A review of multi-scale barriers to transitioning from digital agriculture to a digital bioeconomy

Abstract

The use of digital technologies in agriculture has received significant attention in the last decade. There is increasing interest in the potential opportunities for digitalization at a broader bioeconomy scale; however, there is limited knowledge of the potential barriers to a digital bioeconomy. This chapter reviews current knowledge on barriers to digital agriculture and uses a case study to relate these barriers to the bioeconomy scale. We found that adoption barriers are not just technical, but include economic, social, and institutional dimensions, and occur at multiple scales involving technology design, farm systems (including supply chains), the agricultural innovation system, and society. Additionally, these barriers can be highly interconnected. For example technical issues around data interoperability cannot be addressed independently of social issues at the farm scale related to perceptions around privacy and transparent use of farmer data. Examining these multi-dimensional and multi-scale issues through a bioeconomy lens highlights the need for directionality in digital bioeconomy innovation and alignment of national policies and initiatives. Rather than assuming that greater use of digital tools is inherently positive for a national bioeconomy, nations should purposely assess and anticipate the potential implications of digitalization. Our review highlights three opportunities for directionality in the digital bioeconomy. The first is for technology design and development to directly respond to and address societal (not only end-user) needs and barriers to uptake. The second is to design and develop data governance, business models, and standards for data, which are transparent, inspire trust, and share benefits of digital technologies among supply chain stakeholders. The third is to considerably broaden the assessment of societal value from digital agriculture. Addressing the adoption barriers to the digital bioeconomy will come from integrated applications of digitalization that are purpose or ‘mission’ led, rather than inherently techno-centric.

Global Bioeconomy Assessment: Coordinated Efforts of Policy, Innovation, and Sustainability for a Greener Future

“…This transformation is intricately linked not only to natural resources and technology but also to the complex trajectories of society, businesses and individuals. Driven by digital solutions, the bioeconomy has made substantial strides in recent years, aiming to achieve the long-term goal of transitioning from a traditional fossil-based economy to a bio-circular economy (Eastwood et al 2023). Consumer preferences have increasingly leaned towards super-functionality, surpassing basic economic values and encompassing social, cultural and emotional values.…”

Digitalization Risks in the Bioeconomy: An Enterprise-Level Perspective

“…Also, McCormik (2013) states that in order to facilitate an understanding of the existing bioeconomy and the transition to an advanced bio-based economy, it is necessary to examine it more in-depth [23]. There is increasing interest in the potential opportunities for digitalization at a broader bioeconomy scale; however, there is limited knowledge of the potential barriers to a digital bioeconomy [26]. The previously analyzed research papers have not concentrated on evaluating the risks related to digitalization in the bioeconomy sector, especially from the employers' perspective.…”

Digitalisation in Bioeconomy in the Baltic States and Poland

“…Unfortunately, digital transformation does not come with benefits only since the process involves overcoming technological, monetary, and personal barriers. These barriers correspond to the PEST criteria and are shown in Table 1 based on [18][19][20][21] research. Source: own study based on the research of [18][19][20].…”

“…These barriers correspond to the PEST criteria and are shown in Table 1 based on [18][19][20][21] research. Source: own study based on the research of [18][19][20].…”

“…Eastwood et al [19] conducted a comprehensive analysis of the barriers agriculture enterprises face in adopting digital applications. The most significant challenges related to digitalisation revolve around technological issues: data quality, reliability, security, and the integration of data with various systems.…”