Digital Transformation in Canadian Crop Production
A Scoping Review of Emerging Technologies, Trends, and Policy Gaps
This scoping review aims to systematically assess and synthesize current digital technologies and methodologies used in Canadian crop production research, including remote sensing, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and automation.
The review examines how these technologies address key agricultural challenges, such as crop monitoring, pest management, irrigation, and soil health, while also exploring the perspectives of Canadian farmers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers on the opportunities, challenges, and ethical considerations associated with digital technology adoption in agriculture.
Analysis centres on Canada’s unique agricultural landscape, which combines ambitious sustainability goals with a sociopolitical framework that influences the innovation and integration of Digital Agricultural Technologies (DATs).
As a significant food exporter, Canada faces region-specific barriers to DAT adoption, shaped by regulatory considerations, data governance, and privacy concerns. The review highlights that, while Canadian public sector-led research and innovation funding supports DAT development and testing, the widespread application of these technologies remains limited, with many still in experimental stages.
By focusing on the technical and socio-technical dimensions, this review contextualizes DAT adoption as influenced by institutional, regulatory, and social factors unique to Canada, including emission reduction targets and data sovereignty.
Using a sectoral innovation system framework, this study integrates technical data with social science perspectives to identify barriers and drivers impacting DAT diffusion in Canada, proposing a Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) approach to address challenges. This nuanced analysis offers insights for policymakers and stakeholders, underscoring the need for continued research and cross-regional validation to support sustainable DAT integration.
Notably, although findings are specific to Canada’s crop production sector, they lay the groundwork for future policy directions and highlight gaps in international comparison that could inform Canada’s approach to DAT development.
Published October 31, 2024.
By Hanan Ishaque, V. Margarita Sanguinetti, Francine Nelson, Heather Ganshorn, Guillaume Lhermie