Benegiamo, Mau a; Co ado, Alessand a; Fama, Ma co
A icle
Ag icul u al digi alisa ion and jus ansi ion: A amewo k
o he analysis
I alian Re iew o Ag icul u al Economics (REA)
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Fi enze Uni e si y P ess
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Benegiamo, Mau a; Co ado, Alessand a; Fama, Ma co (2023) : Ag icul u al
digi alisa ion and jus ansi ion: A amewo k o he analysis, I alian Re iew o Ag icul u al
Economics (REA), ISSN 2281-1559, Fi enze Uni e si y P ess, Flo ence, Vol. 78, Iss. 2, pp. 5-17,
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REA ITALIAN REVIEW
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Ci a ion: Benegiamo M., Co ado A.,
Fama M. (2023). Ag icul u al digi alisa ion
and jus ansi ion: a amewo k o he
analysis. I alian Re iew o Ag icul u al
Economics 78(2): 5-17. DOI: 10.36253/
ea-14491
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Re ised: July 18, 2023
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Digi alisa ion and jus ansi ion - Resea ch a icle
Ag icul u al digi alisa ion and jus ansi ion: a
amewo k o he analysis
Mau a Benegiamo1, Alessand a Co ado2, Ma co Fama3,*
1 Uni e si à di Pisa, I aly
2 Uni e si à della Calab ia, I aly
3 Uni e si à degli S udi di Be gamo, I aly
*Co esponding au ho . E-mail: ma co[email p o ec ed]
Abs ac . Digi al ag icul u e is gene ally depic ed as a new echnological on ie
allowing bo h he e iciency and sus ainabili y o he ag i- ood sec o o be inc eased
h ough he in oduc ion o inno a i e “g een” and cos -e ec i e solu ions. Howe e ,
he e is s ill li le empi ical e idence on he wide en i onmen al and socio-econom-
ic implica ions o ongoing ag icul u al digi alisa ion p ocesses. The pape makes he
poin ha he digi alisa ion o ag icul u e is a poli ical and ecological p ocess ep e-
sen ing an impo an elemen o he une en and combined pa e ns o he capi alis
de elopmen o ag icul u e. A he same ime, he p ac ices ha in o m ag icul u al
digi alisa ion a e shaped by social, economic and en i onmen al ac o s ha change
acco ding o he con ex . S a ing om hese p emises, he au ho s p opose a c i ical
amewo k o equipping empi ical esea ch on digi al ag icul u e wi h a mo e com-
p ehensi e unde s anding o local con ex s, while also e aining a wide poli ical econ-
omy pe spec i e inspi ed by he concep o “jus ansi ion”.
Keywo ds: ag icul u al digi alisa ion, ood sys em, sus ainabili y, ag a ian labou , jus
ansi ion.
JEL codes: O1, O3, Q1.
HIGHLIGHTS
· Ag icul u al digi alisa ion is a poli ical and ecological p ocess ep esen -
ing an impo an ing edien o he une en and combined pa e ns o he
capi alis de elopmen o ag icul u e.
· Empi ical esea ch on ag icul u al digi alisa ion is needed, as long as i
is suppo ed by app op ia e amewo ks enabling a mo e nuanced unde -
s anding o local con ex s while also e aining a wide poli ical economy
pe spec i e.
· The “jus ansi ion” pe spec i e o e s aluable insigh s in o he socio-
ecological impac o ag icul u al digi alisa ion.
6Mau a Benegiamo, Alessand a Co ado, Ma co FamaMau a Benegiamo, Alessand a Co ado, Ma co Fama
1. INTRODUCTION
Ag icul u al digi alisa ion is gene ally po ayed
as a necessa y ans o ma ion o he ag i- ood sys em,
allowing p oduc ion a ge s o be econciled wi h sus-
ainabili y goals hanks o he di usion o new cos -
e ec i e and eco- iendly a ming solu ions (OECD,
2022; Mondeja e al., 2021; Lajoie-O’Mailey e al., 2020).
I is also p esen ed as a p ocess ha can con ibu e o
coun e ac ing he u al exodus, es ablishing new con-
nec ions be ween u al and u ban a eas, c ea ing new
oppo uni ies o endogenous de elopmen , and imp o -
ing ood sys em ou comes (FAO, 2022; T endo , 2019;
Wo d Bank, 2017, 2019).
In line wi h hese expec a ions, he Eu opean G een
Deal a ibu es a cen al ole o digi al ag icul u e in
he ecological ansi ion and sus ainable g ow h (Eu o-
pean Commission, 2019). Eu opean Union (EU) Mem-
be S a es s ongly en isaged “a sma and sus ainable
digi al u u e o Eu opean ag icul u e and u al a eas”
(Eu opean Commission, 2020), and se e al EU policies,
ins umen s and unds a e cu en ly se ing he scope
o digi alisa ion o ag icul u e (Reinha d , 2022). Also
he Fa m o Fo k (F2F) s a egy, which is a pilla o he
EU’s G een Deal, places a s ong emphasis on he ole o
esea ch and (digi al) inno a ion in add essing he chal-
lenges o sus ainable ood sys ems.
