Klerkx L.W.A., Dessein J., Debruyne L., Brunori G. (2020). DESIRA: Digitalisation: Economic and Social Impacts in Rural Areas: Digital Transformation of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Areas.
  49. Rijswijk K., Klerkx L., Bacco M., Bartolini F., Bulten E., Debruyne L., Dessein J., Scotti I., Brunori G. (2021). Digital transformation of agriculture and rural areas: A socio-cyber-physical system framework to support responsibilisation. Journal of Rural Studies, 85, 79-90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.05.003
  50. Rijswijk K., Klerkx L., Turner J.A. (2019). Digitalisation in the New Zealand Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System: Initial understandings and emerging organisational responses to digital agriculture. NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 90-91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2019.100313
  51. Rolandi S., Brunori G., Bacco M., Scotti I. (2021). The digitalization of agriculture and rural areas: Towards a taxonomy of the impacts. Sustainability, 13(9), 5172. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095172
  52. Rose D.C., Chilvers J. (2018). Agriculture 4.0: Broadening Responsible Innovation in an Era of Smart Farming. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2018.00087
  53. Rose D.C., Wheeler R., Winter M., Lobley M., Chivers C.-A. (2021). Agriculture 4.0: Making it work for people, production, and the planet. Land Use Policy, 100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104933
  54. Russo V. (2020). Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI). European guidelines and empirical applications on the territory. In: Qualitative and Quantitative Models in Socio-Economic Systems and Social Work (pp. 427-442). Springer, Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18593-0_31
  55. Schot J., Steinmueller W.E. (2018). Three frames for innovation policy: R&D, systems of innovation and transformative change. Research Policy, 47(9): 1554-1567. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2018.08.011
  56. Schulz P., Prior J., Kahn L., Hinch G. (2021). Exploring the role of smartphone apps for livestock farmers: data management, extension and informed decision making. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 28(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2021.1910524
  57. Schwab K. (2017). The fourth industrial revolution. Currency.
  58. Sengers F., Wieczorek A.J., Raven R. (2019). Experimenting for sustainability transitions: A systematic literature review. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 145: 153-164. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2016.08.031
  59. Satyajit U., Franco R., Niewolny K., Srinivasan D. (2019). The potential for exoskeletons to improve health and safety in agriculture - Perspectives from service providers. IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors, 7(3-4): 222-29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/24725838.2019.1575930
  60. Van Dijk J. (2020). The digital divide. John Wiley & Sons. DOI: 10.1002/asi.24355
  61. Van Dijk J., Hacker K. (2003). The digital divide as a complex and dynamic phenomenon. The information society, 19(4): 315-326. DOI: 10.1080/01972240390227895
  62. Bellon-Maurel V., Bonnet P., Piot-Lepetit I., Brossard L., Labarthe P., Maurel P., Courtonne J.Y. (2022). Digital technology and agroecology: opportunities to explore, challenges to overcome. Agriculture and Digital Technology: Getting the most out of digital technology to contribute to the transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems. INRIA, pp.76-97. White book INRIA, 978-2-7261- 1310-3.
  63. Vial G. (2021). Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda. Managing Digital Transformation, 13-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsis.2019.01.003
  64. Weber K.M., Rohracher H. (2012). Legitimizing research, technology and innovation policies for transformative change: Combining insights from innovation systems and multi-level perspective in a comprehensive “failures” framework. Research Policy, 41(6): 1037-1047. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2011.10.015
  65. Wolf S.A., Buttel F.H. (1996). The political economy of precision farming. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 78(5): 1269-1274. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1243505
  66. Wolfert S., Ge L., Verdouw C., Bogaardt M.J. (2017). Big data in smart farming – A review. Agricultural systems, 153, 69-80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.01.023
  67. World Bank (2021). World Development Report 2021: Data for Better Lives. Washington, DC: World Bank.
  68. Zhang M., Berghäll S. (2021). E-commerce in agri-food sector: A systematic literature review based on service-dominant logic. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 16(7): 3356-3374. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer16070182