The importance of innovative technologies in creating sustainable agriculture in the European Union

Abstract

The article aims to evaluate – from the point of view of selected socio-economic aspects – the implementation of an innovative weed control technology into agricultural practice using laser energy targeted at reducing pesticide use. The achievement of the stated objective required an analysis of the research output concerning the problem of pesticide sustainability in European Union agriculture and an analysis of EU policies in this field. The paper also utilises data obtained through research by conducting in-depth interviews with representatives of three stakeholder groups: farmers, society and business. The subject of the interviews was to assess the impact of large-scale dissemination of an innovative weed control technology on selected socio-economic aspects. The article is one of the first studies to assess the social impact of innovative technologies using artificial intelligence and laser technology for weed control in agriculture. The implementation of this technology can have a significant impact on running farms in a more sustainable way, but a prerequisite for its successful use is the inclusion of social and economic considerations.