An increasing number of farmers use advanced agricultural technologies (AgTech), such as remote sensing, robotics, online recordkeeping apps, and farm-to-table supply chain coordination. However, many smaller-scale, limited-resource, and organic farmers find these tools inaccessible because of cost, technological literacy challenges, and limited knowledge of organic systems among AgTech professionals. This project addressed these barriers by convening a multidisciplinary cohort of researchers, AgTech designers and developers, and organic agricultural practitioners to develop equitable, open-source technical infrastructure that provide feasible, accessible solutions to organic farming challenges.

The planning phase engaged a wide diversity of stakeholders through survey, interviews, and listening sessions, with emphasis on including BIPOC and other marginalized farming constituencies. The project culminated in a two-day conference, organized in collaboration with the Gathering for Open Agricultural Technology Community (GOAT), with one day of presentations and a one-day hackathon in which producers met with AgTech mentors in small groups to explore technological approaches to specific issues. This event fostered strong and long-lasting partnerships and initial steps toward innovations including an Ecosystem Services Monitoring Tool to help with cropping system design to meet conservation and biodiversity goals, and an Umbrella Workers Cooperative to help new organic farmers supplement income through seasonal off-farm employment.