Technological advancement is reshaping every sector of our society, yet their uptake in the agri-food sector remains limited, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises. Agriculture shall not be left behind. 

This is the mission driving Agri-Digital Growth, a project funded within the framework of Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE. Launched in June 2024, the project aims to accelerate the digital transformation of the agri-food sector, empowering farmers and food businesses with the skills and tools, they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Lead by the Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), the project brings together 11 partners from 7 countries (Italy, Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Poland). Together, the consortium aims to strengthen digital capacities and create supportive environments where new technologies can be tested, adopted, and scaled. The objective is to develop a Precision Farming Ecosystem that fosters sustainable innovation.

Technology alone is not enough without people. Hence, Agri-Digital Growth places a strong emphasis on education and skill-building and has developed the Precision Farming (PF) Specialist, a professional figure that provides support and technical assistance to farmers who are using precision technologies on their farms. The future PF Specialists can be trained throughout the Pilot Courses on precision and digital farming that the project has designed. These Pilot Courses are carefully tailored to the real needs of farmers and agri-food companies since they have been collaboratively developed by academic and industry experts, from the basics of digital literacy to advanced applications of precision agriculture technologies.

The goal is to equip participants not only with technical know-how but also with the critical thinking skills necessary to make informed decisions about technology adoption. The courses are highly practical, featuring hands-on activities, demonstrations, and direct interaction with digital tools and platforms.

Another of the most innovative aspects of Agri-Digital Growth is the establishment of five Living Labs across Central Europe. These Living Labs come together to co-create and experiment with digital solutions and foster a peer-to-peer learning environment. Farmers will not be mere recipients of new technologies but active participants in shaping their application. By testing technologies such as precision irrigation systems, smart sensors, drones, and AI-based crop monitoring tools in real-world conditions, the Living Labs ensure that innovations will be both practical and scalable.

By combining hands-on experimentation in the Living Labs with targeted training through the Pilot Courses, Agri-Digital Growth creates a comprehensive ecosystem where knowledge, technology, and collaboration come together to transform the future of agriculture.

As the project moves forward, we hope the experiences and the Ecosystem developed will serve as a blueprint for other regions in Central Europe and beyond, so they will embrace digitalisation as a tool for agricultural innovation.

For more information, visit the official Agri-Digital Growth project page.

The project poster is available here.