Technology meets agriculture: Digital transition in Latin America

Bonilla, M.; Zapata, E. (2024) Technology meets agriculture: Digital transition in Latin America. [Blog Post}. Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. Published online 20 December 2024.

A reflection on the multidisciplinary encounter held during the presentation of the book "Digital Transition in Agriculture and Public Policies in Latin America" within the framework of the international seminar of the same name that took place in Brasilia (Brazil) between December 4 and 6, 2024.

In the words of the Network of Public Policies and Rural Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (PP-AL Network) "the digital transition in Latin America's agricultural sector has advanced significantly since the COVID-19 crisis, providing enormous potential to transform agricultural practices, improve access to and management of inputs, facilitate knowledge transfer and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. This technological transformation also promises to revolutionize the marketing of agricultural products and the implementation of public policy tools for the sector. However, along with the many benefits, digitalization also presents risks, such as the potential widening of the gap between small family farmers and agribusiness." In addition, the digitalization of agrifood systems is limited by challenges associated with climate change and variability, and decreased fertility in soils. All these elements, added to the exclusion of gender in the countryside, contribute to the prevalence of food insecurity in countless places in the region, which is no longer only a state problem, but a global issue. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive solutions that combine sustainability, equity and technological innovation.