DIGITAL MAPPING OF BUSINESS PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OF AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS IN SERBIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59267/ekoPolj2501225RKeywords:
Digital Agriculture, ICTs, Business Performance, Digital MapsAbstract
The capacity of new technologies to boost agricultural yields, optimize resource utilization, enhance productivity, and improve f inancial outcomes has gained significant consideration among farmers, agricultural organizations, and policymakers. Across the globe, innovative digital solutions have emerged as key catalysts for transforming and advancing the agricultural sector. Hence, this study explores the adoption of digital tools by Serbian agricultural holdings to enhance business performance and sustainability. The employed mixed-methods approach highlights disparities in digital readiness and the barriers faced by small scale farmers. Results reveal that while smartphones dominate technology use, broader adoption of digital platforms is hindered by low digital literacy, high costs, and limited infrastructure. The f indings emphasize the potential of digital agro-economic maps to optimize resource allocation, reduce costs, and improve decision making. Finally, the actions should be focused on improving digital literacy of rural population, expanding technological infrastructure, and designing policy incentives to encourage the adoption of smart agricultural practices.
Downloads
References
Bahn, R.A., Yehya, A.A.K., Zurayk, R. (2021). Digitalization for Sustainable Agri-Food Systems: Potential, Status, and Risks for the MENA Region. Sustainability, 13(6), 3223. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063223
Barabanova, Y. & Krzysztofowicz, M. (2023). Digital Transition: Long-term Implications for EU Farmers and Rural Communities, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2023, DOI:10.2760/093463, JRC134571.
Bocean, C.G. (2024). A Cross-Sectional Analaysis of the Relationship between Digital Technology Use and Agricultural Productivity in EU Countries. Agriculture, 14(4), 519. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14040519
Confo, T.R.C., Djouhou, F.M.C., Hounhouigan, M.H., Dahouenon-Ahoussi, E., Avlesisi, F., & Sohounhloue, C.K.D. (2023). Recent advances in the use of digital technologies in agri-food processing: A short review. Applied Food Research, 3(2), 100329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2023.100329
Ehlers, M.H., Huber, R. & Finger, R. (2021). Agricultural policy in the era of digitalization. Food Policy, 100, 102019. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2020.102019
EU CAP Network (2023). Innovation, knowledge exchange and EIP-AGRI under the new EU CAP Network. Agrinnovation Magazine, Issue 9. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European.
European Commission (2020). Farm to Fork strategy - for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system. European Union.
European Network for Rural Development (2020). Smart Villages and rural digital transformation. Thematic Briefing. ENRD Brussel.
FAO (2020). Smallholders and family farms in Serbia. Country study report 2019. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Budapest. Retrived from: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/bd2829c1-75a1-43a8-aa2e-ed8a278630f8/content
FAO (2021). Strategic Framework 2022-31. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en
Flamini, M., & Naldi, M. (2022). Maturity of Industry 4.0: A Systematic Literature Review of Assessment Campaigns. Journal of Open Innovation Technology Market, 8(1), 51. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8010051
Fuentes-Peñailillo, F., Gutter, K., Vega, R., & Carrasco Silva, G. (2024). Transformative Technologies in Digital Agriculture: Leveraging Internet of Things, Remote Sensing, and Artificial Intelligence for Smart Crop Management. Journal of Sensors and Actuator Networks, 13(4), 39. https://doi.org/10.3390/jsan13040039
Geng, W., Liu, L., Zhao, J., Kang, X., & Wang, W. (2024). Digtal Technologies Adoption and Economics Benefits in Agriculture: A Mixed-Methods Approach. Sustainability, 16(11), 4431. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114431
Izveštaj o realizovanom istraživanju „Nivo digitalne pismenosti i analiza potrebnog oblika podrške sa preporukama za poboljšanje nivoa digitalne podrške poljoprivrednicima“, [in English: Research report "The level of digital literacy and analysis of the required form of support with recommendations for improving the level of digital support for farmers"]. Retrieved from https://www.agronews.rs/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Izvestaj-o-istazivanju_Mladi-i-Mediji.pdf (September 18, 2024)
