Technology like the Internet of Things is often praised for its potential, but the authors explain that measuring its actual impact on the ground remains a major challenge for the agricultural sector. While digital tools hold great promise for meeting economic, environmental, and social goals, the researchers point out that it is often difficult to prove exactly how much they contribute to sustainable development in practice.
To address this, the paper demonstrates a step-by-step approach that allows people to measure and monitor how these technologies perform in real-life settings. This method is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and frames the impact of technology in terms of actual business opportunities.
The authors developed and tested this approach through 33 different cases in a large European project, specifically highlighting five examples from various types of farming to show how it works. Their results show that while the Internet of Things generally has a positive effect on sustainability, these outcomes are sometimes influenced by outside factors that are hard to separate from the technology itself.
Ultimately, the researchers provide a practical set of instruments that help farmers make better decisions and assist policymakers and investors in deciding which projects to fund. By offering a clear way to track fast-changing tech, the study aims to ensure that digital solutions truly support long-term sustainability objectives.
Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2022.107226
Reference:
Wolfert, S., & Isakhanyan, G. (2022). Sustainable agriculture by the Internet of Things – A practitioner’s approach to monitor sustainability progress. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 200, 107226.