From fair to field – Agribex and dream(e)scapes of reality
by Larissa Mies Bombardi and Coline Prévost This post reflects on a visit to Agribex, one of Belgium’s main agricultural fairs, and how agri-digital technologies are being normalised by showcasing a polished image of a field reality that is much more messy. Among the different solutions proposed to respond to a looming climate emergency, excess ammonia […]
Agricultural research in times of the EU race to arms
By Barbara Van Dyck and Danya Nadar This blog post is a modified version of a panel paper we presented at a researchers’ day at the Université Libre de Bruxelles revolving around “Planetary Boundaries and Geopolitical Fractures” and was first published at AgroecologyNow. During a research seminar at our university late 2025, we spoke about […]
From cow’s milk to precision-fermented milk: how the industry is programming our food
par Coline Prévost While cows are ruminating, biotechnology is producing milk proteins that are molecularly identical to those found in cow’s milk. Although these proteins struggle to move beyond the laboratory stage, some of them are beginning to make their mark on the food market. This blog post explores this technology and the relationship to […]
The digital horizon
by Barbara Van Dyck This blog asks questions about how agriculture and policy frameworks adapt to the needs and capacities of technologies The large hall at Domaine de l’Escaille near Namur was packed when the Federation of Young Farmers (FJA) held its annual congress there in March 2024. Many of the farmers present had blocked […]
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About friction
Since 2024, friction studies how agriculture is deeply affected by the integration of digital technology in the sector. We are a team of four core researchers with complementary expertise in political economy, human geography, feminist science and technology studies, and agroecology research in Belgium, Europe, Palestine, Brazil and beyond (see Meet the Team). Friction is […]
Meet the team
friction team Barbara Van Dyck For some time now, I have wondered why stories produced within universities are often considered as more truthful and valuable than those emerging from the fields? Since when, after all, have researchers known more about agriculture than farmers? These and other questions have led me to study the politics of […]
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Blog posts
As we speak to people, watching, listening, reading and thinking and trying to make sense of what the digital transformation does to reshape agriculture many ideas and questions emerge. In these blog posts, you will find reflections from that ongoing research journey. If you have ideas and thoughts about them, do not hesitate to reach […]
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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 […]