On 14 April 2026, the F6S team hosted the workshop “Scaling agri-transformation through integrated AI and disruptive tech” at the Digital Transformation Summit in Madeira.
Moderated by Sandra Grano de Oro Tuñón (F6S), the session bypassed the usual buzzwords to focus on a critical challenge: how to move disruptive technology from isolated pilots to the real world.
The workshop featured four distinct perspectives on agricultural evolution:
Business Models: Felipe Murta Project Manager at F6S representing INNO4CFIs project introduced a holistic approach to carbon farming. By using innovation to turn environmental data, such as soil health and biodiversity, into verifiable assets, the project is helping farmers access green finance through a Carbon Certificate Marketplace.
Helpful Interfaces: Dr. Gerardo Beruvides, CEO & Co-founder at Xymbot, representing AgRimate project demonstrated how AR and exoskeletons can preserve traditional expertise. By recording the techniques of master pruners, AgRimate allows younger generations to apply precision techniques while protecting their physical health.
Digital Sovereignty: Giri (Giris) Kandel Researcher at CZU Prague-Agricultural Economics and Sustainable Development representing NOSTRADAMUS project highlighted the need to use Earth Observation and deep learning, the project aims to predict pest outbreaks and nutrient cycles to secure the EU’s food supply.
Resource Optimisation: Gonçalo Falcão Matos, European Projects Consultant at LOBA, representing AgAPP-e project addressed the global phosphorus crisis. With 70 – 80% of phosphorus production concentrated in just a few nations, AgAPP-e’s mobile tool allows farmers to simulate and monitor use, reducing dependency of phosphorus and the environmental impact.
The panel discussion highlighted a recurring tension: the gap between European policy and small-scale reality. A significant barrier remains the perceived conflict between “ancient expertise” and “new tech.”
Many farmers understandably feel their traditional knowledge is under threat, yet the consensus from our panel is clear: if we can demonstrate real, tangible value, adoption will follow.
The goal of disruptive technology is never to help the farmer to be safer, and more profitable. To achieve this, we must move innovation out of the lab and into the field through “Living Hubs.” These are far more than just testing sites; they are vibrant community spaces where:
Farmers can watch their neighbours succeed with new tools in real-time.
The practical value of technology is stress-tested through honest discussion among peers.
Digital tools are developed alongside the community, using techniques like gamification to build trust and ensure the tech is actually useful in a muddy field, not just on a sleek dashboard.
The workshop concluded with a unified call to action for policymakers. The top priority must shift from promoting novelty to integrating broad value. Technology adoption should be driven by a value proposition. As the session ended, the message was clear: the digital transformation of agriculture is not a race to replace the farmer, but a collective journey to empower them.
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