With the global population projected to exceed 10 billion by 2050, the challenge of producing enough food while reducing resource consumption is unprecedented. A new Technology Insight report and technology platform released by the European Patent Office (EPO) Patent and Technology Monitor highlights the potential of digital technologies to sustainably meet this demand. Compiled in cooperation with patent offices in European and Latin American countries, the report draws on 270,000 patent families covering 400,000 patent applications, and updates more than 300 industry profiles of start-ups and universities active in this field in the Deep Tech Finder.

Inventions in artificial intelligence, sensing, and automation are reshaping global agriculture. Over the past ten years, patent applications in digital agriculture have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4%—three times the average across all technology fields. The report reflects a global shift toward data-driven precision agriculture aimed at boosting productivity while reducing environmental impact.

António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office, said: “Digital agriculture is advancing at an unprecedented pace, reshaping how we produce food in the face of urgent global challenges. By aligning research and technology with real-world needs, and by strengthening global cooperation underpinned by a robust patent system and open knowledge platforms, we can build food systems that are both resilient and equitable.”

Technologies Driving the Transformation of Agriculture

Cross-cutting technologies such as imaging and sensing are shaping the digital-agriculture landscape—particularly in crop agriculture—where from 2012 to 2022 the number of patents increased sevenfold, with a CAGR of 13% in applications. This growth also appears in innovations that enhance the precision and automation of tasks such as spraying and harvesting. Since 2018, applications involving drones and AI have surged, supporting agricultural operations with real-time monitoring and predictive analytics.

Enterprises are leading innovation in digital agriculture, accounting for as much as 88% of patent applications in 2022. Leading players include global agricultural machinery manufacturers: John Deere (United States), CNH Industrial (Netherlands/United Kingdom), Claas (Germany), Kubota (Japan), and Amazonen-Werke (Germany).

Digital Agriculture in Europe and Around the World

Although Europe maintains a leading position in patenting activity for digital-agriculture technologies, the report shows that growth in Asia and Latin America is accelerating. In 2020, Asia surpassed North America in the number of international patent families, while Latin America recorded a 10.8% CAGR in applications from 2000 to 2022.

Latin America’s Growing Role in the Global Food System

The report places particular focus on Latin America, a region poised to play a key role in future food supply chains. Based on historical production and export performance from 2010 to 2020, it is projected that by 2050 Latin America could supply between two-fifths and three-fifths of the world’s fruits and vegetables. The national patent offices of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Mexico supported the report, which highlights advances in sustainable agricultural technologies and how these countries’ national patent systems support agricultural innovation.

Connecting European Start-ups and Investors with the Deep Tech Finder

The EPO is working to make it easier to identify investable European start-ups and top universities. Its free Deep Tech Finder tool has been updated to include profiles of 194 European start-ups and 125 universities active in crop agriculture, controlled growing conditions, livestock management, and related enabling technologies.

The EPO’s New Digital-Agriculture Technology Platform

The EPO offers several technology platforms that make it easier for scientists and researchers to explore its patent database, Espacenet—the world’s largest single source of free patent information. Its latest technology platform, drawing on the expertise of examiners at the EPO and national patent offices, maps technologies across the report’s four core areas and provides 47 searchable technology fields. By opening up this resource, the EPO aims to improve access to patent knowledge and further spur innovation in these domains.

Source: China IP Protection Network.