No wi hs anding he inc easing en husiasm owa ds
digi al ag icul u e, howe e , he e is s ill li le empi i-
cal e idence on i s deepes en i onmen al and socio-
economic implica ions. The exis ing li e a u e ends o
ocus on he po en ial ou comes o ag icul u al digi-
alisa ion in e ms o p oduc i i y and ma ke possi-
bili ies o a me s (Phillips e al., 2019). Ag onomic
and enginee ing pe spec i es ha ocus on he pull and
push ac o s o digi al ag icul u e and i s en i onmen-
al impac unde s ood as e iciency a e no a e (Wol -
e e al., 2017; Bucci e al., 2019). On he con a y,
issues ela ed o he b oade e ec s ha digi alisa ion
may ha e on local ecosys ems and ag a ian s uc u es
a e o en neglec ed. Fo ins ance, he e is s ill much o
know abou he po en ial ole o digi al echnologies in
ein o cing o con as ing exis ing powe asymme ies
and inequali ies in ag icul u e and u al a eas, as well
as abou hei impac on he econ igu a ion o he ela-
ionship be ween ag icul u al wo k and e i o ial sus-
ainabili y (McMichael, 2023). Though se e al s udies
ha e explo ed he po en ial consequences de i ing om
asymme ies in digi al echnology adop ion, as well as
p oblems ela ed o da a access and con ol (S one, 2022;
Rolandi e al., 2021; Die z and D echsel, 2021; Ro z e al.,
2019; Hack o , 2011), he e is s ill oom o u he p ob-
lema ise he ole o digi al ag icul u e (B uno i, 2022),
especially wi h ega d o labou issues and hei in e -
wining wi h sus ainabili y goals (Ca olan, 2020).
No su p isingly, ins i u ional ini ia i es o p o-
mo e digi alisa ion in u al con ex s a e usually based
on a ee-ma ke a ionale and a ely conside con ex-
ual speci ici ies (Salemink e al., 2017). In his espec ,
Alis ai F ase (2022) has wa ned agains he isk o
sma ag icul u e de eloping h ough he p oduc ion o
“miscon igu ed inno a ions”, mainly due o he limi ed
pa ame e s wi hin which inno a ions a e se o ope a e.
Acco ding o him, “ag icul u al inno a ion p ocesses
will con inue o in oduce new miscon igu a ions when
hey pu sue disc e e solu ions o speci ic p oblems, a h-
e han in eg a ed de elopmen s based on inc emen al
adjus men s in in o ma ion-in ensi e i e a i e p ocesses
ha a ge sys emic o s uc u al change” (ibidem: 203).
To a oid his isk, in-dep h empi ical s udies a e
e y much needed, as long as hey a e in o med by c i i-
cal pe spec i es able o shed ligh on he expec ed and
unexpec ed ou comes ha ag icul u al digi alisa ion
may p oduce in each pa icula con ex , while also con-
nec ing i wi h he b oade pic u e o he socio-ecologi-
cal ag a ian sys em.
Ou assump ion is ha he digi alisa ion o ag icul-
u e is a poli ical and ecological p ocess ep esen ing a
u he ing edien o he une en and combined pa e ns
o he capi alis de elopmen o ag icul u e (Ala cón e
al., 2023; Smi h, 2020). As such, b oade pe spec i es on
poli ical economy and c i ical ag icul u al s udies a e
needed o add ess his ans o ma ion and can p o ide
ele an insigh s in o he p ocess o digi alisa ion and
i s consequences (Ro z e al., 2019; Die z and D echsel,
2023). A he same ime, i is also impo an o conside
ha he p ac ices and discou ses ha in o m ag icul u -
al digi alisa ion a e s ongly shaped by social, economic
and en i onmen al ac o s ha may a y eno mously
ac oss di e en se ings.
To accoun o his complexi y and acili a e a socio-
ecological analysis o how digi alisa ion impac s ag a -
ian change dynamics a a local le el we sugges he
ele ance o a “jus ansi ion” pe spec i e (Mo ena e
al., 2020; Benegiamo e al., 2023). The concep o a jus
ansi ion (JT) is hinged on he idea o ensu ing ha he
shi owa ds mo e sus ainable sys ems does no disp o-
po iona ely ha m ce ain g oups, indi iduals o com-
muni ies (ILO, 2015). This implies ecognising ha he
ecological ansi ion may ha e dis up i e e ec s on he
li elihoods o wo ke s and a me s, and lea e ulne able
g oups behind.
Conside ing all he abo e, he main goal o his
a icle is o elabo a e a amewo k o equipping empi i-
7
Ag icul u al digi alisa ion and jus ansi ion: a amewo k o he analysis
cal esea ch on digi al ag icul u e wi h a mo e nuanced
unde s anding o local con ex s, while simul aneously
explo ing ongoing dynamics o ag a ian change om a
JT pe spec i e.
