Producer’s organization and digital technologies for farms’ competitiveness

The agricultural sector is characterized by increasing complexity and several factors could have a negative impact on agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMESs) competitiveness. There are two way to improve farms competitiveness: dimensional growth, achievable through the horizontal aggregation of producers (POs), and innovation, achievable through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Although several studies have pointed out the positive influence of ICT tools on SMEs performances growth, there is a lack of works concerning the way POs use ICTs web based in order to improve innovativeness and competitiveness of their small farmers. After a preliminary literature review regarding the main drivers for the adoption of ICT and technological innovations in agriculture, an exploratory analysis was performed through a set of in depth interviews to opinion leaders in associated farms of a PO. This qualitative methodological approach aims to investigate the POs contribution in enhancing process or product innovation, improving competitiveness and transferring knowledge, among the associated farms through the use of ICT tools. Findings confirm the main hypothesis on which this study is based upon and are supported by theoretical implications shown in the literature review.