DIGITALIZATION AND INNOVATION IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY: A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF TRANSFORMATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/AIJBES.829112Keywords:
Agricultural Innovation, Agricultural Productivity, Artificial Intelligence In AgricultureAbstract
This review explores how various digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, and blockchain, impact and improve agricultural productivity. It also identifies barriers to the wide-scale implementation of these technologies. Literature was identified by a structured search of the Scopus database, and included peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and proceeding publications, from 2023 to 2026. The publications were assessed by the review authors for inclusion based on whether the digital technologies described in the publications were linked to improvements in productivity or effectiveness. A narrative synthesis was performed based on 31 publications in this search, and supplemented by foundational publications. The literature was divided into four main groups. These were the use of IoT and Cyber-Physical Systems in farming, artificial intelligence in farming, blockchain and other technologies in farming and the supply chain, and barriers to the acceptance and adoption of farming technologies. The review identifies how digital tools help improve total factor productivity and the efficient use of resources within farms. However, the benefits are skewed where larger farms enjoy most of the benefits, while smaller farms continue to have challenges in adoption of digital tools. This is mostly attributed to capital and infrastructure constraints. More attention has been given to adopt individual digital technologies, compared to creation of a conducive innovation ecosystem to improve agricultural productivity. The review provides a framework to integrate the four key enablers and provide advice to stakeholders on ways to improve agricultural digitization in a sustainable and equitable manner.
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