Building Networks in the Agri-Food Chain: EU as Facilitator Toward Digital Transformation and “Greening” of Agricultural Sector

Abstract

Digitalization makes its way into the agri-food sector; thus, new technologies provide conditions for sustainable agricultural production, contributing to “greening” of the agricultural sector. In this paper, we highlight EU as an actor that is able to form networks enhancing cooperation between the main economic and productive actors that seem to be critical for agricultural transition to digitalization. On the other hand, this proves to be a particular tool to achieve the goal of “greening” of the agri-food chain. Emphasis is laid on the extent to which this process is integrated in the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). For the purposes of the article we rely on relational and network-based approaches, providing a holistic framework on the role the EU plays to conceptualize change for sustainable agriculture and agri-food industry.