Launch of the #DigitAg academic society
April 20 2026During the CORDiALL (Convergence of Research in Digital Agriculture Leading Labs) international conference, held at Agropolis International from April 13 to 17, 2026, the #DigitAg International Research Community was officially launched. This initiative marks a major milestone in the development of an international scientific community dedicated to responsible digital agriculture, a key issue for the agroecological transition and the sustainability of food systems.
A community dedicated to responsible innovation
Founded following ten years of interdisciplinary research at the Institut Convergences #DigitAg, this academic society aims to bring together researchers, educators, doctoral students, and socio-economic stakeholders around a common goal: to promote inclusive digital technologies and agricultural artificial intelligence with a low environmental impact, in support of a more agroecological agriculture. With nearly 30% of its research conducted in partnership with countries in the Global South, #DigitAg has established its international reach. The #DigitAg International Research Community reaffirms this focus and the importance of a strengthened network, aligned with the priorities of its founding institutions in Europe, Africa, and South America.
A legacy and a vision
Supported by six higher education and research institutions—INRAE, AgroParisTech, CIRAD, Inria, Institut Agro Montpellier, and the University of Montpellier—this academic society builds on the recognition earned by #DigitAg, both in France and internationally. Having funded and supported more than 115 doctoral theses, 28 postdoctoral researchers, and 135 master’s internships, the Institut Convergences has notably:
- contributed significantly to the Inria-INRAE white paper on digital agriculture (2022), supporting the PEPR project “Agroecology and Digital Technology” led by Inria-INRAE,
- created a HAL collection of 900 articles,
- published a reference work (Quae) “Understanding Digital Agriculture – 10 Years of Interdisciplinary Research at the #DigitAg Institute”.
The academic society intends to continue and expand these efforts by promoting scientific outreach, training young researchers, and disseminating knowledge to political and economic spheres.
“Digital technology in all its forms is clearly a strategic lever—alongside agronomy, plant breeding and plant health, and animal science and animal health—to enable agriculture to meet the major challenges of the future, particularly the agroecological transition and adaptation to climate change. It is also a source of actionable solutions for all farmers, for example by anticipating health or climate risks, optimizing the use of production or management tools, or relieving farmers of the burden of performing strenuous and repetitive tasks,” emphasizes Carole Caranta, Deputy Director General for Science and Innovation at INRAE.
An academic society supported by the dynamic MEDVALLÉE MONTPELLIER organization
Positioned at the intersection of the region’s three sectors of excellence—food, agriculture, and agribusiness; health; and the environment—the MEDVALLÉE MONTPELLIER initiative, launched in 2021, aims to position Montpellier as an exemplary region in the field of global health by creating a unique ecosystem. The launch of the #DigitAg academic society, whose goal is to promote research leading to responsible digital agriculture, marks a new milestone within the MEDVALLÉE community. By offering a space dedicated to both international research (30% of #DigitAg’s research is conducted with or on countries in the Global South) and open to the business world, this academic society is perfectly aligned with the MEDVALLÉE initiative’s ambition: to bring together all economic, research, and higher education stakeholders by creating a unique ecosystem that combines the three sectors of excellence in our region. By supporting ecological and digital transition projects, this learned society will help raise the international profile of Montpellier and its ecosystem.
Why an academic society?
While digital technology and artificial intelligence are radically transforming the agricultural sector, until now there has been no dedicated national or international framework to bring together stakeholders in this field. The #DigitAg International Research Community fills this gap by providing a space for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collective reflection, open to all academic, public, and private stakeholders.