In just a few years, tractors have become connected to satellites. Sensors give farmers, the government, veterinarians and others insight into what is happening in the stables via smartphones and computers. Fields are mapped in detail so that fertilisers and pesticides can be applied with greater precision.
Such technological changes are often very subtle, and mostly applauded. But little is known about what the digital transformation really does to agricultural sector, its workers, the animals and the fields.
friction is a research project that investigates the roots of digital technologies and how they shape agriculture in Wallonia and Flanders. We look into the promises made by companies, researchers and governments, ask relevant questions, and communicate our findings as we go.