Community digital accessibility for enhancing farmers’ access to knowledge

Purpose This paper aims to show how community digital accessibility – as a social innovation emerging from institutional arrangements – enhances farmers’ access to agricultural knowledge. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative approach based on a case study highlighting social innovation around community digital devices, data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The data collected were analyzed using discourse analysis. Findings The results indicate that community digital accessibility, supported by the community’s choice of managers and the mobilization of farmers to maintain the equipment for these digital devices, promotes close and tailored support for farmers in accessing digital services and agricultural knowledge. These collective dynamics have enabled the sustained functioning of digital devices, facilitating continuous access to digital services and agricultural knowledge. Practical implications These results suggest that agricultural policies should rely on local collective dynamics to facilitate farmers’ adoption of digital technologies and improve their efficiency in agriculture. Originality/value This research emphasizes a transdisciplinary approach that links social, institutional, cognitive and technological dimensions to generate knowledge supporting agricultural transformation.