Impact of digital literacy on the adoption of precision agriculture and its effect on the sustainability of rice cultivation in Lambayeque

The transition to more sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture is an urgent challenge in agricultural regions of developing countries such as Lambayeque (Peru), especially in rice cultivation. In this context, digital literacy is emerging as a key enabler for accessing climate data, adopting precision agriculture technologies, and implementing sustainable agricultural practices. However, there are gaps linked to sociodemographic variables such as age, which can moderate these technology adoption processes. The objective of this study was to analyze the patterns of association between digital literacy, access to finance, risk perception, and the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, and to examine whether age moderates the association between digital literacy and access to climate data. To this end, a quantitative, non-experimental approach was applied, using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The sample consisted of 101 rice farmers in the Lambayeque region, who were given a validated questionnaire that included five theoretical constructs measured using Likert scales. The results of the structural model confirmed that digital literacy has a positive and significant association with access to climate data (β = 0.461, p < 0.001) and with the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (β = 0.259, p = 0.015). A positive association was identified between access to finance and risk perception (β = 0.411, p < 0.001). Age was negatively associated with digital literacy (β = −0.196; p = 0.027); however, the formal moderation test (DL × Age) was not significant (β = −0.054, p = 0.421), so there is no evidence that age moderates the association between digital skills and access to climate information. These findings support the design of differentiated interventions that incorporate intergenerational digital training, inclusive financing policies, and hybrid technology transfer strategies tailored to access gaps. Taken together, the evidence is consistent with the idea that reducing the digital divide can strengthen agricultural sustainability and climate resilience in rural contexts in Latin America.