The nexus of big data, internet of things-enabled agro-technologies, and farm performance

• Big Data capabilities boost IoT tech adoption on farms. • IoT adoption significantly improves farm sustainability performance. • Skills and data-driven culture are key, not just basic resources. • IoT acts as a vital mediator for data-driven farm sustainability. This study investigates the impact of big data analytics capabilities (BDAC) on the adoption of Internet of Things-enabled agro-technologies (AIoT) and their subsequent influence on sustainability performance, using dynamic capabilities theory as the conceptual framework. A self-administered survey questionnaire was distributed online, gathering 285 responses from farms in five key regions of China: Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Hebei, and Jiangsu. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings show that data, technology, technical skills, managerial skills, and a data-driven culture are positively and significantly associated with AIoT, which in turn, significantly influences sustainability performance. Interestingly, basic resources were found to have no significant effect on AIoT adoption. Mediation analysis indicated that AIoT acts as a significant mediator in the relationship between BDAC and sustainability performance, with the exception of basic resources. This study is pioneering in its empirical examination of how distinct dimensions of BDAC influence AIoT adoption to enhance farm sustainability performance, offering one of the first large-scale, farm-level validations of dynamic capabilities theory in agriculture. The findings suggest that developing managerial and technical skills, along with fostering a data-driven culture, is more critical for achieving sustainable digital transformation in agriculture than simply possessing basic resources.