Current status of and future opportunities for digital agriculture in Australia.

In Australia, digital agriculture is considered immature and its adoption ad hoc , despite a relatively advanced technology innovation sector. In this review, we focus on the technical, governance and social factors of digital adoption that have created a disconnect between technology development and the end user community (farmers and their advisors). Using examples that reflect both successes and barriers in Australian agriculture, we first explore the current enabling technologies and processes, and then we highlight some of the key socio-technical factors that explain why digital agriculture is immature and ad hoc. Pronounced issues include fragmentation of the innovation system (and digital tools), and a lack of enabling legislation and policy to support technology deployment. To overcome such issues and increase adoption, clear value propositions for change are necessary. These value propositions are influenced by the perceptions and aspirations of individuals, the delivery of digitally-enabled processes and the supporting legislative, policy and educational structures, better use/conversion of data generated through technology applications to knowledge for supporting decision making, and the suitability of the technology. Agronomists and early adopter farmers will play a significant role in closing the technology-end user gap, and will need support and training from technology service providers, government bodies and peer-networks. Ultimately, practice change will only be achieved through mutual understanding, ownership and trust. This will occur when farmers and their advisors are an integral part of the entire digital innovation system. Digital agriculture in Australia is considered immature and its adoption ad hoc, despite a relatively advanced technology innovation sector. Increasing digital maturity and adoption in Australian agriculture will require working with end users to better design and integrate technology, improvements to supporting legislation and education, better knowledge brokering and exchange, better conversion of data to decisions, and further improvement to enabling technologies. Agronomists and early adopter farmers will play a significant role in closing the technology-end user gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]