This is a busier space than one might assume. Indeed, there are eight EU funded projects listed on the program for the Digital Agroecology Cluster Conference 17-18 November 2025. They are not all explicitly “agroecology + digitalisation” in their titles, but they are in their actions.
SLU has a Masters in Agroecology, and at least one of their students – Adeline Langlet – has taken on the topic of digitalisation. Specifically, the question “Can Digital Technologies support agroecological practices?” Adeline even prepared a fact sheet on this. The project looked at a particular decision support system known as Soil Navigator (SN). Soil navigator is
“a multi-criteria decision support system, developed in 2019 as part of the European research project LANDMARK. Based on Decision Expert (DEX) models, it uses qualitative multi-criteria analysis to assess the soil performance at the field level across five functions: primary productivity, water purification and regulation, climate regulation and carbon sequestration, biodiversity and habitat provision, and nutrient cycling. Based on this assessment, the tool allows end-users to choose a soil function to improve and provides tailored recommendations of management of practices, while considering potential trade-offs between the soil functions.”
The summary in the fact sheet states:
“One of the main benefits of SN is its educational value. By raising awareness on soil health, ecosystems services and tradeoffs, it can serve as an entry point into a transition process. In this case-study, SN had the potential to increase the overall agroecological level of the farm by supporting diversity and resilience over time. However, it remains data-intensive and requires expert input to collect and interpret SN suggestions effectively.
When designed in line with agroecological principles, especially the co-creation and sharing of knowledge, DT [Digital Technologies] can also help addressing economic and social aspects of sustainability and constitute a valuable addition to the farmer’s tool kit, supporting the farm’s progress towards its agroecological transition.“
