The Role of Digital Literacy in Agricultural Technology Adoption and Efficiency: A Systematic Literature Review

Against the backdrop of the “dual carbon” strategy and digital rural development, examining the impact of farmers’ digital literacy on the adoption and efficiency of green agricultural technologies can provide micro-level evidence and actionable policy insights for advancing the green transformation of agriculture. Through a systematic literature review and thematic analysis of 52 eligible studies, this study identifies a significant triple role of digital literacy—as an enabler, a mediating mechanism, and a potential barrier—in the adoption of green agricultural technologies. While digital literacy significantly facilitates technology adoption, its positive effects are constrained by a “capacity gap” arising from limited digital skills, low literacy levels, and inadequate digital infrastructure. Technology adoption demonstrates distinct stratification: digital information and communication technologies (ICTs) exhibit high penetration but superficial utilization; green production technologies are largely limited by capital availability; and precision agriculture, intelligent systems, and blockchain applications remain primarily at the pilot or demonstration stage. Furthermore, the interaction between digital literacy and technology adoption enhances agricultural efficiency by reducing income disparities, fostering rural entrepreneurship, and improving green total factor productivity (GTFP). This review highlights the importance of targeted policies and further research to address the capacity gap, realize sustained efficiency gains, and promote digital empowerment as a pathway to sustainable agricultural transformation.