Data is becoming the new driver of agriculture: how AI is changing farming

A recent article by RFSI Forum takes a closer look at how artificial intelligence is reshaping agriculture — and why data is starting to play a role as important as traditional inputs like pesticides.

In the piece “Data as the New Pesticide? Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Agriculture”, author Clara Cecil (Wageningen University & Research) explores how farming is shifting toward data-driven decision-making, where information, not just inputs, determines productivity and resilience.

From Chemicals to data-driven decisions

Instead of relying only on pesticides and fertilizers, farmers are increasingly using:

• sensors and satellite data

• AI-powered analytics

• real-time monitoring tools

These technologies help detect issues earlier, optimize resource use, and improve overall farm management — moving agriculture from reactive to predictive systems.

Data as a new agricultural resource

Data is becoming a core asset in agriculture.

But unlike traditional inputs, this shift raises new questions:

• Who owns the data generated on farms?

• How is value shared between farmers and tech providers?

• Can smaller producers keep up with digital transformation?

Agriculture is no longer just about production chains — it is increasingly about data ecosystems.

While AI brings clear benefits in terms of efficiency and sustainability, the article also highlights the risks of growing inequalities and lack of transparency.

Ensuring fair access to technology and clear data governance will be essential if digital agriculture is to benefit the entire sector — not just a few players.

This transition is not just about adopting new tools. It signals a broader transformation toward a more intelligent, adaptive, and resilient food system, where decisions are powered by data.

Check the full article from RFSI Forum:👉 https://rfsi-forum.com/data-as-the-new-pesticide-artificial-intelligence-and-the-future-of-agriculture/

The role of Agriventures in supporting agrifood innovation

As the agritech startup ecosystem grows across Europe, initiatives such as Agriventures are helping connect entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and policymakers working in agriculture and food innovation.

Agriventures focuses on supporting agrifood startups, biotechnology innovation, and access to European funding for agriculture, while also helping entrepreneurs navigate the complex landscape of startup financing, venture capital, and research commercialization.

By strengthening connections between startups, research institutions, investors, and farmers, Agriventures contributes to building a stronger agricultural innovation ecosystem that can accelerate the transition toward sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems.

Through knowledge sharing, events, and ecosystem building, Agriventures helps ensure that promising agritech innovations can scale and reach farmers, food producers, and global markets.