The agricultural machinery industry is undergoing profound changes, driven by technological advances, societal expectations and environmental concerns. These changes will transform farmers’ preferences, expectations and purchasing patterns, and therefore influence how machinery manufacturers shall develop new products in the future and how the production landscape will evolve. This research presents the results of a qualitative approach to explore key concerns and expectations regarding the future of agriculture and agricultural machinery. It examines expectations regarding energy transitions, technological innovation, labour dynamics and sustainability for agricultural practices and the agricultural machinery sector.

This work is part of the dissertation "Agricultural machines in 2045: tractors of the future or futures of the tractor? Possible evolutions and impacts on manufacturing supply chain", Master degree in Social Foresight at the University of Trento (Italy), supported and partially funded by AGCO. We would like to express our gratitude to all interviewees for their time and enthusiastic contributions. Prof. Roberto Poli and Gaetano Stroppari at the University of Trento have been a precious support in the development of this work. 

Davide Rizzo received support from ANR (grant n. ANR-22-CPJ1-0050-01), IRD and the University of Montpellier Experimental Public Institution Excellence Program (UM EPE) as a contribution to the Junior Professorship in Landscape Agronomy.