Bridging gaps: a study of trust and information flow in New Zealand agriculture

Purpose To examine how farmers in Aotearoa, New Zealand (NZ), engage with information and whom they trust in the digital age, focusing on strategic land-use decision-making.Design/methodology/approach Qualitative methods involving 37 commercial farmers were used to explore their preferred information sources, trust and the challenge of accessing credible, strategic knowledge.Findings Farmers increasingly rely on informal and digital sources, like social media and artificial intelligence, particularly younger farmers. Information from formal institutions is often perceived as disconnected or biased. Information overload and the challenge of validating trustworthy information from diverse, conflicting sources were significant concerns.Practical implications Findings highlight the need for targeted information provision, recognising generational differences. Farmer-led community groups are crucial for knowledge brokering and fostering social capital, supporting sustainable agriculture transitions.Theoretical implications This study contributes to diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory by situating information-seeking and decision-making within a digital and increasingly AI-enabled context, suggesting that information-related processes are becoming more decentralised and influenced by emerging digital tools.Originality/Value This study offers novel insights into the evolving information interactions in NZ farmers in the digital age, providing a framework for understanding their information ecosystems and strategic decision-making challenges.