The International Scientific and Practical Conference (ISPC 2024) on Digital Management and Artificial Intelligence was held from October 7 to 13 at the International University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, Germany.

The scientific conference (ISPC 2024) was organized by the E-Commerce Institute Cologne (Germany), East European University (Tbilisi, Georgia), Adelphi University (Garden City, New York, USA) and International University of Applied Sciences (Cologne, Germany).

A total of 70 speakers from a range of countries worldwide took part in the seven thematic sessions held at the conference. The academic staff of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University also presented scientific papers at the conference. The report entitled “Digitalization of the Agro-Food Industry: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development” authored by Professor Eter Kharaishvili, Associate Professor Ia Natsvlishvili and Assistant Professor Tamar Lazariashvili generated considerable interest. A discussion and question-and-answer session was subsequently held.

The conference organizers named the report presented by the representatives of the Tbilisi State University as the best research paper at the conference.

The article places emphasis on the significance of digitization in the context of the Georgian agro-food industry's advancement and the realization of food security objectives. Digitization is regarded as a cornerstone for the modernization and advancement of industry. It is noteworthy that the authors conducted a bibliometric research analysis (SLR), which identified the primary research areas aligned with the research focus, evaluated the evolutionary trajectory of the research process, identified research clusters according to countries and authors of dominant publications, and evaluated the diverse perspectives of scientists on digitization concepts. The bibliometric research was conducted using a range of software, including Canva, VOSviewer, Datawrapper, and Bibliometrix. Additionally, Scopus and Web of Science databases were utilized as research bases, along with Datareportal.

The argument that digitization creates new prospects for development in the agro-food industry is supported by the evidence presented in this work. In light of the aforementioned conclusions, it can be posited that the utilization of contemporary digital technologies may facilitate the sustainability of the aforementioned industry and enhance productivity. The study offers recommendations regarding potential avenues for digitization within the agri-food industry.

The presented scientific paper is scheduled for publication in the Scopus-indexed Springer edition, entitled “Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics (SPBE).”

During the scientific visit, the authors presented the scientific achievements of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University to the participants of the conference, outlined the perspectives of future collaboration with foreign researchers and representatives of the professional research institute.