Brief

Critiques of digital tools in agriculture: Challenges and opportunities for using digital tools to scale agroecology by smallholders

author(s)

Shelton, Sadie W.

themes
  • Food environment and consumer behavior
  • Multifunctional landscapes
original file download
full citation

Shelton, S.W.; Gehan, C.; Wollenberg, E.; Costa Jr, C.; Burns, S.; Rowland, B. (2022) Critiques of digital tools in agriculture: Challenges & opportunities for using digital tools to scale agroecology by smallholders. Agroecological TRANSITIONS Policy Brief. Cali (Colombia): Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT December 2022 6 p.

KEY MESSAGES
◼ Two themes manifest in the challenges outlined, unequal power relations and a disconnect from farmers’ needs and input.
◼ Agricultural digitization should strive to follow ethical principles specific to the sector, agroecology offers an existing framework.
◼ Digital technical assistance that advances the interests of smallholders and is relevant to their farms can facilitate a shift towards agroecology through farmer-to-farmer networks and knowledge exchange.
◼ Recommendations include:
▪ Govern for an inclusive digital
ecosystem & economy
▪ Leverage and expand food, data
& social justice movements
▪ Code ethics into digital
development