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Digitalization and the third food regime

Author

Listed:
  • Louisa Prause

    (Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin)

  • Sarah Hackfort

    (Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin)

  • Margit Lindgren

    (Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin)

Abstract

This article asks how the application of digital technologies is changing the organization of the agri-food system in the context of the third food regime. The academic debate on digitalization and food largely focuses on the input and farm level. Yet, based on the analysis of 280 digital services and products, we show that digital technologies are now being used along the entire food commodity chain. We argue that digital technologies in the third food regime serve on the one hand as a continuation of established information and communication technologies, thus deepening certain features of the existing food regime such as the retail sector’s control over global commodity chains. On the other hand, digital technologies also introduce new forms of control and value extraction based on the use of data and pave the way for large tech companies to take over market shares in the agri-food sector. Finally, we find that multinational agri-food companies are starting to take on the business models of leading digital tech companies, for instance by developing digital platforms throughout the agri-food system. We argue that this shows that the broader economic restructuring of neoliberal capitalism towards digital capitalism is also making its way into the agri-food system.

Suggested Citation

  • Louisa Prause & Sarah Hackfort & Margit Lindgren, 2021. "Digitalization and the third food regime," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(3), pages 641-655, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:38:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10460-020-10161-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10460-020-10161-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    4. Hilary Oliva Faxon, 2023. "Small farmers, big tech: agrarian commerce and knowledge on Myanmar Facebook," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(3), pages 897-911, September.
    5. Suresh Neethirajan, 2023. "SOLARIA-SensOr-driven resiLient and adaptive monitoRIng of farm Animals," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Qian Forrest Zhang, 2024. "From Sustainable Agriculture to Sustainable Agrifood Systems: A Comparative Review of Alternative Models," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-24, November.
    7. Nawab Khan & Ram L. Ray & Hazem S. Kassem & Sajjad Hussain & Shemei Zhang & Muhammad Khayyam & Muhammad Ihtisham & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "Potential Role of Technology Innovation in Transformation of Sustainable Food Systems: A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, October.
    8. Pauline Pedehour & Marianne Lefebvre, 2023. "Combining digital technologies and incentives for water conservation: A Q-method study to understand preferences of French irrigators," Post-Print hal-04626643, HAL.
    9. Wenxuan Geng & Liping Liu & Junye Zhao & Xiaoru Kang & Wenliang Wang, 2024. "Digital Technologies Adoption and Economic Benefits in Agriculture: A Mixed-Methods Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-24, May.

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