The a icle is s uc u ed as ollows: in he i s sec-
ion we se he con ex o ag icul u al digi alisa ion om
a poli ical economy pe spec i e, p o iding a e iew o
he exis ing li e a u e on c i ical ag a ian s udies; in he
second sec ion we b ie ly in oduce he concep o JT
and he ongoing deba e su ounding i s applica ion in
he ag i- ood sec o , s essing he po en ial o he JT pe -
spec i e in add essing he social impac o digi al ag i-
cul u e; in he hi d sec ion, we p opose a amewo k o
suppo empi ical esea ch on ag icul u al digi alisa ion
in o de o o e come he exis ing knowledge and ana-
ly ical gaps.
2. AGRICULTURAL DIGITALISATION AND DYNAMICS
OF AGRARIAN CHANGE: A BRIEF LITERATURE
REVIEW
Concep s such as “digi al ag icul u e”, “sma ag i-
cul u e”, “ag icul u e 4.0” a e o en used in e changeably
in e e ence o a b oad se o digi al echnologies, ools,
so wa e and da a-d i en solu ions allowing ag icul u -
al p ocesses o be op imised, om ag icul u al inpu s
(seeds, insu ance and inances) and on- a m ope a ions,
o ood p ocessing, anspo , s o age, e ail and con-
sump ion (Clapp and Rude , 2020; Ro z e al., 2019).
He e, we e e o “ag icul u al digi alisa ion” as a
phenomenon ha is a om being simply a u he s ep
in he p ocess h ough which echnology is inco po a ed
wi hin a ming sys ems. F om a wide poli ical economy
pe spec i e, indeed, he pene a ion o digi alisa ion in o
ag icul u e can be unde s ood as a socio-economic p o-
cess ep esen ing an impo an ing edien o he de el-
opmen o he capi alis ag i ood sys em in he con ex
o mul iple and sys emic socio-ecological c ises (Ak am-
Lodhi, 2021; Ak am-Lodhi, Kay, 2010a, 2010b; Smi h,
2020; F iedmann, 1993; McMichael, 2013b).
Ag a ian de elopmen has long been d i en by he
goal o inc easing p oduc i i y h ough mechanical ech-
nologies and chemical inpu s, esul ing in a deep econ-
igu a ion o local ag a ian s uc u es. Pu suing he
decla ed goals o “ eeding he wo ld” while also imp o -
ing incomes a a m le el, he p oduc i is app oach
adop ed by go e nmen s and key global de elopmen
ac o s om he 1950s onwa ds has p oduced highly con-
o e sial ou comes. Al hough wi h some signi ican
egional di e ences, he ag icul u al sec o has been
cha ac e ised by a d ama ic decline in employmen le els
and an inc easing concen a ion o a able land (Baglio-
ni, Gibbon, 2013), combined wi h he di usion o ag o-
indus ial in ensi ica ion and g owing en i onmen al
deg ada ion (Rasmussen e al., 2018). Especially wi h he
ise o he so-called neolibe al “co po a e-en i onmen al
ood egime” (McMichael, 2005; F iedmann, 2013) –
implying con e gence o en i onmen al poli ics and co -
po a e powe concen a ion – ood c ises ha e g own in
equency and in ensi y (Fama, Con i, 2022; FAO, 2021),
exposing a me s o p ice-squeeze dynamics and making
hem inc easingly dependen on he global alue-chains
con olled by ansna ional co po a ions (TNCs).
A he same ime, as he limi s o he e o s o mod-
e nise ag icul u e ha e become mo e e iden , ising
social claims and ma ke endencies ha e i s pushed
o a shi owa ds a pos -p oduc i is pa adigm, inally
se ing he scene o an “ecological ansi ion” wi hin he
con ex o ma ke libe alisa ion. In he Eu opean con-
ex , he p ocess o he Common Ag icul u al Policy
(CAP) e o m and i s ollowing implemen a ion a he
Membe S a e le el has displayed clea ensions be ween,
on he one hand, he s uc u al pa h-dependency and
o he mechanisms ha lock en ep eneu ial a me s in o
he dominan socio- echnical egime, and, on he o he
hand, he ambi ion o suppo he ansi ion owa ds
mo e sus ainable sys ems o ood and a ming, in line
wi h he Eu opean G een Deal (Ploeg, 2020).
In his scena io, he ole played by digi al ag icul u e
can be amed in highly di e en ways. Mos en husias ic
na a i es end o depic i as a new echnological on ie
allowing he ag icul u al sec o o be e i alised and sus-
ainabili y imp o ed h ough he in oduc ion o inno a-
i e “g een” and cos -e ec i e solu ions (Fo esigh . The
Fu u e o Food and Fa ming, 2011; F anks, 2014). To be
su e, ag icul u al digi alisa ion as a suppo o p ecision
a ming can help a me s in op imising he use o chemi-
cal inpu s and a ionalising wa e consump ion. Mo eo-
e , digi al pla o ms can be used o educe in e medi-
a ies, imp o e p ice anspa ency and ensu e p oduc
aceabili y. Howe e , he idea ha digi al inno a ion pe
se can p o ide e ec i e esponses o he ongoing “ag o-
en i onmen al c isis” (Ploeg, 2018) and imp o e equi y in
he ag i- ood sys em has o be ques ioned.
