Digital agricultural opportunities in the social sciences Steven Wolf Department of Natural Resources and Graduate Field of Development Sociology Workshop - Oct. 9, 2018

Why? Because the stakes are so high

Institutional analysis of technical change Science and technological change are social processes Institutions are deep, persistent foundations of social life and development

Social coordination mechanisms (institutions) MARKET STATE COMMUNITY

Social coordination mechanisms (institutions) PRIVATE PUBLIC COLLECTIVE

Who feeds the world? (ETC 2009)

Opportunity - Responsible Innovation Account for potential impacts on the environment and society Participatory, inclusive, reflexive Technical change happens with, not to, actors in agrifood systems Interfaces Responsive to a wide variety of groups Produce public goods (e.g., health, environment, poverty alleviation)

Opportunity - Data ownership and access Privacy as Knowledge Commons (Villanova Law School) Collective/Professional structures - public universities, coops, SWCD,

Opportunity - Information intensive farming Role of off-farm service providers Analysis Outreach/collaboration Education Regulation Systems of innovation Farmers Input producers Service providers Finance Processors & retailers Regulators Universities Others…..

Opportunity - Outcome-based agrienvironmental policy Paying-for-results Disproportionality thesis Costs of measurement and verification prohibitive Enhance discipline, accountability, efficiency of incentive programs