The digital transformation of European agriculture is gathering pace, with the European Commission placing increasing emphasis on artificial intelligence, precision farming, agricultural data and digital technologies as tools to improve the competitiveness and resilience of European farming.

For Gozo, the question is not whether agriculture will become more digital, but how this transition can be adapted to the realities of small and fragmented island farming.

DG AGRI: Agriculture Takes the Lead in Europe’s AI Dialogue

On 24 June 2026, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) and DG CONNECT organised a workshop entitled “Fostering AI uptake and scaling trusted AI solutions in agriculture.”

The initiative brought together around 180 experts from farming organisations, industry, research and public authorities and represented the first structured sectoral dialogue under the EU’s Apply AI Strategy.

According to the European Commission, the objective was to examine how trustworthy AI can strengthen competitiveness, sustainability and resilience in agriculture, while also identifying the obstacles preventing new technologies from being adopted more widely by farmers.

This is significant: agriculture was the first sector selected for this structured dialogue under the Apply AI Strategy.

Malta Starts From a Very Different Farming Reality

For Malta and Gozo, European agricultural digitalisation needs to recognise the structure of the local sector.

European Commission figures show that Malta has more than 10,400 farms, with approximately 90% covering less than two hectares.

The Commission itself describes Maltese agriculture as being characterised by small and micro-farm holdings and fragmented agricultural parcels, factors which make economies of scale and international competitiveness more difficult.

Malta has approximately 10,700 hectares of agricultural land in total.

These characteristics are particularly relevant when considering digitalisation. Technology designed for a 500-hectare farm elsewhere in Europe will not necessarily provide the same economic return for a small Gozitan holding.

Digitalisation Is Already Part of Malta’s CAP Strategy

Digital agriculture is not simply a future European policy discussion.

Under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027, modernising agriculture through knowledge, innovation and digitalisation is already a key EU objective.

For the first time, Member States have incorporated digitalisation strategies into their CAP Strategic Plans, covering areas including infrastructure, training, skills development and technologies such as precision farming.

Malta’s own CAP Strategic Plan specifically identifies new technologies and digitalisation among the areas necessary to meet the future needs of Maltese agriculture.

When approving Malta’s CAP Strategic Plan, the European Commission also highlighted support for agricultural innovation ranging from precision farming to agro-ecological production methods.

What Could This Mean for Gozo?

For Gozitan agriculture, digitalisation should focus on practical problems faced by farmers rather than technology for its own sake.

Smart irrigation and soil-moisture monitoring could help producers use scarce water resources more efficiently. Sensors and digital monitoring could assist livestock farmers. Mapping, satellite information and precision technologies could improve the management of fragmented agricultural parcels.

Digital tools could also contribute to pest and disease monitoring, agricultural traceability, farm records and more efficient administration.

Importantly, digitalisation should also mean less bureaucracy.

Where information is already available to public authorities, better-connected agricultural systems should reduce duplication and unnecessary administrative work for farmers rather than create additional digital obligations.

Gozo as a Testing Ground for Small-Island Agriculture

The Gozo Confederation for Agriculture and Fisheries (GCAF) believes there is an opportunity to examine whether Gozo could serve as a practical testing ground for digital solutions specifically designed for small and island agricultural communities.

Potential pilot areas could include smart irrigation, water monitoring, precision agriculture for small plots, digital livestock management, crop and pest monitoring, and traceability systems strengthening the identity of Gozitan produce.

Such initiatives should involve farmers from the beginning.

Technology must be affordable, accessible and demonstrably useful at farm level. Training and technical assistance will also be essential, particularly to ensure that smaller family farms and older farmers are not disadvantaged by the transition.

Keeping Gozo Part of Europe’s Agricultural Transformation

DG AGRI’s increasing focus on AI and digital agriculture demonstrates the direction in which European agricultural policy and innovation are moving.

For Gozo, this creates both an opportunity and a responsibility.

The island should not simply receive technologies designed around larger European farming systems. Gozo’s particular agricultural conditions should help shape the technologies, support measures and policies being developed for small farms and island regions.

GCAF therefore supports continued discussion on how European and national digital-agriculture initiatives can translate into practical benefits for Gozitan farmers — reducing costs, improving resource efficiency, strengthening competitiveness and making farming more resilient.

The objective should remain simple: technology must work for the farmer, rather than the farmer having to work for the technology.