**4.4 What are the drivers to the digitalization process of these territories?**

The drivers have been categorized in the same way as barriers by Ferrari et al. [192]. That is why it is possible to distinguish between socio-cultural, technical, economic, and institutional drivers. The first typology mainly includes all those aspects related to the social needs of rural communities and the typical inclinations and tendencies of stakeholders. It embodies the repair of isolation through better communication that can identify and strengthen the links between needs and potential supply; moreover, it refers to the demand for lighter work, as automation is expected to reduce the manual labor typical of rural activities. It also includes new cultural tendencies whose main features are the spirit of cooperation and solidarity of small communities, the need for inclusion in the "local vibe", also the interest that technology can create. Besides social aspects, technical drivers emerge too, even though in a limited quantity. The first driver of technology is its quality in terms of simplicity, reliability, efficiency, and specialization. These aspects allow for a more straightforward response to rural areas' peculiarities, convincing rural community members to accept digital solutions. Additionally, Digitalisation can be encouraged by the availability of new types of data about plants and crops that can be exploited for better monitoring and control. Regarding the economic side, technology facilitates the collection of market demands, collecting drivers from customers' requests for healthy food and market trends, such as the need for a "green" and transparent image. In that sense, the market is raising the demand for organic products and healthy food. Collecting data from which to develop a new product can be a means to get higher market shares and profits. Technologies also support the birth of collective forms of organization, such as cooperatives that can facilitate small players. Moreover, it allows the development of technology hubs and intermediary roles, facilitating learning and access to technology. It is not to underestimate the effects on business needs, such as process optimization, which means more efficiency for the farm and firms. Also, financial aspects are present, such as collecting phenomena related to the cost of assets and expected benefits. As advanced technology becomes less expensive, more subjects can be at risk of being experimented with technologies. Lastly, laborrelated drivers are twofold. On the one hand, technology can tackle seasonal work and low scarce population, and on the other hand, the cost of manual labor can become lower. Many environmental drivers encourage digital innovation implementation in these territories since it is conceived in a sustainable view. As a matter of fact, ICTs are associated with the reduction of impact and the rise of control of environmental

conditions such as the improvement of animals' health and the prevention of natural disasters. The last category is related to the institutional side since institutions are the most potent factors in fostering digital innovation in these zones. The first type of drivers dealt with regulatory restrictions, such as new regulations, taxes, and constraints associated with undesired behaviors (e.g., excessive use of nitrogen for fertilization). Also, economic incentives (e.g., subsidies, incentives for the adoption of sustainable technologies, funding programs, and economic support for cooperation with digital players) can play a relevant role in the digital transition. Moreover, developing educational courses (e.g., training programs, technical mentorship) to facilitate the circulation of digital knowledge and the creation of digital innovation centers can lead to digital transition. Lastly, the promotion of digitalization with campaigns and dissemination results of success stories can encourage the digital process [201, 202].
