Expert insights on the impacts of, and potential for, agricultural big data

Abstract

Advanced digital technologies are rapidly permeating agriculture from laboratory to field. Machine-based breeding, robotics and big data technologies have deeply transformed not only production systems but also the way scientific research is conducted. How are digital applications revolutionizing people’s jobs and skills? What are the challenges and opportunities for managing and sharing agricultural big data? This article addresses these and other questions by surveying international experts in plant biotechnology. Results show that digital innovations in the form of decision-support tools are perceived as promising. Most surveyed experts anticipate the deployment of big data analytics and artificial intelligence to boost agricultural productivity. Another key finding is that substantial physical investment, specialized human capital and effective data governance are critical to successful implementation of technological innovations associated with big data.