Acco ding o c i ical ag a ian s udies, o ins ance,
“g een” echnologies a e a key componen o neolibe al
poli ics ha is u he exace ba ing he socio-ecological
con adic ions o capi alism (Ak am-Lodhi, 2021; Bo -
as, F anco, 2018; Fai head e al., 2012; Weis, 2010).
F om his poin o iew, he digi alisa ion o ag icul-
u e does no challenge he ag o-indus ial model and
i s socio-ecological lock-in bu a he isks accen ua -
ing i s ma ix, encou aging a p og essi e inc ease in
8Mau a Benegiamo, Alessand a Co ado, Ma co FamaMau a Benegiamo, Alessand a Co ado, Ma co Fama
he ag icul u al scale and concen a ion o p oduc ion
means, wi h consequences in e ms o u al disposses-
sion and depopula ion, a wo sening o ood secu i y and
he eme gence o new p oblems o access o and con ol
o p oduc ion and ep oduc ion ac o s o small a me s
(Mooney, 2018; Ro z e al., 2019; Benegiamo, 2023).
In his ega d, Hack o (2021) obse ed ha he
adop ion and de elopmen o digi al ag icul u e a e
embedded wi h powe ela ions ha end up eeding a
leas i e pa e ns o inequali ies: in digi al echnology
de elopmen ; in he dis ibu ion o bene i s om he use
o digi al echnologies; in so e eign y o e da a, ha d-
wa e and digi al in as uc u e; in skills and knowledge;
and in p oblem de ini ion.
Along he same line, Ro z e al. (2019) iden i ied
h ee main challenges ela ed o: da a owne ship and
con ol; he p oduc ion o echnologies and da a de el-
opmen ; da a secu i y. The poin made by he au ho s is
ha , since echnological solu ions a e usually de eloped
in ways ha empowe co po a e ac o s a he han sup-
po ing independen a me s, he cu en pa hs o ag i-
cul u al echnology “may exace ba e inequi ies o ma -
ginalised ood sys em ac o s, speci ically be ween di e -
en sized a me s as well as a me s and ag o- ood co -
po a ions” (ibidem: 222). Howe e , hey do no conside
ag i- ood digi alisa ion as some hing in sha p con as
wi h he possibili y o engende g ea e equi y in ag i-
cul u e, o ins ance by suppo ing he di usion o ag o-
ecological me hods and app oaches.
Acco ding o Glenn Da is S one (2022), while digi-
alisa ion does no necessa ily pose a h ea o he au on-
omy o “indus ialised a me s”, i is likely o jeopa dise
ha o “peasan s” in he Global Sou h, who s ill p oduce
a ele an po ion o he ood consumed globally (Ric-
cia di e al., 2018; Sambe g e al., 2016). Fo his as
class o a me s, S one (2022: 610) a gues, he pene a-
ion o digi al echnologies calls di ec ly in o ques ion a
se o “in o ma ional ela ions o p oduc ion, de ined as
ela ionships ha con ol he c ea ion, in e p e a ion,
dissemina ion and deploymen o in o ma ion needed
o p oduc i e p ocesses” and he e is no doub ha
some o hese echnologies “can – indeed aim o – dis-
up and e o mula e such ela ions”.
Agains his backg ound, i is impo an o dis in-
guish he echnologies ha can suppo decision-making
o small a me s om hose ha a e used o app op ia e
hei knowledge and inc ease hei dependence on ma -
ke dynamics (Liou as e al., 2019: 1). A he same ime,
a less echnocen ic and mo e holis ic app oach is need-
ed, ocused on digi al ag icul u e as a mul idimensional
phenomenon in which di e en combina ions o p ac-
ices, ac o s and a e ac s a e es ablished, ans o ming
he social and physical s uc u es o he ag i- ood sys-
em (Ala con e al., 2023; Higgins, B yan , 2020; Liou as,
Cha a sa i, 2021).
3. PROBLEMATISING AGRICULTURAL
DIGITALISATION FROM A “JUST TRANSITION”
PERSPECTIVE
As al eady men ioned, he idea o digi al ag icul-
u e is s ongly amed wi hin he deba es and policies
o he ecological ansi ion in ag i ood, made pa icu-
la ly u gen by he impac s o and con ibu ions o cli-
ma e change by indus ialised ag icul u e. Despi e his,
he possible social implica ions and changes o a me s’
and a mwo ke s’ condi ions and li elihoods d i en by
digi al ans o ma ion a e s ill poo ly discussed. This, as
no ed by Aube e al. (2021), can be pa ly comp ehend-
ed as a lack o ecological mac oeconomics amewo ks
o he ag o-indus ial sec o able o cap u e he socio-
economic impac s o he ans o ma ion needed o b ing
i back wi hin plane a y bounda ies. As a eac ion o
his gap, ecen ly, a bu geoning discussion on jus ansi-
ion (hence o h JT) in ag icul u e has been es ablished
(Bla ne , 2020; Moilanen, Alasoini, 2023; Kaljonen e
al., 2023), based on he idea ha a ai ansi ion p ocess
is one ha does no lea e behind a me s and a mwo k-
e s and he communi ies conce ned.
