Digital Transformations in Agri-Food Systems: Innovation Drivers and New Threats to Sustainable Rural Development

The paper proves that sweeping digital transformations are a global trend in agri-food development. Significantly improved economic efficiency, rational use of natural resources, operational exchange of relevant information, new markets, and economic opportunities under modern climate change are possible owing to digital transformations. It is grounded that the elimination of world hunger based on the provided internal food security and secured rural communities should be the primary goal of the digital innovations in agri-food systems within Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The paper states that along with the significant benefits of digital technologies, the great destructive impact on the overall societal development is possible due to the corporate monopolization of digital processes. Thus, there is the risk of the development of food systems, which are characterized by decreasing in the food supply, loss of biodiversity and rural livelihoods. Proposals to mitigate the threats of digitalization, strengthen internal food security and enhance the development of rural communities through information and communication technologies (ICT) are substantiated. The specific of the agri-food digitalization in Ukraine is outlined, which is determined by the duality of the organizational structure of agriculture (corporate and individual sector) with a tendency to the concentration of land, power, and financial resources in favor of corporations expanding opportunities for digitalization. Appropriate safety measures to mitigate the negative impact on the development of small producers, rural areas, and Ukrainian society are identified