Agricultural Social Networks: An Agricultural Value Chain-Based Digitalization Framework for an Inclusive Digital Economy
Abstract
:1. Introduction
- Types of ASNs: This research unearthed the different types of social networks within the agricultural value chain, as well as the role of social networks in facilitating information sharing and knowledge transfer.
- Agricultural value chain digitalization: This research established the potential of ASNs in the digitalization of the agricultural value chains to enhance the efficacy of the different stakeholders involved in the digital ecosystem.
- AVC digitalization conceptual framework: This research developed a digitalization conceptual framework for the AVC digital economy ecosystem while utilizing the stakeholders’ social networks’ practices model.
- A transdisciplinary approach to AVC digitalization: This research suggested a transdisciplinary approach to the digitalization of the AVC based on multistakeholder engagements in solving social and economic challenges.
2. Literature Review
2.1. Agricultural Social Networks
2.2. Agricultural Value Chain Sustainability Challenges and Mitigation Strategies
2.3. Digital Technologies and Agricultural Value Chains in the Context of Society 5.0 Sustainability
2.4. Adoption of Information Communication Technologies in Agricultural Processes
3. Materials and Methods
3.1. Automated Content Analysis in Identifying Agriculture Social Network Themes and Concepts
3.2. Case Study Data Analysis
3.3. Data Analysis Results
3.3.1. Results Based on Automated Content Analysis
3.3.2. Models in Agricultural Social Networks
3.3.3. Case Study Data Results
4. Digitalization of the Agricultural Value Chain in Enabling a Resilient and Inclusive Digital Economy
4.1. Systems Integration in Enabling Smart Farming and Efficient Decision-Making
4.2. Blockchain for Enforcing Traceability in Supply Chain Management
4.3. Edge and Cloud Computing for Enabling Big Data and Governance
4.4. Internet of Things in Facilitating Digital Financial Inclusion
4.5. Ubiquitous Connectivity for ASNs and Digital Markets
4.6. Interoperability and Scalability of Digital Systems
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Social Networks Applications | Examples |
---|---|
Information sharing | Sharing of agricultural knowledge and information between farmers [37,38], researchers [39], and other stakeholders [39] occurs via social networks |
Networking and collaboration | Stakeholders, including farmers, traders, extension officers, and researchers—from different locations—collaborate and share resources for innovations [40]. |
Market access | Farmers’ access to larger markets [41,42] |
Access to extension services | Extension services to farmers, including weather alerts, crop management advice, and marketing tips [43,44] |
Crowd-sourcing data | Social networks are essential for collecting data on agricultural practices, weather patterns, and market trends [45,46] |
Economic Empowerment | Digital innovations for women’s economic empowerment [46] |
Feature | Description |
---|---|
Human-centric approach | People are at the center of the development process to create sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous societies [52,53]. |
Integration of digital technologies | Digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and big data to solve social problems and enhance the quality of life [54,55]. |
Collaboration | Stakeholders’ collaborations, including government, industry, academia, and civil society, play a significant role in creating innovative solutions to social problems such as the lack of employment [56]. |
Sustainability | Creating sustainable societies that balance economic growth with environmental and social considerations [57]. |
Inclusivity | Innovation spurs the development of new business models to address social problems and create new opportunities [58]. |
Digital empowerment | Empower individuals and communities by providing access to information and resources and promoting participation in decision-making processes [59]. |
Enabling Digital Technologies | Technology Applications in AVC Digitalization |
---|---|
Internet of Things (IoTs) | Coordination, and logistics [64,65], quality management [66], smart farming [30] |
Blockchain | Traceability of supply sources and transparency of food sources [10], food safety [67] |
Artificial intelligence | Intelligent farm machines, greenhouse monitoring, drone-based crop imaging, social media and modernization of supply chains [11], precision agriculture [12] |
Big data | Decision-making based on data and sustainable agriculture [68,69,70] |
Augmented reality | Digital agriculture [71], precision farming [72] |
System integration | Integrated agricultural farm management [15] |
Machine learning | Digital agriculture and precision farming [73], crop disease detection, yield prediction, weed detection, water management, and crop recognition [74] |
Edge computing | Big data processing [75,76] and smart AI applications in agriculture [77] |
Cloud computing | Increased efficiency in the AVC [78] |
Ubiquitous connectivity | Increasing connectivity along the AVC with the use of different digital devices and platforms to access and share agricultural information [79] |
Data Collection | Stakeholders | Respondents per Ward | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ibeno | Bassi-Chache | Magenche | Bassi-Central | Bomorenda | Nyakoe | Totals | ||
Questionnaires | Farmer | 10 | 15 | 12 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 81 |
Trader | 15 | 18 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 82 | |
Interviews | Agr Ext. Officers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Farmers-Group-Leaders | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | |
Traders | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 15 | |
Focus groups | Farmers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Traders | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Themes | Hits | Concepts |
---|---|---|
Social | 5363 | interaction, networking, social media, spectrum of engagement, internet platforms, internet forums, social networks |
Network | 4379 | link, group, social support, influence, centrality, structural characteristics, participatory programs, relationships, interactions, presence, actions |
Agricultural | 4274 | research institutes, agribusiness, government, agencies, industry, extension systems, social networks, technology |
Knowledge | 3979 | information, bridges, interventions, design, management |
Farmers | 3494 | decision-makers, farmers, investors, traders |
Systems | 2039 | services, collaboration, production, artificial intelligence |
Groups | 1715 | clusters, households, farmers, networks |
Data | 928 | big data, analytics, visualization |
Model | 807 | infrastructure, machine learning |
Food | 711 | supply chain, food ecosystem |
Nodes | 489 | contacts, links, graphs, entities |
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© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Tombe, R.; Smuts, H. Agricultural Social Networks: An Agricultural Value Chain-Based Digitalization Framework for an Inclusive Digital Economy. Appl. Sci. 2023, 13, 6382. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116382
Tombe R, Smuts H. Agricultural Social Networks: An Agricultural Value Chain-Based Digitalization Framework for an Inclusive Digital Economy. Applied Sciences. 2023; 13(11):6382. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116382
Chicago/Turabian StyleTombe, Ronald, and Hanlie Smuts. 2023. "Agricultural Social Networks: An Agricultural Value Chain-Based Digitalization Framework for an Inclusive Digital Economy" Applied Sciences 13, no. 11: 6382. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116382