Reframing the Value of Agricultural Data: Stakeholder Perceptions

Introduction: While agricultural data is widely seen as a driver of innovation and sustainability, its value is often treated as self-evident and narrowly defined in technical terms. Yet, the ways in which agricultural stakeholders perceive and interpret data value remain underexplored (Uyar et al., 2024). This gap in understanding can hinder inclusive and trusted data-sharing practices, particularly as agri-food systems become increasingly digitized.

Methods: This qualitative study draws on 24 semi-structured interviews with key actors in the agricultural data ecosystem, including farmers, advisors, technology providers and public sector representatives. The interviews examined how participants make sense of agricultural data, what they consider valuable and how their perspectives are shaped by their professional roles and lived experiences. An abductive coding process was applied to analyze recurring themes, divergences and underlying assumptions.

Results: Findings reveal a diversity of perceptions that reflect both instrumental and symbolic understandings of data value. Farmers tend to focus on data’s practical relevance and its ability to support immediate decision-making, while advisors emphasize reliability and contextual fit. Technology providers frame value in terms of scalability and integration potential, whereas public actors link value to accountability, transparency, and public good considerations. Across groups, trust in the origin and intent behind data emerged as a central but variably defined condition for assigning value. These differences influence not only what kinds of data are used or shared, but also under what terms and expectations.

Conclusion: This study highlights that agricultural data value is not a fixed attribute but a negotiated and context-dependent construct. Understanding how different stakeholders perceive and prioritize value can inform the development of more inclusive, responsive and trust-sensitive data ecosystems. These insights offer a basis for rethinking data governance frameworks and digital tool design beyond purely technical criteria.

References : Uyar, H., Karvelas, I., Rizou, S., & Fountas, S. (2024). Data value creation in agriculture: A review. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 227, 109602.

Acknowledgments: This work was funded by the European Commission under the Doctoral
Networks Programme (MSCA-DN-101073381–EnTrust) within the Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.