The idea o JT implies ha he ansi ion o a cli-
ma e-neu al economy mus a he same ime secu e he
u u e and li elihoods o wo ke s and hei communi-
ies. This means ha social jus ice, wi h a special ocus
on decen wo k and quali y jobs, mus emain a he
cen e o any en i onmen al analysis and policy ega d-
ing he ecological ansi ion (ILO, 2015; OECD, 2017).
Acco ding o ILO, he ision o a JT is embedded wi h
he no ion o socioeconomic sus ainabili y, and he ILO’s
guidelines s a e ha : «a jus ansi ion o all owa ds an
en i onmen ally sus ainable economy […] needs o be
well managed and con ibu e o he goals o decen wo k
o all, social inclusion and he e adica ion o po e y»
(ILO, 2015).
The concep o JT o igina ed wi h he Uni ed S a es
labou mo emen o he 1970s and b oadened as labou
o ganisa ions o ged alliances wi h en i onmen al jus-
ice g oups s a ing in he 1990s. Ini ially, he idea o JT
eme ged in esponse o inc eased egula ion o pollu -
ing indus ies in he wake o he Na ional En i onmen-
al Policy Ac and he es ablishmen o a ede al Supe -
und law in he U.S. Labou unions like he Oil, Chemi-
cal, and A omic Wo ke s (OCAW), long ocal abou he
en i onmen al impac s o hei wo k, aced widesp ead
9
Ag icul u al digi alisa ion and jus ansi ion: a amewo k o he analysis
job losses despi e hea ily unded cleanup e o s a con-
amina ed wo k si es. Wo ke s demanded a “supe und
o wo ke s” and a “supe und o communi ies” ha
included, in addi ion o e aining p og ammes and
communi y suppo , b oade e o s o plan and design
a mo e en i onmen ally- iendly app oach o indus ial
p oduc ion (Hen y e al., 2020; Mazzochi, 1993). Wo k-
e s and hei communi ies we e called upon o play a
leading ole in his e hinking o wo k i sel and o he
ela ionship be ween he ac o y and he e i o y, based
on he dual p inciple o he “ igh o know” and he
“ igh o ac ” (Mo ena e al., 2020).
Since 2015, wi h i s inclusion in he Pa is Ag eemen
ha esul ed om COP21, he concep o JT has become
inc easingly widesp ead in he na a i e used in he go -
e nmen al a ena. As conce ns he ag i ood sec o , he
2015 Pa is Clima e Ag eemen al eady ecognised he
need o a “jus ansi ion o he wo k o ce, and he c e-
a ion o decen wo k and quali y jobs, including in ag i-
cul u e, o es y, and o he land uses” (UNFCCC, 2015).
Mo e ecen ly, he p inciple o JT has also been
adop ed by he Eu opean Union as an impo an dimen-
sion o he Eu opean G een Deal1. Howe e , as a ecen
epo by he Ins i u e o Eu opean En i onmen al
Policy (IEEP) s a es, compa ed o o he indus ial sec-
o s he concep o ansi ion and JT “ ake on a dis inc-
i e cha ac e when applied o he ag icul u al and ood
sec o s”, making i s ealisa ion pa icula ly challenging.
Indeed, as s essed by he IEED, and wi h some excep-
ions in he mea alue chain: “Unlike sec o s acing
edundan echnologies and ou igh ac o y closu e and
cessa ion o p oduc ion, ag icul u e and land use will
con inue in many cases bu has o be ans o med. Jus
ansi ion o his sec o will he e o e go beyond he
classical policy ins umen s o his pu pose namely:
inancial edundancy paymen s, e aining and skilling,
egional in es men s a egies and ensu ing he mobili y
o he wo k o ce” (Baldock, Buckwell, 2021: 2).
A u he le el o complexi y a ises om he di e -
si y ha cha ac e ises ag icul u al and ood sys ems
bo h globally and in Eu ope, whe e la ge comme cial
a ms and highly indus ialised monocul u es con as
wi h he g ea agmen a ion in o small and mic o am-
ily a ms h oughou u al landscapes. Mo eo e , in his
con ex , as Van de Ploeg (2018) ou lines, he indus ial
ag icul u al sys em is unde going a p ocess o disag-
g ega ion, wi h mul iple ajec o ies o change coexis -
ing, on which he p ocesses o digi alisa ion a e g a ed,
1 The Jus T ansi ion Mechanism (JTM) is based on a se o ools,
including inancial ones, ha ha e been inco po a ed wi hin he Eu o-
pean G een Deal “ o ensu e ha he ansi ion o a clima e-neu al
economy happens in a ai way, lea ing no one behind” (EC, 2020b).
making i di icul o p edic he o e all ou come o
ongoing ans o ma ions.
Agains his backd op e y di e en pa e ns o
ansi ion and digi al ansi ion need o be imagined
and i would be mo e app op ia e o alk o plu al an-
si ions o digi al ag icul u e (see also Bock e al., 2020).
