On April 15th, about 80 participants from across Europe and beyond joined the final AgroecologyCluster webinar organised by PATH2DEA, D4AgEcol and ReForest projects.

“Digital Tools in Agriculture: Perceptions and Barriers to Adoption” wasn’t just another webinar. It was an interactive, cross-project conversation involving farmers, researchers, advisors, and policymakers.

The key challenge? Digital innovation in agroecology is full of potential but adoption remains uneven. Barriers like cost, complexity, and lack of adaptation still stand in the way.

The webinar, however, highlighted solutions already in motion:
– Evangelia Mourmoura (DG Agri) reminded that the EU sees digitalisation as a pillar of future farming, and that alignment between policy and practice is key.

– Elias Maritan (D4AgEcol) presented tools tested in diverse farm types, showing how digital solutions can balance economic, environmental, and social goals.

– Tom Staton (ReForest) shared how the FarmTree B.V. Tool and Public Goods Tool are supporting real-world decision-making in agroforestry in an iterative to co-creation process through the ReForest LivingLabs.

– Evelyn Reinmuth (PATH2DEA) brought insights from 6 showcase workshops, showing that when tools are simple, robust, and embedded in support networks, they work and farmers are more likely to adopt them.

The takeaway messages from the webinar were:

Farmer-led, place-based innovation, backed by collaboration and policy support, is the most powerful driver of digital adoption in agroecology and agroforestry.

The webinar showcased how collaboration between research, policy, and practice can support a fairer, greener digital transition in agriculture.

Missed the event? No worries – full recording is already available on our YouTube channel