Digital agriculture for sustainable development

ongoing

The primary objective of the project is the design and delivery of higher education programme(s) – I level master (at ISCED LEVEL 7 or equivalent) - the enrichment of existing bachelor and master’s degrees and the development of related self-standing modules/courses (online or in-person) to train specialists in digital transition for farms and food companies, leading to recognized certifications. These objectives will be achieved by a European consortium of 7 higher education institutions, 5 businesses, and 1 excellence centre. Digitalisation in agriculture can generate multiple benefits: increase productivity, improve the efficiency and quality of work, reduce pressure on natural resources, and promote market integration. Moreover, it can enhance farmers’ access to knowledge, foster peer-to-peer learning, support innovation networks, improve rural-urban and producer-consumer links, and reduce bureaucratic burden. However, the opportunities of economic, social, and environmental prosperity enabled by digitalisation also come with risks. Indeed, unregulated digitalisation in agriculture, or incentivising acceptance without offering sufficient (regulatory) protection, may have harmful economic, social, and environmental consequences for vulnerable individuals, communities, and regions across the EU. To maximise equitable opportunities and to mitigate the risks, companies need to increase their know-how and capabilities to use digital technologies in effective and responsible ways. The project will work to the design and delivery of international higher education programmes dedicated to train specialists in Digital Agriculture: - for exploring technological solutions for digital agriculture with a responsible innovation approach - to learn to interact with technology suppliers and developers for the design and selection of innovative applications - to learn to use digital agriculture tools - to learn to assess the socio-economic impacts of digital technologies