summary
The rise of industrial agriculture has increased food production but at considerable environmental and social costs. In response, many look to novel technologies to tackle agriculture’s problems, leading to the emergence of concepts like smart farming, sustainable intensification, digital agriculture, and precision agriculture. These approaches use digital technologies to increase crop yields, reduce exogenous inputs, and improve the efficiency of food production. However, critics argue that relying solely on such technologies fails to address the broader social, political, economic, and cultural problems that underpin the industrial agricultural model and may perpetuate it. An alternative perspective comes from advocates of agroecology, who propose a transformative approach that prioritises ecology-based farming practices and a reassessment of economic and social systems shaping agriculture. While not opposing digital technology from the outset, agroecologists recommend a selective use that aligns with social and ecological values, avoiding exacerbating existing inequalities. This dialogue informs my PhD research, which explores digital technologies within ecology-based farming systems, focusing on the role and potential of monitoring sensor technology in particular. My study employs a three-step practice-based methodology: First, using social practice theory to understand how sensors are integrated into farmers' broader sensing practices and how the knowledge these practices make possible informs effective farm management toward agricultural sustainability. Second, critically assessing the visions (and underlying imaginaries) that guide the development of and the (user) expectations on agricultural sensors through the concept of socio-technical-ecological imaginaries. Lastly, Constructive Technology Assessment workshops will be organised to co-design and evaluate sensor technology, aiming to harmonise innovation with agroecological objectives.
Partners
This project is part of the NWO-funded SYNERGIA project (https://www.nwo.nl/en/cases/smart-technology-for-regenerative-agriculture), led by Prof. Peter Groot Koerkamp (WUR).
Project duration: 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2026
Who's working on this project
Contact: Lenn Gorissen
