Mapping Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Development in Agriculture Industry

Agriculture plays a vital role in global food security but faces significant sustainability challenges due to climate change, resource scarcity, and increasing food demand. Intensive farming practices have contributed to biodiversity loss, excessive chemical use, and environmental degradation. To address these issues, emerging technologies are transforming the sector by enabling data-driven decision-making, automation, and resource optimization. Despite growing research on agricultural sustainability, a comprehensive synthesis of how these technologies contribute to long-term agricultural development and how they can be effectively incorporated into small scale agricultural systems, has not been extensively undertaken. This study systematically analyses 494 scholarly articles using bibliometric and thematic analysis to map research trends and assess the role of emerging technologies in sustainable agriculture. The findings highlight precision agriculture, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning as key technologies, that drive eight main groups of positive impacts among others addressing climate change, making decisions for water and soil management, food security and smart agriculture. We also offer insights and opportunities for small scale farmers. The findings could assist policymakers, researchers, and industry practitioners aiming to integrate digital innovations for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural future.