AI-Driven Transformation in Sustainable Agriculture: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The agriculture sector is facing unprecedented pressure from a rapidly growing global population, erratic weather conditions and declining water availability. Traditional farming methods are increasingly proving insufficient in meeting the rising food demand, necessitating a shift towards technology-driven solutions. This paper provides a critical and systematic review of the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agriculture, analysing its impact on productivity and sustainability, while identifying potential barriers hindering adoption. Employing a Systematic Literature Review approach, this study synthesizes recent research organized around the core domains of agricultural production - crop, soil and nutrient, water and irrigation and crop-protection (pest, disease and weed) management, alongside yield forecasting - examining how data-driven tools such as machine learning, the Internet of Things, robotics and computer vision are applied within each and prioritizing studies that reported agronomically meaningful outcomes such as yield gains and resource-use efficiency. The strongest gains identified across the review fall within three agricultural areas - crop and soil monitoring, yield forecasting and robotic field operations such as targeted detection, weeding and harvesting. The technologies enabling them, chiefly machine-learning models such as convolutional neural networks combined with field and remote sensors, have delivered high in-field precision, with reported object-detection precision of up to 95.78% in field conditions. In practical terms, this translates into more efficient use of water, fertilizer and other inputs and into improved yield and crop quality. The review concludes that prioritizing Explainable AI and interoperable farm systems is central to building farmer trust and safeguarding food security under a changing climate.