Digital agriculture is expanding rapidly, from AI-based advisory services and automated machinery to cloud platforms that process farm, weather and production data. IPES-Food argues that the central question is not only what these technologies can do, but who controls the data, infrastructure and economic value they generate. The article examines growing links between major technology companies and agricultural corporations, and how subscription platforms, data-sharing arrangements and algorithmic services can increase farmers’ dependence on proprietary systems.

The discussion extends beyond farm management to what the authors call “biodigitalization”, where genetic information from crops and other biological resources is converted into digital data that can be analysed using AI and potentially incorporated into commercial breeding and intellectual property systems. The article raises concerns about how benefits are shared when genetic resources and knowledge maintained by farmers, Indigenous Peoples and local communities contribute to these technologies. It also highlights the material and labour requirements behind digital infrastructure, including mineral extraction and data-labelling work, particularly in the Global South.

Rather than rejecting digital technologies, the authors call for stronger governance around agricultural data. They point to data sovereignty, cooperative data models, digital commons, open-source tools and existing rights-based frameworks as possible ways to strengthen farmer and community agency. The broader message is that digitalization can support more sustainable food systems, but its outcomes will depend heavily on how technologies are designed, governed and owned.