In the research on the “State of the art of the use of digital technologies in agriculture”, all available digital technologies were investigated, highlighting similarities and differences depending on kinds of crops, farm size, and production processes.
The data emerged from the research, such as the percentage of investments in farming compared to total investments, the most widespread digital technologies and types of crops with the largest use, demonstrate the notable development of digital technologies in the three countries in the very last years, even if small and medium enterprises are still on the margins of investments in agriculture 4.0. However, the policies developed in the three countries and the commitment of research bodies demonstrate that the path is now clear, and that digital technologies help improve the sustainability and competitiveness of agricultural businesses. The trend is therefore to increase the use of digital technologies and bring them to the level of agricultural systems, increasingly involving small and medium-sized agricultural businesses and also attracting young people to the farming profession.
The agricultural sector appears increasingly rationalised, closely linked to the agri-food sector and ready to take on the emerging challenges of greater production with less pollution, water, and energy saving, reduction of food waste, and generational change in the agricultural sector. The peculiarities, such as the similarities and differences, that emerge from the report enrich the importance of the conclusions that can be drawn from it in terms of suggestions for policy makers, for the world of agricultural businesses, of farmers’ associations, for the world of agricultural machinery manufacturers and advanced technologies applied to agriculture.
The theme of education and training aimed at farmers to learn the use of digital technologies appears strategic for the development of sustainable agriculture open to innovation and the contribution of new generations of farmers. There is evidence from the report that the potential, but also the necessary caution, in choices must be made clear to farmers and in this an important role can be played by innovation brokers who can facilitate the understanding of choices.
The role of robotics, the so-called agriculture 5.0, and of artificial intelligence (AI) as a further tool for supporting decisions and processing of data from the field as factors for improving the necessary interventions and identifying water, fertilization and of minimum treatments necessary for the health of the crops. It can be widely deduced from the report what is happening and will happen not only in Mediterranean countries with developed agriculture, but throughout the world and in the various types of agriculture existing at different latitudes.
The Transnational Report will be released at the end of the project, along with the additional training materials currently being developed.
