IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i22p12345-d674962.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Patterns of Inequalities in Digital Agriculture: A Systematic Literature Review

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah Hackfort

    (Agricultural and Food Policy Group, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10999 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

Digitalization of agriculture is often hailed as the next agricultural revolution. However, little is yet known about its social impacts and power effects. This review addresses this research gap by analyzing patterns of inequality linked to the development and adoption of digital technologies in agriculture and reviewing the strategies developed to reduce these inequalities and challenge the power relations in which they are embedded. Analysis of 84 publications found through a systematic literature review identified five patterns of inequality: (1) in digital technology development; (2) in the distribution of benefits from the use of digital technologies; (3) in sovereignty over data, hardware and digital infrastructure; (4) in skills and knowledge (‘digital literacy’); and (5) in problem definition and problem-solving capacities. This review also highlights the existence of emancipatory initiatives that are applying digital technologies to challenge existing inequalities and to advance alternative visions of agriculture. These initiatives underscore the political nature of digital agriculture; however, their reach is still quite limited. This is partly due to the fact that existing inequalities are structural and represent expressions of corporate power. From such a perspective, digitalization in agriculture is not a ‘revolution’ per se; rather, digital technologies mirror and reproduce existing power relations.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Hackfort, 2021. "Patterns of Inequalities in Digital Agriculture: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-18, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12345-:d:674962
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/22/12345/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/22/12345/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jennifer Clapp & Sarah-Louise Ruder, 2020. "Precision Technologies for Agriculture: Digital Farming, Gene-EditedCrops, and the Politics of Sustainability," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 20(3), pages 49-69, August.
    2. Philip McMichael, 2009. "A food regime analysis of the ‘world food crisis’," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 26(4), pages 281-295, December.
    3. Lajoie-O'Malley, Alana & Bronson, Kelly & van der Burg, Simone & Klerkx, Laurens, 2020. "The future(s) of digital agriculture and sustainable food systems: An analysis of high-level policy documents," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    4. Regina Birner & Thomas Daum & Carl Pray, 2021. "Who drives the digital revolution in agriculture? A review of supply‐side trends, players and challenges," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 1260-1285, December.
    5. Snyder, Hannah, 2019. "Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 333-339.
    6. Michael Carolan, 2020. "Acting like an algorithm: digital farming platforms and the trajectories they (need not) lock-in," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(4), pages 1041-1053, December.
    7. Daum, Thomas & Villalba, Roberto & Anidi, Oluwakayode & Mayienga, Sharon Masakhwe & Gupta, Saurabh & Birner, Regina, 2021. "Uber for tractors? Opportunities and challenges of digital tools for tractor hire in India and Nigeria," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    8. Michael Carolan, 2020. "“Urban Farming Is Going High Tech”," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(1), pages 47-59, January.
    9. Silvia Rolandi & Gianluca Brunori & Manlio Bacco & Ivano Scotti, 2021. "The Digitalization of Agriculture and Rural Areas: Towards a Taxonomy of the Impacts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-16, May.
    10. Robert M. Chiles & Garrett Broad & Mark Gagnon & Nicole Negowetti & Leland Glenna & Megan A. M. Griffin & Lina Tami-Barrera & Siena Baker & Kelly Beck, 2021. "Democratizing ownership and participation in the 4th Industrial Revolution: challenges and opportunities in cellular agriculture," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(4), pages 943-961, December.
    11. Hassan P. Ebrahimi & R. Sandra Schillo & Kelly Bronson, 2021. "Systematic Stakeholder Inclusion in Digital Agriculture: A Framework and Application to Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-21, June.
    12. Patricia Allen & Alice Brooke Wilson, 2008. "Agrifood Inequalities: Globalization and localization," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 51(4), pages 534-540, December.
    13. Carbonell, Isabelle M., 2016. "The ethics of big data in big agriculture," Internet Policy Review: Journal on Internet Regulation, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), Berlin, vol. 5(1), pages 1-13.
    14. Louisa Prause, 2021. "Digital Agriculture and Labor: A Few Challenges for Social Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, May.
    15. Jayasuriya, S. K. & Shand, R. T., 1986. "Technical change and labor absorption in Asian agriculture: Some emerging trends," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 415-428, March.
