Digitalization of Agricultural Productive Services for Inclusive Rural Development: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The advancement of global agrifood systems increasingly relies on digital innovation; however, the inclusive potential of digital agricultural productive services (APS) remains a subject of intense debate. This paper offers a systematic literature review (SLR) of some articles published between 2011 and 2026. We develop a unified conceptual framework based on Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) and the Capability Approach to analyze the mechanisms through which digitalization mitigates market frictions and empowers marginalized rural stakeholders, including smallholders, women, and youth. The review shows that digital APS makes it much cheaper for farmers to find and hire workers and improve their noncognitive skills. However, the resulting inclusive outcomes are often not linear and depend on “threshold effects” of infrastructure and institutional development. We also find that there are significant gaps in our knowledge about how digitalization will affect agricultural productivity in the long term, how it might enhance climate resilience, and how it might facilitate trade that is open to everyone. The study concludes with a strategic research agenda, and we recommend particular policies that aim to bridge the “soft” digital divide and establish inclusive data governance frameworks to ensure equitable transformations within the agrifood system.