Sustainable food systems and agriculture: The role of information and communication technologies

Abstract

Food security refers to the transformation processes needed to move towards sustainable food systems. Digitalization is one of the most important transformational processes in world agriculture and food production and sale systems. The paper considers the contribution of information and communication technologies (ICT) to the transition to sustainable development within the food chain (production, processing, distribution, consumption). Particular attention is paid to precision agriculture as a food production model that integrates many ICTs. ICTs can facilitate the transition to agri-food sustainability by increasing productivity and resource efficiency, reducing management costs and improving coordination in the food chain. The paper also discusses some disadvantages of ICT and factors limiting their use in agriculture.