Digital transformation of agriculture and rural areas: A socio-cyber-physical system framework to support responsibilisation

• Published in: Journal of rural studies Vol. 85; pp. 79 - 90
• Main Authors: Rijswijk, Kelly, Klerkx, Laurens, Bacco, Manlio, Bartolini, Fabio, Bulten, Ellen, Debruyne, Lies, Dessein, Joost, Scotti, Ivano, Brunori, Gianluca
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elmsford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Agriculture; Agriculture 4.0; Cyber-physical systems; Dairy farming; Dairy farms; Digital agriculture; Digital divide; Digital transformation; Farm to fork; Food systems; Green Deal; Innovations; Responsible research and innovation; Rural areas; Rural communities; Transformation; Transformations; Understanding; Responsible research and innovation; Digital transformation; Green Deal; Food systems; Agriculture 4.0; Farm to fork; Digital divide; Digital agriculture
• ISSN: 0743-0167; 1873-1392
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.05.003

Digital technologies are often seen as an opportunity to enable sustainable futures in agriculture and rural areas. However, this digital transformation process is not inherently good as it impacts on many aspects (e.g. economic, environmental, social, technological, institutional) and their relations. The responsible research and innovation approach calls for a better understanding and anticipation of the often unknown impacts. To meet this aim we have developed a framework that allows to gain insight on the relations between the social, the cyber and the physical, i.e. a socio-cyber-physical system and have described conditions for a successful digital transformation of such a system. These are design of, and creating access to digital technologies, and navigating system complexity. This framework allows for a better problematisation of digital transformation and has been illustrated through an example of digital dairy farming. It supports an enhanced understanding of moral responsibilities regarding digital transformation, fitting within the responsible research and innovation approach, as well as a better understanding who is responsible or accountable for the identified (positive or negative) impacts, i.e. responsibilisation. •Digital transformation requires Responsible Research and Innovation.•Responsible Research and Innovation requires clear problematisation.•A Socio-Cyber-Physical System for problematisation is presented.•This framework can support responsibilisation in digital transformation.•An illustration of the framework in digital dairy farming is given.