A pending task for the digitalisation of agriculture: A general framework for technologies classification in agriculture

Abstract

CONTEXT: This research paper details the response to a central challenge of the digitalization of agricultural systems which stems from information overload and the broad heterogeneity of agricultural technologies and the classification thereof. It is the result of four years of effort on the Horizon 2020 SmartAgriHubs (SAH) project, whose purpose was the development and connection of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) and Competence Centres (CCs) related to the agricultural sector in Europe. CCs form the backbone of DIHs and provide the digital technological infrastructure by offering advanced technical expertise, access to the latest knowledge and information on digital technologies, and other technological and scientific infrastructure. However, the lack of a general framework for technology classification in agriculture needed to be remedied, not only to specifically advance the general aim of SmartAgriHubs and DIHs to “connect the dots”, but in general, so as to facilitate a broad range of actors involved in digitalisation of agriculture. OBJECTIVE: This paper sets out the conceptual framework for the classification of technologies in the agricultural sector, and the development of the “Agricultural Technology Navigator” (ATN) as an iterative tool for gathering and searching for information to support such classification, so that actors involved in the digitalization of agriculture may more easily find and communicate technologies related to digital solutions. METHODS: A multi-actor, multi-disciplinary expert group was formed to identify technologies and define keywords. A literature, patent, foresights studies, and grey literature review was also carried out. Text mining techniques, using the JCR “Tool for Innovation Monitoring”, were used based on keywords selected by experts for documents analysis (+170,000,000 publications; + 22,000,000 patent applications; + 77,000 projects). Gaps in previous studies were identified to form the basis upon which to create a new classification system. Taking into account the fact that technologies are continually developing and evolving, an iterative approach was also necessary. To this end, a new tool was developed, compatible with agricultural supply chains, to gather “bottom up” information from CCs (and other actors) on innovative digital technologies and solutions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The main results of all the publications, patents and projects summarized herein, provide a scientifically sound foundation for a much-needed classification of digital technologies used in agriculture. This paper analyses different dimensions or categories in which the diverse technologies can be classified and selects the most appropriate classification to describe the technologies which could be used and managed by CCs and other agricultural actors, in offering and searching for systems and competences which provide digital solutions. SIGNIFICANCE: Given the importance of DIHs and CCs, and more recently European DIHs (EDIHs), in the European agricultural policy agenda and the development of the sustainable digitalization of agriculture, it is necessary to have a mechanism to appropriately classify digital technologies relevant for agriculture so that providers and users can “match-make” and easily offer, find, and decide on relevant digital tools and solutions. CCs are not the only entities that benefit from such classification. A diverse range of actors involved in the sustainable digitalisation of agriculture, such as technology companies, farm advisors, machinery and other input suppliers who develop and deal in novel and different technology innovations, can benefit from being able to describe appropriately their technologies as part of agricultural systems and solutions.