Leveraging digital solutions to address gender inequalities in EU agriculture: a CODECS framework application

<ns3:p>Background Despite longstanding EU commitments to gender equality, structural disparities continue to restrict women’s participation and leadership in agriculture and rural development. Digitalisation is increasingly promoted as a catalyst for addressing these inequalities. However, there is a limited holistic understanding of the conditions under which digital innovations can foster inclusive and sustainable outcomes. A key barrier is the absence of integrative frameworks that can systematically categorise the multifaceted evidence emerging from digital transitions. This limitation hampers both the comparability of findings and their practical relevance for policymaking. To address this, the study employs the CODECS conceptual framework to evaluate how digitalisation intersects with gender inequality in EU agriculture. Methods Drawing on peer-reviewed literature, policy analyses, technical reports and empirical data from CODECS Living Labs, the study explores dynamics across three levels: business process digitisation, ecosystem-wide digitalisation, and broader socio-ecological systems transformations. Results The analysis reveals key persistent gaps, including gender-biased technology design, socio-cultural norms, low digital confidence, financial exclusion, and data disempowerment. However, it also identifies opportunities, particularly when digital tools are designed with context-awareness and co-created through participatory approaches. Living Labs demonstrate how innovations such as accessible advisory services, digital marketplaces, and moderated learning platforms can empower rural women by increasing their visibility, agency, and access to resources. Conclusions Digital technologies alone cannot overcome entrenched inequalities. Promoting equity requires complementary reforms in governance, institutional structures, and data accountability. The CODECS framework provides a structured lens for understanding and addressing gendered dynamics in agricultural digitalisation, offering practical insights for inclusive innovation and evidence-based policymaking in Europe.</ns3:p>