Knowledge-intensive technology in agricultural and rural contexts: Relationships with sustainability

Knowledge-intensive technology can contribute a lot to the transformation of agriculture, also in terms of more eco-efficient and nonmaterial production. However, relatively little is known so far on the relationship of the development of ICTs and agriculture/rurality and the environment. This paper discusses key processes of information society that may contribute to the developments about to take place in the agricultural and rural contexts. Relying on evidence from expert interviews, we explore the perceptions of the impacts these processes have on the sustainability of Finnish agriculture. The main result is that the Finnish agricultural and rural experts have a very positive attitude towards the ecological, economic and social development opportunities provided by the trajectories of information society.