Digitalization and Food Practices: Socio-technical Transformations of Food Systems in Algeria

Abstract

This article examines the transformative role of digitalization in reshaping food systems in Algeria, with a particular focus on consumption practices, health-related behaviors, and agricultural production within the broader context of global food system transformation. Moving beyond a purely technological perspective, the study conceptualizes digitalization as a socio-technical process that reconfigures market structures, knowledge production, and power relations. The paper is based on an interdisciplinary scientific conference organized by the Social Sciences and Health Research Unit (GRAS) at the University of Oran 2 (Algeria). It integrates multiple empirical and conceptual contributions, including sociological analyses, exploratory survey data collected from Algerian consumers and African migrant women, a qualitative study on diabetic patients, and an assessment of digital transformation in the agricultural sector. This approach enables a cross-sectoral and integrative understanding of digitalization across food systems. The findings show that digital technologies—particularly social media platforms, algorithmic systems, artificial intelligence, and precision agriculture—play an increasingly central role in shaping food practices. At the consumption level, digital platforms and influencers significantly influence purchasing decisions and food-related perceptions. At the same time, digital tools in agriculture contribute to improving productivity, optimizing resource use, and fostering innovation. However, the analysis also highlights the emergence of critical challenges related to digital inequalities, information reliability, and governance. In contexts such as Algeria, where digital adoption is expanding but remains uneven, these transformations may reinforce existing socio-economic disparities while creating new forms of dependency and informational vulnerability. Overall, the study underscores the ambivalent nature of digitalization as both a driver of innovation and a source of structural tensions. By situating the Algerian case within broader international debates on digital transformation and food system sustainability, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of how digitalization shapes food practices and development trajectories in emerging economies. It calls for interdisciplinary and critical approaches to better address the complex interactions between technology, society, and food systems in the digital age.