Exploring the Digitalization in Agriculture and its Paradoxes : Evidence from a Comparative Study with Small French Companies

The main purpose of this paper is to explore the reality of digitalization in a traditional agricultural territory, the Normandy region of France, characterized by small entities. Relying on a survey of the presence and use of generic digital tools, we compare the agricultural sector with other industries and identify the perceived determinants and impacts of digitalization. One of the main contributions of our paper is to enrich the previous literature -which is mostly conceptual- with empirical research. Our results reveal a paradox. While the digitalization in agriculture is mostly perceived as a panacea to increase productivity while respecting the planet, the reality is that digitalization is not widespread. We refer to the broad definition of digitalization, which includes technological, organizational, and social aspects. Our study reveals that the agricultural sector suffers from a techno-centric and productive vision of digitalization. What seems to be at stake is the possibility for digitalization to deeply modify the strategy and culture of agricultural organizations. Its perceived impacts today are rather limited to communication and external relations. We also suggest that the farmers’ institutional environment should have a more holistic view and encourage more cooperation and networking in the development of digitalization strategies