Agroecological sustainability: exploring the intersection of digital agriculture, ethics and the right to food

Abstract The paper examines the impact of modern agricultural practices on environmental sustainability, focusing on the ethical-legal dilemmas of digital agriculture and its role in the agroecological transition. Specifically, the study aims to explore the dual impact of agriculture on climate change, both as a mitigator through practices that enhance carbon sequestration and as a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. It also aims to evaluate the balance between the potential of digital agriculture to support agroecology and the need to safeguard human rights, particularly the right to food. The study employs a predominantly qualitative approach to achieve these objectives, integrating legal-doctrinal analysis, document analysis, and a review of policy frameworks and academic literature. Quantitative data is incorporated selectively to contextualise the environmental footprint of farming systems. The research highlights the urgent need to address the environmental challenges posed by intensive agriculture, which significantly contributes to soil degradation, deforestation, and biodiversity loss. Furthermore, it underscores the potential of digital agriculture to drive agroecological transitions by optimising resource use and improving productivity. However, it also raises ethical concerns regarding data ownership, technological dependency, and the exclusion of small-scale farmers under the dominant corporate-driven model. The paper advocates for an alternative: local and solidarity-based digital agriculture, a model that aligns digital innovation with agroecological practices and human rights principles, empowering small-scale farmers and enhancing food sovereignty. The research concludes that a balanced integration of technology and agroecological practices rooted in human rights is crucial to advancing a sustainable and equitable food system. However, further empirical research is necessary to evaluate the implementation of such local and solidarity-based digital agriculture models across diverse contexts.