The Voice in the Field Still Matters
In AgTech, it’s tempting to chase disruption at warp speed. But the truth is: the future of farming isn’t just satellites and simulations. It’s still shaped by real farmers with sunburned hands and generational know-how. If we’re building the future without them, then we’re not really building anything that will grow. At a22a, we believe the smartest AgTech players in 2025 and beyond will be the ones who move with farmers, not past them.
The Gap Between Code and Calluses
Subheading: Understanding Tech Fatigue in the Field
Today’s farmers aren’t tech-averse — they’re time-starved. And many are skeptical of tools that claim to solve problems they already know how to work around. In fact, a 2022 study by Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture found that just 11% of U.S. row crop farmers trust agtech companies to have their best interests in mind. That stat isn’t a red flag — it’s a road sign. Slow down. Listen. Speak in outcomes, not outputs.
We don’t just need better tech; we need better conversations. That means fewer dashboards and more dialogue. Fewer feature lists and more field days. The best AgTech tools of tomorrow will not only be built for farmers but co-designed with them.
Farmers Are Not the End User — They’re the Ecosystem
Subheading: Designing With, Not Just For
Most industry innovators build for the outcome. Farmers live through the process. The divide widens when software engineers talk APIs and sensor integrations while farmers want to know, “Will this help me beat the rain next week?”
That’s why a22a starts every new feature of our Digital Twin Engine™ by asking, “What would a farmer care about at 6am on a planting day?” When AgTech listens like this, the farmer becomes more than a test case. They become a strategic partner.
Dr. Lisa Prassack, AgTech strategist and founder of Prassack Advisors, said it best in her keynote at the 2023 World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit: “Farmer inclusion isn’t a checkbox—it’s the competitive edge.”
Pacing Progress with Practicality
Subheading: The Speed of Trust > Speed of Innovation
You can outcode your competitors, but if you outpace your customers, you’ll lose the field. Many AgTech startups fail not because their ideas are flawed, but because they never tuned into the daily rhythm of the people they hoped to serve.
Great AgTech doesn’t ask farmers to change their behavior. It makes their current behavior more effective. That might mean AI that auto-calibrates a sprayer, but doesn’t require a login. Or drone insights that come in a text, not an app.
Grow With the Growers
The future of AgTech belongs to those who walk beside the boots on the ground. a22a is committed to co-authoring the next chapter of agriculture with the people who live it every day. We’re not building software to replace the farmer — we’re building platforms to elevate their expertise. Want to be part of that conversation? Sign up for “a22a Insights,” our free newsletter and e-book, and follow us @a22aco across all social channels. Because in AgTech, the best innovations come from those who choose to listen before they launch.
