Short answer
When designing digital solutions for the agri-food sector, consider the entire commodity chain and the potential for data-driven business models to create new forms of control and value.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Agriculture and Human Values (2020)
- Method
- Content analysis and case study
- Sample
- 280 digital services and products
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Digital technologies, particularly platform models, are extending control and value extraction across the entire agri-food system, mirroring trends in digital capitalism. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in Agriculture and Human Values. Using Content analysis and case study with 280 digital services and products, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing digital solutions for the agri-food sector, consider the entire commodity chain and the potential for data-driven business models to create new forms of control and value.
Digital Platforms Reshape Agri-Food Commodity Chains
Digital technologies, particularly platform models, are extending control and value extraction across the entire agri-food system, mirroring trends in digital capitalism.
Agriculture and Human Values · 2020
Key Findings
- 01Digital technologies are applied across the entire food commodity chain, not just at the farm level.
- 02Digital platforms enable new forms of control and value extraction through data utilization.
- 03Large tech companies are entering the agri-food sector, and multinational agri-food companies are adopting digital platform business models.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing digital solutions for the agri-food sector, consider the entire commodity chain and the potential for data-driven business models to create new forms of control and value.
How to apply
When developing digital products or services for the food industry, map out the entire value chain and identify how digital platforms can influence control, data flow, and value capture at each stage.
Project actions
- 01Consider how digital technologies can impact multiple stages of a product's lifecycle.
- 02Investigate how data is collected, used, and valued in your design context.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive analysis of a large number of digital services and products.
- +Connects micro-level technological applications to macro-level economic restructuring.
Limitations
The study's focus on the 'third food regime' might limit its applicability to rapidly evolving or different food systems.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of the findings depends on the thoroughness of the analysis of the 280 digital services and products. Validity is supported by linking these observations to broader theoretical frameworks of economic restructuring.
Think critically
To what extent does the adoption of digital platforms in other industries mirror the changes observed in the agri-food sector, and what are the ethical considerations of data-driven control?
Design Principles
"Design for systemic integration and data-driven value creation across complex supply chains."
Understanding how digital platforms are restructuring entire industries is crucial for designers and strategists. This shift impacts how products are developed, distributed, and consumed, creating new opportunities and challenges for innovation.
What This Means for Your Design
Digital tools are changing how food is made and sold, with companies using online platforms to control more of the process and make money from data.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify the investigation of digital platform strategies in your design project.
- 2.Cite this study when discussing the impact of digitalization on industry structures.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The digitalization of the agri-food system, as evidenced by the widespread adoption of digital platforms across commodity chains, demonstrates a significant restructuring of industry control and value extraction. This trend, moving towards digital capitalism, highlights the need for designers to consider the systemic implications of their innovations beyond immediate user interaction.
Source
Questions About This Research
- What does the research say about digital platforms reshape agri-food commodity chains?
- When designing digital solutions for the agri-food sector, consider the entire commodity chain and the potential for data-driven business models to create new forms of control and value. Evidence: Agriculture and Human Values (2020).
- Why does "Digital Platforms Reshape Agri-Food Commodity Chains" matter for design?
- Understanding how digital platforms are restructuring entire industries is crucial for designers and strategists. This shift impacts how products are developed, distributed, and consumed, creating new opportunities and challenges for innovation.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing digital solutions for the agri-food sector, consider the entire commodity chain and the potential for data-driven business models to create new forms of control and value.
- What were the main findings?
- Digital technologies are applied across the entire food commodity chain, not just at the farm level.. Digital platforms enable new forms of control and value extraction through data utilization.. Large tech companies are entering the agri-food sector, and multinational agri-food companies are adopting digital platform business models.
- What research method was used?
- Content analysis and case study with 280 digital services and products.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2020 journal from Agriculture and Human Values.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing digital products or services for the food industry, map out the entire value chain and identify how digital platforms can influence control, data flow, and value capture at each stage.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focuses on the 'third food regime' and may not fully capture the nuances of all global agri-food systems or future technological advancements.