Determinants of Farmers’ Understanding of Digital Transformation in Agriculture: Evidence from the Red River Delta, Vietnam

Understanding digital transformation among farmers is a critical factor influencing the successful adoption of digital technologies in agriculture. This study investigated the determinants of farmers’ understanding of digital transformation in agriculture, based on a structured survey of 230 farming households in Vietnam’s Red River Delta. A 35-item questionnaire was used to assess digital awareness, yielding an average score of 15.8 out of 35. Using cluster analysis, we categorized the farmers into those with high and low understanding levels. The results of a logit model analysis indicate that educational attainment, farm types, proficiency in using the internet, participation in digital transformation training courses, visiting pilot models, and land size are the factors affecting the understanding level of the farmers. These imply that the Vietnamese government should increase the number of training programs on using the internet and digital transformation skills for farmers, develop pilot models, and encourage farmers to visit and learn from the models. The government’s support on digital transformation should focus on large-scale farms first, then on medium- and small-scale farms. These recommendations aim to support effective digital transformation and foster sustainable agricultural development in Vietnam.