Jia, S. (2024). A Study of the Impact of Digital Technology on the Economics of Agricultural Export Trade. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1), 1-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/amns-2024-2335
Jurjević, Ž., Bogićević, I., Đokić, D. & Matkovski, B. (2019). Information technology as a factor of sustainable development of Serbian agriculture. Strategic management, 24(1), 41-46. DOI:10.5937/StraMan1901041J
Karunathilake, E.M.B.M., Le, A.T., Heo, S., Chung.Y.S., & Mansoor, S. (2023). The Path to Smart Farming: Innovations and Opportunities in precision Agriculture. Agriculture, 13(8), 1593. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13081593
Kovljenić, M., Škorić, J. Galetin, M. & Škorić, S. (2023). Digital Technology in agricuture: evidence from farms on the territory of AP Vojvodina. Economics of Agriculture, 70 (2), 583-596. DOI:10.59267/ekoPolj2302583K
Leng, X.C., & Tong, G.J. (2022). The Digital Economy Empowers the Sustainable Development of Chinas Agriculture-Related Industries. Sustainaiblity, 14(17), 10967. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710967
McFadden, J., Casalini, F. & Antón, J. (2022). Policies to bolster trust in agricultural digitalisation - Issues note. OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Paper, April 2022 n°175, OECD.
McFadden, J., Casalini, F., Griffin, T. & Antón, J. (2022). The Digitalisation of Agriculture: A Literature Review and Emerging Policy Issues. OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Paper, April 2022 n°176, OECD.
Pérez-Pons, M.E., Parra-Dominguez, J., Plaza, M., Chamoso, P., & Alonso, R.C. (2020). Efficiency, profitability and productivity: Technological applications in the agricultural sector. ADCAIJ: Advances in Distributed Computing and Artificial Intelligence Journal, 9(4), 47-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14201/ADCAIJ2020944754
Rađenović, Ž., Krstić, B. & Marković, M. (2020). Smart farming in agricultural industry: Mobile technology perspective. Ekonomika poljoprivrede. 67 (3), 925-938. DOI: 10.5937/ekoPolj2003925R.
Republički zavod za statistiku (2019). Anketa o strukturi poljoprivrednih gazdinstava, 2018: struktura, ekonomska snaga i marketing proizvoda poljoprivrednih gazdinstava. [in English: Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (2019). Farm Structure Survey, 2018]. Retrieved from https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2019/Pdf/G20196002.pdf (September 15, 2024)
Republički zavod za statistiku (2024). Popis poljoprivrede 2023. [in English: Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (2024). The Census of Agriculture 2023]. Retrieved from https://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2024/Pdf/G202422002.pdf (September 15, 2024)
Sektor za poljoprivednu politiku (2024). Izveštaj o stanju u poljoprivredi u Republici Srbiji u 2023. godini: Knjiga I – Horizontalni pregled. Ministartsvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede, Republika Srbija. [in English: Agriculture Policy Sector (2024). Report on the state of agriculture in the Republic of Serbia in 2023: Book I - Horizontal overview. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Republic of Serbia].
Site, D. P., & Salucci, M. V. (2006). Third Annual Thematic Research Summary - Rural Transport. The Transport Research Knowledge Centre, European Commission.
Službeni glasnik RS (2014). Strategija poljoprivrede i ruralnog razvoja Republike Srbije za period 2014-2024. godine. Službeni glasnik 85/14 od 12. avgusta 2014.godine. [in English: Official Gazette RS (2014). Strategy for agriculture and rural development of Republic of Serbia for period 2014-2024. Official Gazette 85/14 from August 12, 2014].
Subeesh, A., & Mehta, C.R. (2021). Automation and digitization of agriculture using artificial intelligence and internet of things. Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture, 5, 278-291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aiia.2021.11.004
Trendov, N. M., Varas, S. & Zeng, M. (2019). Digital technologies in agriculture and rural areas – Status report. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.
Zhou, X., Chen, T., & Zhang, B. (2023). Research on the Impact of Digital Agriculture Development on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity. Land, 12(1), 195. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010195
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ekonomika poljoprivrede

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.