Farming the Future: Review of Agricultural Extension’s Role in Digital and Smart Farming Technologies in Davao Oriental, Philippines

Digital and smart farming technologies—ranging from mobile-based advisories and automated irrigation to IoT sensors and data analytics—are transforming global agriculture. In the Philippines, national initiatives such as the Philippine Digital Agriculture Strategy (PDAS) aim to localize these innovations. However, uptake remains limited in rural provinces like Davao Oriental due to weak extension capacity, infrastructure gaps, and fragmented governance. This review investigates the evolving role of agricultural extension in supporting the adoption and diffusion of these technologies in Davao Oriental. Using a structured narrative review methodology, the study applied thematic coding and synthesis across 58 sources, including peer-reviewed literature, government policies, and institutional reports. Key themes include barriers to technology adoption, the role of SUCs and cooperatives, digital literacy, and policy alignment. Findings reveal a mismatch between innovation supply and grassroots readiness, compounded by institutional capacity gaps. The review proposes a policy and institutional roadmap to reimagine extension services as digitally empowered systems. This work offers actionable insights for policymakers, SUCs, and development stakeholders aiming to foster inclusive and resilient digital agriculture at the provincial level.