Digitalisation is integral to the development of the bioeconomy. This may have disruptive effects, but it may also contribute to the sustainability of bioeconomy industries. The Nordic Region has an abundance of bioresources and conscious use and development of these hold great potential for regional and local development.
Research into the effects of digitalisation on the bioeconomy suggests that digitalisation is fostering transparency across value chains and helps to monitor the compliance with given rules and standards. From a rural development perspective, increased use of digital technologies is expected to play a role in attracting a younger generation to farming and rural business start-ups. Digitalisation changes the path for diversifying traditional bioeconomy sectors and is transforming the bioeconomy into an increasingly multi and interdisciplinary skilled sector.
This story is part of the project “Rural perspectives on digital innovation: Experiences from small enterprises in the Nordic countries and Latvia”. This project was funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers for Digitalisation (MR-Digital), the Nordic thematic group for innovative and resilient regions 2017-2020 and the North Atlantic Cooperation (NORA).
