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Paper short abstract

In this paper, I review literature on labour and digitalization in agriculture, and draw from empirical data from interviews with farmers, to discuss the role of digital technologies in class dynamics in agriculture.

Paper long abstract

Labor scarcity and the poor conditions of agricultural work, combined with the degradation of environmental resources, has fueled the extensive investment in new digital technologies for food production. These are often touted to alleviate the need for migrant workers, to make work higher skilled and more enjoyable, and to reduce the environmental impact of farming through precision. In this paper, I review literature on labour and digitalization in agriculture, and draw from empirical data from interviews with farmers, to discuss the role of digital technologies in class dynamics in agriculture. Attending to embodiment, ecology, and knowledge, the paper grounds its analysis across interrelated dimensions: the occupational status of farming and farm ownership; the hierarchical structure of farm labour; and, intergenerational knowledge politics as connected to land ownership. In making these observations, I build insights into how digitalization and new AI technologies interact with labour regimes and class politics in agriculture. Doing so contributes to conversations about labour relations affected by new digital tools as well as the value of science and technology studies for interrogating class politics.