A simplified platform for biodiversity-friendly farming
Photo credit: Farm Carbon Toolkit
Agroecology promises healthier soils, stronger biodiversity and more climate-resilient farms. But in practice, it can be complex to manage. Farmers often lack simple, trustworthy tools that help them understand what is happening across their fields and ecosystems. The PATH2DEA initiative is working to close that gap by testing how digital technology can make agroecology easier to apply day to day.
Led by the Austrian Institute of Technology, the project looks at how digital decision tools, models and data platforms can support nature-based farming. Early research across eight countries showed that many farmers are interested in digital support, but face real barriers. Tools are often too complicated, hard to compare, or raise concerns about data ownership and privacy.
To see what works in real conditions, PATH2DEA tested digital agroecology tools on a diverse set of European farms, including vineyards, agroforestry systems, olive groves and livestock operations. These pilots showed practical benefits. For example, biodiversity decision tools helped farmers see how management changes affected pollinators and insects, while agroforestry models improved planning for trees, crops and water use.
One key output is an open, searchable repository of digital agroecology tools, built with farmer input and designed to stay updated long term. The ultimate goal is to ensure that digital innovation can offer practical support for farmers.
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