Diversity by Design

Diversity by Design: Emergent Agricultural Technologies for Small-Scale Farming

Diversity by Design is a social science research project that wants to better understand the usefulness of digital technologies for small- and medium-scale farmers, which includes market gardeners, organic farmers, regenerative farmers, and similar practitioners. We ask what digital tools are currently used, which ones may be of potential use that have not yet been developed, and what are concerns over the supposed digital ‘revolution’? For this work, we follow a practice-based and hands-on approach that starts from small- and medium-scale farmers’ experiences and reflections. Findings of this project will help inform policy analysts, policymakers and technology developers to craft more inclusive (policy) tools for a diverse agricultural system.

Farmers participating in the research project do not have to use digital tools. We would like to learn from small & medium scale farmers that want to exchange about potentials and limitations of digital tools in farming.

Why should we care?

Innovations in big data, artificial intelligence, sensor technologies or drones are often argued to address grand challenges, such as global food insecurity and climate change. Indeed, governments are making significant investments in the digital transition of agriculture. Despite promises that digitalization can make agriculture more sustainable, many agricultural digital tools raise challenges of their own. For instance, tools currently on market are often too expensive, and so only help some actors in the food system but not others. An unaddressed issue is also how agricultural technology intersects with other equality issues, including the experiences of women and BIPOC farmers, as well as claims to land/territory by Indigenous Peoples. One of the goals of this research project is to examine if and how public investment in digital agriculture serves biodiverse forms of farming.

What do we do?

The project follows a participatory approach, and uses qualitative research methods in the form of design workshops, webinars, qualitative interviews, as well as farm visits. Through these various formats we aim to offer a space for engagement between farmers and technology developers, policymakers, and researchers. These engagements have the potential for various interest groups to better understand if, how, and what kind of (digital) technologies can best serve small-scale farmers in their agricultural practices. Our design workshops aim to offer a space for engagement between farmers, technology developers and designers, policymakers and researchers to better understand if, how, and what kinds of (digital) technologies can best serve small- and medium-scale farmers.