This is also ela ed o he di e si y o socio-economic
con ex s, u al ecosys ems, soils and clima e in which
a ms ope a e. Fo ins ance, a me s in ma ginal o
pe iphe al lands, o esiding in egions wi h ela i ely
limi ed go e nmen suppo o he ansi ion, as well as
elde ly a me s, a e less likely o es ablish a compe i i e
posi ion in he use o new echnologies (Mu phy e al.,
2022) and a e a g ea e isk o being pu ou o compe-
i ion by ea ly adop e s mo e able o bea he economic
cos o digi al in es men .
The agmen a ion and disagg ega ion o he ag a -
ian landscape a e also e lec ed in he p esence o e y
di e en labou posi ions ha may be uniquely impac -
ed by ansi ion p ocesses, including he one en isaged
by digi alisa ion. En ep eneu s, consul an s, amilies
and seasonal wo ke s o en co-exis in he same sec-
o s. Mo eo e , manual and seasonal jobs a e o en pe -
o med by i egula and poo ly p o ec ed mig an wo k-
e s, mos ly in condi ions o se e e exploi a ion (Co ado
e al., 2016; Rye, Sco , 2018). A he same ime, while
aking in o accoun he di e en and non-compa able
labou posi ions, i is impo an o s ess he gene al
need, ups eam o ansi ion p ocesses, o imp o e wo k-
ing condi ions in a sec o whe e hey a e o en oo poo .
Rega ding he impac o digi alisa ion on a me s and
a mwo ke s, wo main scena ios can be ou lined. On he
one hand, he e is he idea ha digi alisa ion will educe
he need o physical inpu s, wi h a consequen dec ease
in he demand o labou (Wol e e al., 2017; Go ba ,
2012), bu also a quali a i e econ igu a ion o ag icul u al
employmen ha may lead o he g adual elimina ion o
mos p eca ious job posi ions (i.e. seasonal picke s, shep-
he ds and li es ock wo ke s) o a u he casualisa ion
o he same asks. On he o he hand, new o ms o p e-
ca ious wo k could be associa ed wi h he speci ic needs
o digi al echnologies and hei use (i.e. logis ics po e s
and ood deli e y cou ie s). A he same ime, economic
bu dens om in es ing in he ansi ion o digi al ag icul-
u e could exace ba e he labou -capi al con lic , inducing
a me s o ely on less ai wo k schemes.
Ano he aspec o conside is he po en ial o digi-
alisa ion o exace ba e powe asymme ies be ween,
on one side, la ge a me s and, on he o he side, peas-
an s and ag oecological a me s. The la e a e o en
excluded om unding and incen i e p og ammes,
and digi al echnologies may no be sui ed o hem, as
10 Mau a Benegiamo, Alessand a Co ado, Ma co FamaMau a Benegiamo, Alessand a Co ado, Ma co Fama
hey end o be ailo ed o he needs o la ge and mo e
in luen ial playe s.
Agains his backd op, assuming a JT pe spec-
i e allows he po en ial impac o digi al ag icul u e o
be assessed on all he di e en playe s wi hin he ag i-
ood sys em, bu also o conside a me s and wo ke s as
social ac o s who can be d i e s o emancipa o y ech-
nical inno a ion, coun e ac ing he endency o analyse
labou , sus ainabili y and inno a ion as sepa a e issues
(Ra hzel e al., 2021).
A a policy le el, indeed, digi alisa ion can o e
he oppo uni y o p omo e a escaling o ag icul u e
owa ds place-based models and p ac ices ha ha e
p o en o be mo e esilien and capable o ensu ing ood
sa e y and secu i y (Ma sden, 2013). To his end, policy
in e en ions should be in o med by a JT app oach ha
pe cei es wo k as in e connec ed wi h he communi y,
bo h he place-based communi y o he su ounding
a ea and he wide communi y ha connec s consume s
o p oduce s (Mu phy e al., 2022). Such an app oach is
c ucial o conside he ood sys em as a whole, also in
o de o a oid placing he bu den o he ansi ion solely
on he shoulde s o a me s.
The amewo k de eloped by Aube e al. (2021)
o he ecological ansi ion o he F ench dai y sec o is
in line wi h hese conside a ions. Based on he equi e-
men s o he F ench Na ional Low Ca bon S a egy he
au ho s de ised wo di e en scena ios. The i s one,
associa ed wi h g ea e job losses, en isages an adap a-
ion and compensa ion s a egy o he indus ial sec o
which is limi ed o ob aining esul s in e ms o educ-
ing he emissions o indi idual companies. The second
scena io, on he con a y, simul aneously conside s he
e ec s on biodi e si y, heal h and employmen by in e-
g a ing a JT pe spec i e. This allows mo e in eg al pol-
icy measu es able o suppo he ecological ansi ion
while also p ese ing employmen le els.
