Impact of digital technologies on improving balance between agri-food market entities

At the present time, the world is dealing with a shortage of food resources; however, digital technologies can help overcome the limitations in the development of agriculture, which are due to the consumption of unrenewable resource, fertility fall and soil degradation. Unlike pervasive high-intensive technologies, digital technologies can increase productivity, yield and performance while reducing the expenses and the environmental impact on agricultural landscapes, optimize interaction of agricultural market entities. Individual digital technologies can be implemented from the pre-production phase when planning activities to the stage of moving agro-industrial products to the final consumer. It is impossible to distinguish digital technologies used only for the agri-food market, everything is interconnected, in this sense, it is impossible to separate agriculture, as production, from agribusiness and the market where actors interact. The present article upgrades the scientific perception of the economic role of digital technologies in the sustainable development of agriculture and agri-food market. The specific features of the development of agriculture and the agri-food market and the impact of Industry 4.0 on the transformation processes in agriculture are determined. The present research took into consideration the normative framework established by the National Program “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation”, as well as other programs and projects for the digitalization of agriculture. The system of agrarian digital technologies is outlined. The best practices in the application of digital technologies in agri-food systems and global experiences in the complex digitalization of the agro-industrial complex have been analyzed. This led to the elaboration of a model of the digital environment in the agro-industrial complex. The article is addressed to the specialists of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Omsk Region and of local authorities in the municipal entities of the region, managers of agricultural organizations and processing enterprises, farmers, experts on market research, researchers, teachers and students of agricultural universities, as well as people interested in the use of digital technologies aimed at improving balance between agri-food market actors and transparency for management decisions.