(by Filippo Moreschi, Lawyer and Head of AIDR “Digital Agrifood” Observatory) AIDR has decided to equip itself with an Observatory on the application of digital technology and new technologies to the agri-food and agro-industrial world.
Its purpose is to study, stimulate and promote the application of digital technologies to the agri-food chain, through in-depth studies, articles, reports, contributions and the contribution of various technical, legal and economic skills.
Do not miss the look at the main start-ups in the sector, their fields of action and their proposals.
Expressions such as "smart farm", "data driven agriculture", "crop scouting", concepts such as artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain applied to agriculture and agro-industry are now taking hold in news, newspapers, specialized magazines, programs governmental, community and international. Studies, resources and experiments are destined for individual projects and sector policies.
In fact, the contribution of new technologies to the protection of product quality, traceability and food safety (understood under the dual profile of food safety and food security), simplification and better management of production processes in the company and in the agro-industry.
But not only.
The development of digital technology in the agri-food and agro-industrial world has enormous implications from an environmental point of view, from the defense of the soil and biodiversity, to the fight against climate change, to the protection of water, air and other environmental matrices, to energy saving, to introduction of forms of circular economy.
The Declaration signed in April 2019, on the occasion of the Digital Day, by 24 European Union countries including Italy, "A smart and sustainable digital future for European agriculture and rural areas", strengthens the commitment of the signatory countries to the digital transition in agriculture and underlines the aim of social, economic and environmental protection of rural areas also through the implementation of new technologies, with particular regard to fast connectivity and broadband. They must be made accessible to rural areas precisely to allow the development of territories and products, the improvement of company performance also in terms of energy saving, the promotion of goods and electronic commerce.
These are not new issues.
The EU Regulation 1291/2013 of the Parliament and of the Council established Horizon 2020, a framework program aimed at research and innovation activities for the period 2014-2020, to be conducted through direct and indirect actions aimed at scientific excellence and smart growth, “Fundamental drivers of social and economic prosperity as well as environmental sustainability” (recital 3). As part of Agrifood, many projects have been launched on advanced digital technologies such as, for example, the Data driven decision for farmers (4D4F), consisting of data-driven decisions by farmers; the Internet of food and farm (IoF2020), for the sustainable improvement of soil and animal performance; DataBio, or the bioeconomy based on Big data, and many others.
Furthermore, in the Communication of the European Commission of 25/04/2018 called “Artificial Intelligence for Europe”, the awareness of the role of initiatives and projects relating to Artificial Intelligence applied to the agri-food sector is clear. In the subsequent "Coordinated plan on Artificial Intelligence" of 07/12/2018, the Commission intends to coordinate and increase investments in this regard, in the awareness of the multiplicity of AI applications, including the environmental aspect, consisting of the reduction of energy consumed, environmental protection, prevention of natural disasters.
Therefore, on the basis of the sensitivity gained internationally (think of the 17 SDGs of the United Nations 2030 Agenda), attention has gradually shifted, over the last few years, from individual initiatives to digital infrastructures and experimental projects. on a large scale which, from a European and national perspective, require and will require appropriate investments.
This global and unitary approach to the issue of digital transition, environmental sustainability and social cohesion also and above all in agri-food production has been strengthened by the pandemic.
In the conclusions of the European Council of 21/07/2020, which outlined the investment plan of the Fund for the Recovery of the Union (so-called Next Generation EU), the close relationship between agriculture, production and environmental sustainability is emphasized , underlining the twofold need for the financing of the Agricultural Policy to be allocated on the one hand to the “Environmental architecture” and on the other hand to the development of the “quality of life in rural areas” (Heading 3). The digital transformation, in this logic, creates a “social and territorial cohesion” and, through the implementation of the social market economy, fights climate change (Heading 1).
Therefore, following this unitary and multidisciplinary approach, the AIDR Digital Agrifood Observatory will not only pay attention to individual research projects, but will try to promote, support and, possibly, contribute to developing widespread and supra-local, private and public digital initiatives aimed at '' optimal use of land, protection of the environment and biodiversity, good governance of the territory and rural landscape; it will closely monitor the development of new technologies in the agri-food, wine and oil-tourism industries, in corporate and territorial marketing, in the online trade of agri-food products.
Therefore, the Observatory will be able to carry out its activities also in coordination with the other Observatories belonging to AIDR: because talking about the agri-food supply chain and digital technologies means addressing relevant topics from an economic, environmental, geographical, cultural, social and decisive point of view for the future of the planet, of the health and well-being of mankind.