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Digital transformation is significantly reshaping the global agribusiness sector, with South Africa actively participating in this technological shift. This paper investigates the influence of digital technologies on enhancing productivity, sustainability, and competitiveness within South African agriculture. The adoption of innovations such as precision agriculture, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain is increasingly viewed as essential for addressing challenges related to climate change, food insecurity, and economic instability. The study highlights the potential of digital transformation to improve supply chain transparency, expand market access, and strengthen risk management. However, it also acknowledges persistent obstacles to adoption. These include poor digital infrastructure in rural regions, high technology implementation costs, limited technical skills, and gaps in digital literacy, particularly among smallholder farmers. By drawing on literature reviews, policy analysis, and empirical case studies, the paper provides a balanced assessment of both opportunities and limitations associated with digital agriculture in the South African context. Findings reveal that while large commercial farms are increasingly utilizing digital tools, small-scale farmers face systemic barriers that limit their participation in the digital economy. As a result, the paper advocates for inclusive digital strategies and capacity-building programs aimed at closing the digital divide. It emphasizes that the success of digital transformation in South African agri-business depends heavily on coordinated efforts among government, industry players, and local farming communities to ensure broad-based access and equitable outcomes.

This study examines how small agribusinesses in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa, respond to digital disruption within a changing rural economy. Using a hybrid methodology combining bibliometric analysis and thematic synthesis, it draws on 2015–2024 data from Scopus and Web of Science. Bibliometric mapping reveals global research trends, while thematic analysis identifies local coping strategies. Findings show that despite financial and infrastructural constraints, small agribusinesses employ informal digital practices to improve efficiency and navigate market challenges. The study highlights grassroots innovation and resilience in a resource-constrained context, offering a context-sensitive view of digital adoption. It contributes to theory by extending the Diffusion of Innovation framework to rural entrepreneurship and emphasises the role of digital inequality in shaping innovation. The research provides valuable insights for policy, support mechanisms, and future studies aimed at fostering inclusive digital transformation in marginalised agribusiness settings.

Digitalisation is increasingly promoted as a catalyst for agricultural productivity, climate resilience, and market integration. However, there is limited systematic analysis of how digital agricultural transformation unfolds within South Africa’s institutional and socio-economic context. This study examines the trajectory, drivers, and governance implications of digitalisation in South African agriculture. Anchored in an integrated Socio-Technical Systems and Digital Agriculture Ecosystem framework, the study applies a structured qualitative document analysis of 82 academic and policy documents published between 2013 and 2025. The findings reveal highly uneven digital adoption patterns that reflect a structural dualism between capital-intensive commercial agriculture and resource-constrained smallholder systems. While South Africa has developed a relatively advanced digital policy architecture, implementation fragmentation, infrastructure constraints, and limited capacity for extension impede inclusive digital outcomes. The study contributes by integrating socio-technical and ecosystem perspectives to analyse digital transitions in emerging economies and by providing a transparent analytical protocol for document-based research. Policy implications highlight the need for coordinated governance, investment in rural connectivity, and targeted support mechanisms to ensure equitable digital transformation.

Digitalisation is increasingly promoted as a catalyst for agricultural productivity, climate resilience, and market integration. However, there is limited systematic analysis of how digital agricultural transformation unfolds within South Africa’s institutional and socio-economic context. This study examines the trajectory, drivers, and governance implications of digitalisation in South African agriculture. Anchored in an integrated Socio-Technical Systems and Digital Agriculture Ecosystem framework, the study applies a structured qualitative document analysis of 82 academic and policy documents published between 2013 and 2025. The findings reveal highly uneven digital adoption patterns that reflect a structural dualism between capital-intensive commercial agriculture and resource-constrained smallholder systems. While South Africa has developed a relatively advanced digital policy architecture, implementation fragmentation, infrastructure constraints, and limited capacity for extension impede inclusive digital outcomes. The study contributes by integrating socio-technical and ecosystem perspectives to analyse digital transitions in emerging economies and by providing a transparent analytical protocol for document-based research. Policy implications highlight the need for coordinated governance, investment in rural connectivity, and targeted support mechanisms to ensure equitable digital transformation.

This study examines how small agribusinesses in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa, respond to digital disruption within a changing rural economy. Using a hybrid methodology combining bibliometric analysis and thematic synthesis, it draws on 2015–2024 data from Scopus and Web of Science. Bibliometric mapping reveals global research trends, while thematic analysis identifies local coping strategies. Findings show that despite financial and infrastructural constraints, small agribusinesses employ informal digital practices to improve efficiency and navigate market challenges. The study highlights grassroots innovation and resilience in a resource-constrained context, offering a context-sensitive view of digital adoption. It contributes to theory by extending the Diffusion of Innovation framework to rural entrepreneurship and emphasises the role of digital inequality in shaping innovation. The research provides valuable insights for policy, support mechanisms, and future studies aimed at fostering inclusive digital transformation in marginalised agribusiness settings.

Digital transformation is significantly reshaping the global agribusiness sector, with South Africa actively participating in this technological shift. This paper investigates the influence of digital technologies on enhancing productivity, sustainability, and competitiveness within South African agriculture. The adoption of innovations such as precision agriculture, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain is increasingly viewed as essential for addressing challenges related to climate change, food insecurity, and economic instability. The study highlights the potential of digital transformation to improve supply chain transparency, expand market access, and strengthen risk management. However, it also acknowledges persistent obstacles to adoption. These include poor digital infrastructure in rural regions, high technology implementation costs, limited technical skills, and gaps in digital literacy, particularly among smallholder farmers. By drawing on literature reviews, policy analysis, and empirical case studies, the paper provides a balanced assessment of both opportunities and limitations associated with digital agriculture in the South African context. Findings reveal that while large commercial farms are increasingly utilizing digital tools, small-scale farmers face systemic barriers that limit their participation in the digital economy. As a result, the paper advocates for inclusive digital strategies and capacity-building programs aimed at closing the digital divide. It emphasizes that the success of digital transformation in South African agri-business depends heavily on coordinated efforts among government, industry players, and local farming communities to ensure broad-based access and equitable outcomes.