Digital Ground: A Master's Thesis Project for Navigating the Opportunities of Digital Transformation in Agriculture
Author
Klentz, Jacob
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2024
Submitted on
2024-06-07
Pages
80
Abstract
Denne afhandling gennemfører en tekno-antropologisk undersøgelse af landbrugets digitale transformation med en fænomenologisk tilgang, der fokuserer på de kulturelle og sociale dimensioner af teknologiadoption i landbrugssamfund. Med et casestudiedesign, baseret på semistrukturerede interviews og etnografisk feltarbejde med landmænd, teknologileverandører og agro-tech-eksperter, undersøger studiet, hvordan digitale værktøjer formes af og indlejres i hverdagspraksisser, beslutninger og samarbejder. Analysen er forankret i Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation, Ajzens Theory of Planned Behavior og socio-tekniske perspektiver, og den kontekstualiseres med en gennemgang af digitaliseringens udvikling, herunder danske adoptionstendenser. Resultaterne identificerer både barrierer og drivkræfter for adoption – herunder socioøkonomiske forhold, kulturel modstand, infrastrukturelle begrænsninger og forskelligartet teknologisk literacy – og fremhæver de komplekse forhandlinger, der opstår, når traditionelle praksisser møder nye digitale løsninger. Afhandlingen bidrager med et nuanceret indblik i digitaliseringens betydning for landbrug og argumenterer for kultursensitive, deltagerinddragende design- og politiske tilgange samt giver praktiske anbefalinger til mere inkluderende og effektive strategier med sigte på både driftsoptimering og bæredygtighed.
This thesis undertakes a techno-anthropological, phenomenologically informed case study of agriculture’s digital transformation, examining the cultural and social dimensions of technology adoption within farming communities. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and ethnographic fieldwork with farmers, technology developers, and agro-tech transformation experts, it explores how digital tools are embedded in everyday practices, decision-making, and collaborations. The analysis is guided by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation, Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior, and socio-technical perspectives, and is contextualized by a review of current developments in digital agriculture, including adoption trends in Denmark. Findings identify both barriers and facilitators—such as socio-economic conditions, cultural resistance, infrastructural limitations, and varying levels of technological literacy—and highlight the complex negotiations that arise as traditional practices intersect with new digital innovations. The thesis contributes a nuanced understanding of digitalization in agriculture and argues for culturally sensitive, participatory approaches to policy and design, offering practical recommendations for more inclusive and effective strategies aimed at operational efficiency and sustainability.
[This summary has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project (PDF)]
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