    16. Nawab Khan & Ram L. Ray & Hazem S. Kassem & Sajjad Hussain & Shemei Zhang & Muhammad Khayyam & Muhammad Ihtisham & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "Potential Role of Technology Innovation in Transformation of Sustainable Food Systems: A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, October.
    17. Éléonore Schnebelin & Pierre P. Labarthe & Jean-Marc Touzard, 2021. "How digitalisation interacts with ecologisation? Perspectives from actors of the French Agricultural Innovation System," Post-Print hal-03319092, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ingram, Julie & Maye, Damian & Bailye, Clive & Barnes, Andrew & Bear, Christopher & Bell, Matthew & Cutress, David & Davies, Lynfa & de Boon, Auvikki & Dinnie, Liz & Gairdner, Julian & Hafferty, Caitl, 2022. "What are the priority research questions for digital agriculture?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    2. Schnebelin, Éléonore, 2022. "Linking the diversity of ecologisation models to farmers' digital use profiles," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    3. MacPherson, Joseph & Rosman, Anna & Helming, Katharina & Burkhard, Benjamin, 2025. "A participatory impact assessment of digital agriculture: A Bayesian network-based case study in Germany," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    4. Michael Carolan, 2024. "Who and what gets recognized in digital agriculture: agriculture 4.0 at the intersectionality of (Dis)Ableism, labor, and recognition justice," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 41(4), pages 1465-1480, December.
    5. McGrath, Karen & Brown, Claire & Regan, Áine & Russell, Tomás, 2023. "Investigating narratives and trends in digital agriculture: A scoping study of social and behavioural science studies," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    6. Giagnocavo, Cynthia & Duque-Acevedo, Mónica & Terán-Yépez, Eduardo & Herforth-Rahmé, Joelle & Defossez, Emeline & Carlesi, Stefano & Delalieux, Stephanie & Gkisakis, Vasileios & Márton, Aliz & Molina-, 2025. "A multi-stakeholder perspective on the use of digital technologies in European organic and agroecological farming systems," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    7. Wolfert, Sjaak & Verdouw, Cor & van Wassenaer, Lan & Dolfsma, Wilfred & Klerkx, Laurens, 2023. "Digital innovation ecosystems in agri-food: design principles and organizational framework," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    8. Hidalgo, Francisco & Quiñones-Ruiz, Xiomara F. & Birkenberg, Athena & Daum, Thomas & Bosch, Christine & Hirsch, Patrick & Birner, Regina, 2023. "Digitalization, sustainability, and coffee. Opportunities and challenges for agricultural development," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    9. Metta, Matteo & Ciliberti, Stefano & Obi, Chinedu & Bartolini, Fabio & Klerkx, Laurens & Brunori, Gianluca, 2022. "An integrated socio-cyber-physical system framework to assess responsible digitalisation in agriculture: A first application with Living Labs in Europe," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    10. Prabhu Pingali & Mathew Abraham, 2022. "Food systems transformation in Asia – A brief economic history," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(6), pages 895-910, November.
    11. Galaz, Victor & Centeno, Miguel A. & Callahan, Peter W. & Causevic, Amar & Patterson, Thayer & Brass, Irina & Baum, Seth & Farber, Darryl & Fischer, Joern & Garcia, David & McPhearson, Timon & Jimenez, 2021. "Artificial intelligence, systemic risks, and sustainability," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    12. Guandalini, Ilaria, 2022. "Sustainability through digital transformation: A systematic literature review for research guidance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 456-471.
    13. Ayorinde Ogunyiola & Maaz Gardezi, 2022. "Restoring sense out of disorder? Farmers’ changing social identities under big data and algorithms," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(4), pages 1451-1464, December.
    14. Jiang, Song & Zhou, Jie & Qiu, Shuang, 2022. "Digital Agriculture and Urbanization: Mechanism and Empirical Research," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    15. Naomi Robert & Tammara Soma & Kent Mullinix, 2025. "Neoliberal growth vs food system democratization: narrative analysis of Canadian federal and civil society agri-food policy," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 42(2), pages 923-943, June.
    16. Katrin Martens & Jana Zscheischler, 2022. "The Digital Transformation of the Agricultural Value Chain: Discourses on Opportunities, Challenges and Controversial Perspectives on Governance Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-15, March.
    17. Claire Brown & Áine Regan & Simone van der Burg, 2023. "Farming futures: Perspectives of Irish agricultural stakeholders on data sharing and data governance," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(2), pages 565-580, June.
    18. Kok, Kristiaan P.W. & Klerkx, Laurens, 2023. "Addressing the politics of mission-oriented agricultural innovation systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    19. Karly Ann Burch & Dawn Nafus & Katharine Legun & Laurens Klerkx, 2023. "Intellectual property meets transdisciplinary co-design: prioritizing responsiveness in the production of new AgTech through located response-ability," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(2), pages 455-474, June.
    20. Robert Finger, 2023. "Digital innovations for sustainable and resilient agricultural systems," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 50(4), pages 1277-1309.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12345-:d:674962. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.