In September, the EPO published a press release highlighting the fast growth of the digital agriculture sector. In collaboration with European and Latin American national patent offices, the EPO produced a report showing that in recent years the number of patent filings in this field has grown at a rate three times higher than in any other field. This trend should not come as a surprise; with an ever-growing global population, the need to boost agricultural productivity while reducing resource use has become a high priority. In addition to socio-economic factors, climate-related pressures such as water shortages, soil erosion, wildlife loss, biodiversity decline, and landscape degradation are also driving innovation in this field.
Digital agriculture integrates advanced digital technologies like AI and drones into farming to collect, analyse, and use data to optimise production, resource management, and improve sustainability in food systems. By leveraging information and communications technologies (ICT) and data-driven systems, farmers can be equipped with tools to increase profitability and sustainability while ensuring product supply.
Report findings
The report draws on information from around 270,000 patent families, covering 400,000 individual applications. The findings show that patent filings in digital agriculture have grown at an average annual growth rate of 9.4% over the past decade, which is three times faster than the average across all other technological fields.
The data in the report shows that patent publications in this field have grown more than twofold for international patent filings (IPFs), and sixfold for non-IPFs, showing annual growth rates significantly higher than for all other technologies.
Technology trends and drivers
The report shows that innovation in digital agriculture is being driven by the combination of several enabling technologies. In particular, imaging and sensing are the most active areas, with the highest number of patent families, followed by treatment and automation, which continue to show a stable growth. The most rapid increase in recent years has been in patents relating to data and AI, highlighting the shift towards data-driven decision-making and automation across the sector.
These new technologies, particularly AI, can be applied at all stages of agriculture—from soil preparation to fertilisation, harvesting, and spoil reduction. For example, drones can be used to map soil characteristics, while AI algorithms can predict future crop yields based on historical performance and soil data. In addition, AI and machine learning can analyse crop images to estimate fertilisation needs and implement precision fertilising, which can significantly reduce fertiliser use, lower costs for farmers, and lessen environmental impact. Finally, AI can optimise storage and transportation routes to reduce food waste, increase energy efficiency, and improve overall supply chain performance.
Regional focus
EPO member states dominate digital agriculture patent filings, followed by Asia and North America. While Asia has shown the largest growth overall, filings in Latin America have increased 10.8% in the period from 2000 to 2022. Latin America is a region well-positioned to play a pivotal role in future food supply chains, being one of the main producers of grain and fruit, and accounting for approximately 10% of the world’s agricultural product exports (FAO, 2021).
EPO Platforms – Technology Platform on Digital Agriculture and Deep Tech Finder
In response to the wave of innovation and patent activity in digital agriculture, the European EPO has introduced a dedicated platform to make innovation in this field more accessible and improve collaboration. The Technology Platform on Digital Agriculture offers a curated overview of thousands of patent applications, helping users explore the latest developments and emerging trends across key areas of agri-tech, serving as a valuable resource for researchers, innovators, and businesses looking to identify opportunities or monitor technological progress in the field.
Additionally, users can access the Deep Tech Finder, a tool designed to connect startups, research institutions, and investors across the global innovation landscape. The platform allows users to search and filter potential partners by country, technology sector, or patent status, streamlining the process of building strategic collaborations and identifying investment prospects.
Together, these tools reflect the EPO’s commitment to supporting innovation and helping users navigate the fast-evolving digital agriculture sector on the path toward sustainable growth and food security.
Conclusions
Digital agriculture is emerging as one of the fastest-growing and most competitive areas of innovation. Forresters’ experts in this area are following developments closely. Given the pace of technological development and patent filings, early filing is strongly recommended to secure the earliest priority date possible and cement your commercial position in the digital agriculture space. Applicants should consider their territorial coverage carefully when filing a patent application, as Asia and Latin America are becoming increasingly important markets and innovation hubs. Additionally, as the patent landscape is becoming more crowded, regular freedom to operate checks are essential to identify potential risks and navigate overlapping rights effectively. In a fast-moving sector, timely, well-targeted patent protection can make the difference and provide an edge over competitors.
If you are considering patent protection or are looking for strategic advice, please feel free to contact our team with any questions you may have.
