Smart Farming as a Game-Changer for Regional-Spatial Planning

The present chapter deals with smart farming and its future development, related critical concerns and opportunities as well as possible strategy options for European policy-makers and planners. Firstly, an overview of the key challenges linked to the Agenda 2030 for smart farming is given. They include increasing total food availability and meeting higher quality standards in safety, environment, welfare, energy and climate change. Secondly, the effects of spatial planning on agri-food systems are considered together with current and future demanding tasks to support farm holdings in their digital revolution. Eventually, the gap, between regional spatial planning and global development strategies, that can shape the framework conditions compromising the evolution of smart farming, is addressed. Innovative farmers are investing on improving both the environmental and the social sustainability of their products. Their efforts deserve careful attention by spatial planning as well as land take needs to be limited. The case study in the chapter is particularly intended to exemplify a possible approach for decision makers and planners to meet these challenges.