Digitisation: Economic and Social Impacts in Rural Areas (DESIRA)

DESIRA was launched as a Horizon 2020 project under the coordination of the University of Pisa with the participation of 25 partner organizations (research institutes, NGOs and SMEs). The project was designed around seven Work Packages aimed at improving the capacity of society and political bodies to respond to the challenges associated with digitalization in agriculture, forestry and rural areas. DESIRA built on the Socio-Cyber-Physical Systems concept to provide a better understanding of the impact of digitalization. The project-specific objectives were listed as: to fill the gaps in socio-economic knowledge related to digitalization in agriculture, forestry and rural areas; to assess the past and current socio-economic impact of digitalization in regards to the SDGs; to improve the capacity of communities to prepare for the future risks and opportunities related to digitalization; to improve the capacity of rural communities to take advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalization, as well as their resilience to the associated risks; to promote online and offline interactions and the sharing of knowledge among a wide range of stakeholders; and to increase the uptake of societal concerns in ICT-related policy and innovation; and to align digitalization scenarios with societal needs and expectations. To this end, DESIRA made use of a network of “Living Labs (LL)” established in 20 European Regions and the EU Rural Digitization Forum to discuss the digitalization of agriculture, forestry and rural areas.

• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Augmented/virtual reality
• Big data
• Blockchain
• Cloud
• Desktop/web-based application
• Drone
• GIS
• GPS
• Instant messaging
• Internet of things (IoT)
• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Online community
• Remote sensing
• Sensor
• Robotics
• Social media
• Mobile app
• Website

Under the DESIRA project, an inventory of digital tools used in agriculture has been compiled, providing also a description of the tools made available through the Gnomee platform – an online knowledge base providing a detailed taxonomy of digital game changers, and showcasing innovative digital solutions and their applications in rural contexts. It offers full-text search and/or filter functions based on predefined classifications. Among the digital solutions described in Gnomee are autonomous vegetable weeding robots; Internet of things (IoT) sensor collars that monitor the reproduction cycles of cows; web applications and sensors for the monitoring and control of irrigation systems; drones and digital maps supporting the application of biological pest controls, etc. Other tools detailed under DESIRA include the Rural Digital Europe Platform, which makes use of the OpenAIRE search engine to identify publications and research outcomes related to digitalization and the socio-economic impact on rural areas, agriculture and forestry. The platform’s dashboard serves as a single point of access for the research community, scientists and other relevant stakeholders, facilitating their studies and operations. Also leveraged by the project is the Living Lab Modeler – an online tool that promotes the activities and impact of the Living Labs involved, taking the form of a digital representation of a Living Lab through which the available information is visualized and automatic assessments are made based on the provided information. Another tool found within DESIRA is the Virtual Farm Platform (VFP) – a virtual reality environment in which users can access information, educational resources and inspiration related to the digital opportunities available that meet theirspecific needs and contexts.

• Agriculture cooperatives
• Civil society organizations
• Farm advisors
• Large size farms
• Medium size farms
• Public sector
• Private sector
• Rural communities

The DESIRA project benefits from the participation of various stakeholders, such as academia and research institutions that share their research, methodology and activities related to digitalization in rural contexts. The main beneficiaries of the project have been agricultural cooperatives, and medium- and large-sized farms, who gain access to affordable and practical digital solutions that aid them in improving productivity, market access, sustainability and resource management, leading to increased incomes. Civil society organizations, on the other hand, have benefitted from the tools and knowledge to advocate for the use of inclusive and equitable digital solutions in rural areas, as well as public and private sector concerns with an interest in innovative technologies and digital solutions tailored to rural needs. Finally, farm advisors have been able to benefit from the advanced digital tools and methodologies made accessible under the project, allowing them to provide better guidance to farmers.

• Donor support

Total cost EUR 4 991 503.45 – EU contribution EUR 4 990 128.45

DESIRA has shown how digital solutions can be game-changers for rural areas, for example, in the fields of environmental risk management, supply chain transparency, the provision of public services and keeping agricultural activities alive in many rural contexts. The project has further identified barriers and constraints to digitalization in 20 local contexts, and has addressed specific local needs and expectations with a policy analysis and roadmap report. An ethical code has also been developed under the project that can serve as a guide for technology developers and policymakers alike. DESIRA has shown that despite the emphasis on sustainable digitalization and dedicated resources stressed in the European Union, national-level implementations are still falling short.

Advisory Service Croatia; Amigo SRL; Aragon Company of Agri-environmental Management S.L.U (SARGA); Baltic Study Centre (BSC); European Association for Information and Local Development (AEIDL); Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO); Fraunhofer Institute of Experimental Software Engineering (IESE); Innovative Research Center on Information Technologies (ATHENA); Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis – Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT-ITAS); James Hutton Institute (HUTTON); National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA); National Research Council (CNR); Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC); Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland (FiBL); SISTEMA; Sustainable Ireland Cooperative Society (CULT); Union “Farmers’ Parliament” (ZSA); University of Cordoba (UCO);University of Debrecen (UNIDEB); University of Gent (UGent); University of Jyvaskyla (UJYV); University of Lodz (UL);Wageningen Research (WR); Wageningen University (WU)