Understanding the social implications of digital agricultural technologies
The current digital agricultural revolution presents significant possibilities, promising transformative changes in agri-food systems. While advocates foresee enhanced efficiency, profitability, and sustainability, social movements and social critical scholars have concerns about its potential to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
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| Online Access: | https://foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/1377 |
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| author | Jenny Melo-Velasco Kelly Wilson Mary Hendrickson Corinne Valdivia |
| author_facet | Jenny Melo-Velasco Kelly Wilson Mary Hendrickson Corinne Valdivia |
| author_sort | Jenny Melo-Velasco |
| collection | DOAJ |
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The current digital agricultural revolution presents significant possibilities, promising transformative changes in agri-food systems. While advocates foresee enhanced efficiency, profitability, and sustainability, social movements and social critical scholars have concerns about its potential to perpetuate existing inequalities in the food system. The current conversation on the social implications of digital technologies often lacks a balanced perspective, either too broad and generic in scope or too narrowly focused on specific technologies. This imbalanced approach makes it difficult to inform meaningful policy debates or guide stakeholders who want to harness digital technologies to create more equitable and inclusive food systems.
This paper contributes theory-based applied research to this discussion. We offer applied scholars and practitioners a Socio-Ethical Awareness Framework for Digital Agriculture, which recognizes the non-neutrality of technology, the central role of power, and the importance of data governance. The framework advocates for analyzing digital technologies based on the services they provide to farmers, while prompting questions about access, technology governance, and power distribution. Focusing on these aspects of digital technology can help ensure that these innovations support, rather than marginalize, small and limited-resource farmers.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6211b930a5564ae2a2dec8e6641a7f47 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2152-0801 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| spelling | doaj-art-6211b930a5564ae2a2dec8e6641a7f472025-08-20T02:32:22ZengLyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food SystemsJournal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development2152-08012025-06-01143Understanding the social implications of digital agricultural technologiesJenny Melo-Velasco0Kelly Wilson1Mary Hendrickson2Corinne Valdivia3University of Missouri, and Huella Delta Impacto ColectivoUniversity of MissouriUniversity of MissouriUniversity of Missouri The current digital agricultural revolution presents significant possibilities, promising transformative changes in agri-food systems. While advocates foresee enhanced efficiency, profitability, and sustainability, social movements and social critical scholars have concerns about its potential to perpetuate existing inequalities in the food system. The current conversation on the social implications of digital technologies often lacks a balanced perspective, either too broad and generic in scope or too narrowly focused on specific technologies. This imbalanced approach makes it difficult to inform meaningful policy debates or guide stakeholders who want to harness digital technologies to create more equitable and inclusive food systems. This paper contributes theory-based applied research to this discussion. We offer applied scholars and practitioners a Socio-Ethical Awareness Framework for Digital Agriculture, which recognizes the non-neutrality of technology, the central role of power, and the importance of data governance. The framework advocates for analyzing digital technologies based on the services they provide to farmers, while prompting questions about access, technology governance, and power distribution. Focusing on these aspects of digital technology can help ensure that these innovations support, rather than marginalize, small and limited-resource farmers. https://foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/1377digital agriculturesocial implicationssmallholder farmersrural sociologysocio-ethical awareness frameworkapplied research |
| spellingShingle | Jenny Melo-Velasco Kelly Wilson Mary Hendrickson Corinne Valdivia Understanding the social implications of digital agricultural technologies Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development digital agriculture social implications smallholder farmers rural sociology socio-ethical awareness framework applied research |
| title | Understanding the social implications of digital agricultural technologies |
| title_full | Understanding the social implications of digital agricultural technologies |
| title_fullStr | Understanding the social implications of digital agricultural technologies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding the social implications of digital agricultural technologies |
| title_short | Understanding the social implications of digital agricultural technologies |
| title_sort | understanding the social implications of digital agricultural technologies |
| topic | digital agriculture social implications smallholder farmers rural sociology socio-ethical awareness framework applied research |
| url | https://foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/1377 |
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