A Seat at the Table: betterSoil Joins Dialogue in EU Parliament
From policy to productivity, the European Parliament discussion spotlighted the future of farming from AI-powered tools to data ethics and farmer equity. The message was clear: innovation must be inclusive, and governance must keep up.
Charting a Digital Future for Agriculture
BetterSoil joined leading minds at the European Parliament for a timely panel discussion on “Innovation, AI and Digitalisation in Agriculture”, hosted by Member of the European Parliament Maria Grapini. Organized by the Forum for the Future of Agriculture ForumforAg, the event brought together farmers, tech pioneers, sustainability experts, and policy shapers to explore how digital tools can revolutionize global food systems. As an organization working across Europe, particularly in Germany and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, betterSoil recognizes the need to develop digital solutions that are regionally responsive yet globally informed. Events like this ensure that our work aligns with evolving EU digital policy while staying grounded in the realities of regenerative agriculture on both continents. What once required guesswork of knowing when and how much to plant, irrigate, or treat, can now be guided by data, even in remote areas. The opportunity is vast, but only if these technologies are designed to be affordable, accessible, and context specific.
AI Must Serve the Soil, Not Just the Market
Innovation must go beyond invention; it must mean inclusion. AI must serve environmental regeneration, not just efficiency. The panel made it clear that innovation is not just about speed or sophistication—it’s about purpose. Discussions revolved around how AI, satellite data, and precision tools are already transforming European agriculture: automating labor, optimizing resource use; reduce input waste, manage water more efficiently and supporting participation in carbon and biodiversity markets. However, participants including Microsoft and other tech leaders acknowledged persistent challenges: connectivity gaps, high adoption costs, digital skill deficits, and unresolved questions of data privacy and ownership.
Governance Must Match Innovation’s Pace
A dual-panel format that featured both technology developers and governance experts, created space for meaningful debate on issues such as digital equity, regulation of AI tools, and the ethics of data ownership in agriculture. One message resonated throughout the room: technological advancement alone is not enough; it must be matched by robust governance and ethical frameworks. Member of the Europe Parliament, Maria Grapini, who led the session, captured this balance succinctly: “We must use technology to ensure we have a sustainable agriculture, but we must also ensure that the benefits are equally shared.” This reminder comes at a pivotal time that while the private sector breakthroughs in sensors, robotics, and data platforms are impressive; public policy, data protection, and farmer rights must evolve just as rapidly to regulate them. In the absence of thoughtful oversight, the risk created is clear: innovation could deepen divides rather than bridge them. The panel emphasized that governance must match innovation pace, ensuring that farmers of all scales—not just large, well-resourced operations—benefit from this transformation.