Assessing the impact of emerging technologies on sustainable fruit production: A systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Agriculture 4.0 refers to innovations in technological tools used in agriculture to achieve different objectives, such as adapting the supply chain to avoid waste, increasing productivity and collecting mass data through ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to meet the growing food demand of the population. The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic literature review to evaluate the impact of emerging technologies on sustainable fruit production. Initially, a bibliographic search was conducted on the technologies currently implemented in agriculture; the Bibliometrix library of the R Studio software was used, and then an analysis of relevant scientific publications published in the last ten years was carried out through the VOSviewer® software, which allowed the construction and visualization of bibliometric networks. The results show Europe and China as the leading regions in technological development, while developing countries face economic and research limitations; in Colombia, the use of Agriculture 4.0 is focused on the implementation of satellite images for monitoring agro-climatic conditions. In summary, Agriculture 4.0 aims to achieve economic, social, and environmental sustainability in the agri-food sector through data-generating technologies to improve production, reduce costs, and ensure food safety and quality. However, there is a technology gap between developed and developing countries that affects the adoption of these innovations. More support is therefore needed from governments, academia, and the private sector to drive innovation, training, and adoption of these technologies, which can contribute to the economic, social, and environmental development of the country.