The challenges of digitization in agriculture for sustainable rural development

The aim of this research is to identify and analyze the challenges and opportunities that digitization brings to agriculture, in the context of sustainable rural develop ment. The methodology used is a systematic literature review, which synthe sizes recent studies to highlight the main challenges, solutions and impacts of digitization in agriculture. The gap identified in the existing literature is the lack of an integrative approach that correlates the specific challenges of infrastructure, skills and public policies with the impact of digitization on smallholder farmers and vulnerable rural communities. The main findings highlight that digitization in agriculture is limited by poor access to digital infrastructure in rural areas and the costs associated with modern technologies, which impose an urgent need for investment and pub lic-private partnerships. Also, the lack of digital skills among farmers is an important barrier, suggesting the need for educational programs to facilitate the adoption of advanced technologies. From an ecological point of view, digital technologies such as “digital twin” and “smart farming” present sig nificant opportunities for ecologically responsible agriculture, optimizing re source use and reducing environmental impact. The added value of this research lies in the systematic and integrative ap proach to digitization in agriculture, providing an in-depth understanding of the interplay between challenges, opportunities and policies. Limitations of the study derive from the focus on existing literature, which may limit the direct applicability of the results to empirically unexplored contexts. The findings suggest that although digitization presents many challenges, it has the potential to support sustainable rural development through techno logical solutions and adequate public support. Future research directions in clude empirical studies to test proposed solutions in different rural contexts and the development of integrated strategies to support the adoption of digi tal technologies among smallholder farmers.