Digitalisation in agriculture and forestry: markets for data, and digital technologies and infrastructure – state of play and foresight in a fast changing regulatory, trade and technical environment

The potential of digital and data technologies in the agricultural and forestry sectors to enhance their sustainability and economic performance and working conditions has been acknowledged. The uptake of digital technologies in the sectors and the development of supplementing data- and data-technology-based solutions in the EU are increasing. However, there is hardly comprehensive, independently collected data about the actual uptake and use of digital technologies by farmers and foresters, about the trade of sector-related data and digital technologies, and about the extent and structure of the provision of digital and data services in the agricultural and forestry supply chains, which are of global outreach.

At the same time, policies and the regulatory framework directly or indirectly influencing the deployment of digital and data technologies in the EU are evolving in a fast pace and will continue to do so.[[ See, e.g. the announcements in the Digital package published by the European