4. A JT FRAMEWORK FOR EXPLORING THE IMPACT
OF DIGITAL AGRICULTURE
As highligh ed in he abo e-men ioned deba es,
he pene a ion o digi alisa ion in o ag icul u e en ails
isks and oppo uni ies o he sus ainabili y o he ood
sys em, depending on a ious echnological, econom-
ic, en i onmen al and social ac o s. The e o e, mo e
nuanced empi ical esea ch is equi ed o obse e how
hese ac o s a e combined wi hin each speci ic con ex .
In o de o shed ligh on he socio-economic implica-
ions o digi al ag icul u e, i is also undamen al o
g asp he d i e s o he di e se digi alisa ion pa e ns,
how hese a ec , and a e a ec ed by, he decisions made
by he ac o s in ol ed, and how hese decisions a e, in
u n, in luenced by he ins i u ional amings o he eco-
logical ansi ion.
To be e o ien empi ical esea ch, a amewo k
able o cap u e he in e play o all he dimensions o
ag icul u al digi alisa ion can be help ul. The e m
“ amewo k” e e s o a heu is ic model ha can help
guide empi ical esea ch and de elop a comp ehensi e
app oach o unde s anding a complex phenomenon.
I should by no means be conside ed as a igid scheme
o be ollowed s ic ly, bu a he as a lexible ool o be
adap ed and e ined acco ding o he speci ic esea ch
ques ion and con ex . I is also impo an o ecognise
ha , while i can o e impo an desc ip i e in o ma-
ion, a amewo k does no in i sel p o ide a deep ana-
ly ical unde s anding o he phenomenon being s udied.
Hence, i is essen ial o adop i in conjunc ion wi h o h-
e analy ical ools and app oaches. A well-known exam-
ple o a amewo k is he one de eloped by Ian Scoones
(1998) o he analysis o sus ainable u al li elihoods,
whe e all ac o s a ec ing he subsis ence o indi idu-
als a e schema ically illus a ed in ela ion o i e key
indica o s (con ex , condi ions and ends; li elihood
esou ces; ins i u ional p ocesses and o ganisa ional
s uc u es; li elihood s a egies; sus ainable li elihood
ou comes).
In ou amewo k, we p opose o conside six
dimensions, lis ed in Table 1. A se o ques ions is asso-
cia ed o each dimension. In addi ion, we ha e ocussed
on he idea o jus ansi ion, as an app oach capable o
combining wo k and e i o y wi hin a ansi ion pe -
spec i e a en i e o he in e sec ional impac s o ans-
o ma ions in indus y sec o models.
Building on T ibaldos, Ko e mäki (2022), o each
dimension we ha e also iden i ied c i e ia o jus an-
si ion in ood sys ems po en ially applicable a a p o-
cess- / policy-pa hway e alua ion le el. These c i e ia a e
in ended o p o ide guidelines and no ma i e isions
ega ding desi ed di ec ions o change, aiding cla i ica-
ion and discussion o wha makes ansi ions jus (see
ILO, 2015; UNFCCC, 2020).
The c i e ia a e de i ed om basic p inciples and
undamen al ules o jus ice es ablished in philosophy
and social heo ies o social jus ice – co esponding
o “A-le el p inciples” in he model p oposed by T ib-
aldos, Ko e mäki (2022)2. Fo each A-le el p inciple,
mo e p ac ical ules o jus ice se ing as an analy ical
lens o jus ansi ioncan be in e ed – co esponding o
2 Acco ding o he wo au ho s, hese a e: dis ibu i e jus ice, cosmopol-
i an jus ice, ecology and non-human beings, p ocedu al jus ice, ecogni-
ion jus ice, capaci ies.
11
Ag icul u al digi alisa ion and jus ansi ion: a amewo k o he analysis
“B-le el p inciples”. In ou case, we ha e iden i ied a lis
o B-le el p inciples ha include, bu a e no limi ed o:
1. igh o ood, labou jus ice (incl. a me s, he de s and
ishe men); 2. jus ood-chain s uc u es and li elihood
oppo uni ies, (dis ibu i e jus ice); 3. global ai ness
(cosmopoli an jus ice), in e gene a ional jus ice and ai -
ness; 4. ecological in eg i y and jus ice o animals (ecol-
ogy and non-human beings); 5. jus p ocesses and access
o ele an in o ma ion (p ocedu al jus ice); 6. espec ul
plu alism and es eem ecogni ion and non-disc imina-
ion ( ecogni ion and in e sec ional jus ice); 7. capaci y
building (capaci ies).
Fo each o he dimensions iden i ied, and wi h he
aim o subs an ia ing and ope a ionalising hem, Fig-
u e 1 lis s a se o po en ial ques ions whose a icula ion
wi h he c i e ia in Figu e 2 makes i possible o na ow
he ocus o he analysis, acco ding o he poli ical econ-
omy pe spec i e o he JT app oach.
