This paper e presents findings from ten exploratory interviews conducted with participants across Australia’s farming and agricultural sector in 2022. These interviews were with individuals from industry peak bodies, telecommunications providers, agri-business, not-for-profit organisations, and state governments.

The quantity and quality of digital technologies available to farmers have advanced considerably since the 1990s. This paper argues that policy-makers need to address the removal of specific barriers to farmers’ adoption of digital technologies, while ensuring both enabling infrastructure and appropriate incentives exist upstream in markets for digital innovation.

This report, developed in collaboration with Deloitte and NTT Data, takes the practical case of the European Union to understand the pathway required for a farmer-centric food systems transition.

This paper considers how the agriculture sector can leverage stimulatory regional investment to ensure enduring economic stability and social benefits by establishing a virtuous cycle of beneficial impacts.

This research raises questions about the type and level of new, digital expertise farmers need to attain in the transition to digital farming, and what interventions are necessary to address the significant barriers to adoption and effective use that remain in rural communities.