Challenges and opportunities in smallholder agriculture digitization in South Africa
The use of digital technologies in agriculture has resulted in an increase in productivity and market access worldwide. Large-scale farmers have successfully adopted digital technologies. However, smallholder farmers, especially in rural areas, face challenges that hinder the integration of digital...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1583224/full |
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| author | Gift Siphiwe Nxumalo Gift Siphiwe Nxumalo Helga Chauke Helga Chauke |
| author_facet | Gift Siphiwe Nxumalo Gift Siphiwe Nxumalo Helga Chauke Helga Chauke |
| author_sort | Gift Siphiwe Nxumalo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The use of digital technologies in agriculture has resulted in an increase in productivity and market access worldwide. Large-scale farmers have successfully adopted digital technologies. However, smallholder farmers, especially in rural areas, face challenges that hinder the integration of digital technology. This review analysed available literature with the intention to assess the current state of agricultural digitization among smallholder farmers in South Africa and identify key barriers faced by farmers. The study highlights the potential benefits of digital adoption such as enhanced precision farming, improved resource management, and better access to markets. The analysis highlights the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and policy interventions to reduce the digital divide among farmers. The results confirms that the slow adoption of digital technology among smallholder farmer in South Africa is attributed to barriers such as poor infrastructure, limited access financial resources and low levels of digital illiteracy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cfb471a9ef7c439ab990c1f84ba27197 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2571-581X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
| spelling | doaj-art-cfb471a9ef7c439ab990c1f84ba271972025-08-20T03:13:18ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems2571-581X2025-07-01910.3389/fsufs.2025.15832241583224Challenges and opportunities in smallholder agriculture digitization in South AfricaGift Siphiwe Nxumalo0Gift Siphiwe Nxumalo1Helga Chauke2Helga Chauke3Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Water and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, HungaryNational Laboratory for Water Science and Water Safety, Institute of Water and Environmental Management, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, HungaryInstitute of Natural Resources NPC, Pietermaritzburg, South AfricaDepartment of Meteorology, Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, HungaryThe use of digital technologies in agriculture has resulted in an increase in productivity and market access worldwide. Large-scale farmers have successfully adopted digital technologies. However, smallholder farmers, especially in rural areas, face challenges that hinder the integration of digital technology. This review analysed available literature with the intention to assess the current state of agricultural digitization among smallholder farmers in South Africa and identify key barriers faced by farmers. The study highlights the potential benefits of digital adoption such as enhanced precision farming, improved resource management, and better access to markets. The analysis highlights the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and policy interventions to reduce the digital divide among farmers. The results confirms that the slow adoption of digital technology among smallholder farmer in South Africa is attributed to barriers such as poor infrastructure, limited access financial resources and low levels of digital illiteracy.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1583224/fullsmallholder agriculturedigitizationdigital agricultureSouth Africaprecision agriculture |
| spellingShingle | Gift Siphiwe Nxumalo Gift Siphiwe Nxumalo Helga Chauke Helga Chauke Challenges and opportunities in smallholder agriculture digitization in South Africa Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems smallholder agriculture digitization digital agriculture South Africa precision agriculture |
| title | Challenges and opportunities in smallholder agriculture digitization in South Africa |
| title_full | Challenges and opportunities in smallholder agriculture digitization in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Challenges and opportunities in smallholder agriculture digitization in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges and opportunities in smallholder agriculture digitization in South Africa |
| title_short | Challenges and opportunities in smallholder agriculture digitization in South Africa |
| title_sort | challenges and opportunities in smallholder agriculture digitization in south africa |
| topic | smallholder agriculture digitization digital agriculture South Africa precision agriculture |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1583224/full |
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