Answe ing he ques ions lis ed in Figu e 1 allows a
mo e comp ehensi e unde s anding o be gained o how
he digi alisa ion pa adigm and speci ic digi al echnolo-
gies a icula e in o he esea ch con ex , going beyond
sec o al analysis abou ag icul u al digi alisa ion. Taking
in o accoun he complexi y o he analysed phenom-
ena is indeed an inc easingly ecognised equi emen o
inno a ion and ansi ion p ocesses. This also includes
he need o b oaden he scien i ic capaci y o include di -
e en pe spec i es and in e es s di ec ly in he p oblem
aming, as well as in he decision-making and imple-
men a ion p ocess, in o de o ecognise he sys emic,
no ma i e and unce ain cha ac e o socio- echnical
ans o ma ion p ocesses, such as hose ela ed o he
challenges o clima e change and sus ainabili y (Fun o-
wicz, Ra e z, 2003). In line wi h hese a gumen s, once
he abo e dimensions ha e been examined, we sugges
in eg a ing a poli ical economy pe spec i e based on he
p e iously lis ed dimensions o jus ice as subs an i e ele-
men s o a JT app oach. This makes i possible o de el-
op a amewo k o assess whe he and how, in a gi en
con ex , he digi al ans o ma ions o ag icul u e a e
Table 1. Dimensions o ag icul u al digi alisa ion
Dimension Desc ip ion
Con ex
This dimension e e s o all he con ex -speci ic ac o s ha a ec he adop ion and ou comes o digi al ag icul u e.
Rela ed ques ions should explo e how he con ex shapes local ag icul u al p ac ices, he s a egies adop ed by he ac o s
and he di e en ools o ag icul u al digi alisa ion p oposed and/o adop ed.
Ac o s and socio-
cul u al dynamics
This dimension e e s o he impac ha digi al ag icul u e has on social s uc u es and u al communi ies as well as
i s ela ion wi h he symbolic and cul u al sphe es. Rela ed ques ions should analyse he ac o s in ol ed and he social
ne wo ks in which hei digi al p ac ices a e embedded, he ela ed p ocesses o knowledge c ea ion and ans e , and he
ac o s (in e ms o esou ces, alues, belie s) ha a ec digi al ag icul u e ools adop ion and impac .
Technological
in as uc u e
This dimension e e s o he ha dwa e, so wa e and connec i i y equi ed o he digi alisa ion o ag icul u e. Rela ed
ques ions should explo e he accessibili y and quali y o he echnical op ions a ailable in a gi en con ex , hei po en ial
socio-economic ou comes, as well as he ac o s ha in luence he ex en o echnology adop ion, such as business
s uc u e, ype o a m p oduc ion, cos , pe cei ed isks and bene i s, cul u al a i udes, li e acy among a me s, e c..
Economic model
This dimension e e s o he de elopmen model ollowed by he a ms ha inno a e digi ally, hei scale and posi ion
wi hin he alue chains, and he b oade economic implica ions o digi al ag icul u e. Rela ed ques ions should explo e
how digi alisa ion is connec ed wi h he di e en ajec o ies o ag icul u al de elopmen , i s impac on alue c ea ion
and dis ibu ion and he way i is a ec ing he labou ma ke and he socio-economic s uc u e o ag i- ood p oduc ion.
In a di e en ein, i is also ele an o g asp he economic con ex wi hin which digi al echnologies a e embedded,
ab ica ed and p omo ed on he ma ke . To assess he speci ici y o he echnoscience ma ke and i s ela ions wi h, o
example, inancial ools o public incen i es, on one side, and he speci ici y o he a m economy on he o he .
En i onmen al
implica ions
This dimension e e s o how digi al ag icul u e a ec s he “social p oduc ion o na u e” and he in luence o na u e o e
social p oduc ion and ep oduc ion. Rela ed ques ions should in es iga e he immedia e digi al ag icul u e impac on
he ecosys ems, bu also he unin ended e ec s ha he new p ac ices induced by digi alisa ion can ha e in e ms o
biodi e si y loss and ecosys em al e a ion, as well as he po en ial eme gence o new consump ion pa e ns and ma ke
dynamics ha may ha e o - a ms en i onmen al implica ions. A ocus on he en i e alue chain may also be ele an ,
including he impac o he ag i ech sec o , as well as he unde lying g eenhouse gas and en i onmen al oo p in due o
da a mining and s o age, which is becoming inc easingly signi ican in e ms o he o e all oo p in o IT.
Ins i u ions,
go e nance and
policies
This dimension e e s o he ins i u ional p ocesses, he egula o y amewo k and poli ical dynamics go e ning
ag icul u al digi alisa ion. Rela ed ques ions should explo e how he ou comes o digi al ag icul u e a e nego ia ed and
a ec ed by ins i u ional ac o s, he in luence exe cised by policies and go e nance s uc u es a local, na ional, and
in e na ional le els, and he po en ial con lic s ha may a ise. This la e aspec is also ela ed o he p esence and ype
o pa icipa ion mechanisms and he deg ee o inclusion o po en ial s akeholde s, as well as hei de ini ion and ela i e
powe assimila ions.
12 Mau a Benegiamo, Alessand a Co ado, Ma co FamaMau a Benegiamo, Alessand a Co ado, Ma co Fama
Figu e 1. Explo ing he impac o digi al ag icul u e: po en ial ques ions.
