Generationendynamiken und AgriTech-Transformation

The digital transformation of agriculture is advancing rapidly, influenced by policies at the European Union level. It entails the integration of advanced technology, the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automated systems, as well as the digitization of communication and formerly non-mediated tasks, such as bureaucratic interactions. This transformation presents a challenge for rural communities steeped in tradition and often accustomed to manual knowledge transfer, as they navigate new digital realities. Appropriation processes and the use of technologies are particularly relevant for the continuation of multi-generational farms. Studies indicate that large-scale technology acquisition is linked to the farm’s continued existence for future generations (Vik et al., 2019). However, financial disparities in the acquisition of large-scale technologies are not the only determining factor; the infrequent use of smartphones in daily agricultural work also indicates that farmers are falling behind in technological advancement (Marescotti et al., 2021).
Our study investigates how farmers engage with digital technologies on a daily basis and how their responsibilities, competencies, and occupational fields are (re-)negotiated and redefined across generations in the face of this technological shift.