Digital agri-food marketing and its role in farmer-consumer relations

Digital channels are reshaping the food quality experience (FQE) by lowering search and coordination costs, enabling provenance disclosure, and facilitating direct farmer-consumer interactions through social commerce, e-commerce, and interoperable traceability systems. This mixed-methods study conducted in Indian districts (farmers, n=420; consumers, n=310; key-informant interviews, n=15) examines how multi-channel digital strategies and transparency tools influence perceived quality (freshness, safety, authenticity), engagement, trust, and repeat purchase. Quantitative analyses tested a pathway—adoption ? engagement ? trust ? outcomes—while qualitative data explained contextual mechanisms, frictions, and design preferences. Adoption was heterogeneous: smallholders used e-commerce and traceability less often than medium/large farmers; younger consumers placed greater weight on traceability and certifications than on brand reputation. Regression models indicated that traceability adoption (?=0.48, p<0.001), digital literacy (?=0.42, p=0.001), and internet quality (?=0.35, p=0.004) positively predicted perceived quality and behavioural outcomes, whereas platform fees reduced value capture (?=-0.21, p=0.032). Farmers implementing integrated, experience-oriented strategies reported higher revenue growth and repeat-purchase rates than single-channel adopters. Interviews highlighted that credible provenance cues (QR-based ledgers, third-party certification) and responsive service design (omnichannel support, transparent pricing, timely fulfilment) are central to strengthening trust and sustaining FQE. The findings suggest three priorities: invest in farmer digital literacy, reduce intermediation costs through fair platform governance, and scale affordable, privacy-preserving traceability that interoperates across marketplaces. Limitations include the single-country, cross-sectional design; future work should use longitudinal, multi-country cohorts to test causal pathways and evaluate heterogeneity by gender and cohort. Overall, the study shows that well-designed digital infrastructures can measurably enhance the food quality experience while improving farmer value capture and consumer welfare.