Barriers to using Information and Communication Technologies in Agriculture and Policy Implications for Vietnam: A Review

Date Received: 24-04-2025

Date Accepted: 20-05-2025

Date Published: 23-05-2025

##submissions.doi##: https://doi.org/10.31817/tckhnnvn.2025.23.4.

Views

16

Downloads

5

How to Cite:

Dũng, N., Hung, H., & Thao, N. (2025). Barriers to using Information and Communication Technologies in Agriculture and Policy Implications for Vietnam: A Review. Vietnam Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 23(4), 518–527. https://doi.org/10.31817/tckhnnvn.2025.23.4.

Barriers to using Information and Communication Technologies in Agriculture and Policy Implications for Vietnam: A Review

Nguyễn Tiến Dũng (*) , Hoang Gia Hung 1 , Nguyen Thi Da Thao 1

  • Tác giả liên hệ: [email protected]
  • 1 Trường Đại học Nông Lâm, Đại học Huế

    • Keywords

    Barriers, Information and communication technologies, agriculture, farmers, Vietnam

    Abstract


    This paper aimed to analyze the main barriers in pplication of information and communication technologies in agriculture. While information and communication technologies offer numerous benefits, the adoption remains low, particularly in developing countries including Vietnam. The results indicate that the adoption of information and communication technologies in agriculture is hindered by four main barriers: economic, technical, social, and institutional. Economic barriers relate to high investment costs, low income, and a lack of suitable economic models. Technical barriers include inadequate infrastructure, lack of appropriate applications and insufficient usage skills. Social barriers are linked to low educational levels, psychological factors, and limited community support. Institutional barriers involve the absence of supportive policies, lack of coordination among stakeholders, and insufficient training programs. To better promote the adoption of information and communication technologies in the Vietnamese agriculture sector, it is necessary to enhance the policy framework, improve farmers' capacities, upgrade information and communication technologies infrastructure, and develop effective business models.

    References

    Alant B.P. & Bakare O.O. (2021). A case study of the relationship between smallholder farmers' ICT literacy levels and demographic data w.r.t. their use and adoption of ICT for weather forecasting. Heliyon. 7(3). doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06403

    Anteneh A. & Melak A. (2024). ICT-based agricultural extension and advisory service in Ethiopia: A review. Cogent Food & Agriculture. 10(1): 2391121. doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2024.2391121.

    Ayim C., Kassahun A., Addison C. & Tekinerdogan B. (2022). Adoption of ICT innovations in the agriculture sector in Africa: a review of the literature. Agriculture & Food Security. 11(1): 22. doi:10.1186/s40066-022-00364-7

    Bhatt S. (2020). Digitalization of rural india: Digital village. VISION: Journal of Indian Taxation. 7(1): 83-93.

    Bộ Nông nghiệp và Phát triển nông thôn. (2023). Đẩy mạnh số hóa nông nghiệp: lấy người dân là trung tâm và động lực phát triển. Truy cập từ https://datafiles.nghean.gov.vn/ ngày 20/12/2024.

    Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông (2021). Sách trắng công nghệ thông tin và truyền thông Việt Nam 2021. Bộ Thông tin và truyền thông: Nhà xuất bản Thông tin và Truyền thông.

    Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông (2022). Báo cáo chỉ số cho phát triển và ứng dụng công nghệ thông tin và truyền thông Việt Nam năm 2022. Truy cập từ https://egov.chinhphu.vn/Resources/2024_02_05/37917/Bao-cao-VN-ICT-Index-2022---20230920.pdf ngày 20/12/2024.

    Chandra S., Singh A.K., Ghadei K. & Pradhan S. (2023). Exploring the Relationship between Socio-economic Factors and ICT Adoption among Farmers. Indian Journal of Extension Education. 59(3): 54-57. doi:10.48165/ijee.2023.59310

    Chaudhuri B. & Kendall L. (2021). Collaboration without consensus: Building resilience in sustainable agriculture through ICTs. The Information Society. 37(1): 1-19. doi.org/10.1080/01972243.2020.1844828.

    Chowhan S. & Ghosh S.R. (2020). Role of ICT on agriculture and its future scope in Bangladesh. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports. 26(5): 20-35. doi:10.9734/jsrr/2020/v26i530257

    da Silveira F., da Silva S.L.C., Machado F.M., Barbedo J.G.A. & Amaral F.G. (2023). Farmers' perception of the barriers that hinder the implementation of agriculture 4.0. Agricultural Systems. 208: 103656. doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103656.

    Diaz A.C., Sasaki N., Tsusaka T.W. & Szabo S. (2021). Factors affecting farmers’ willingness to adopt a mobile app in the marketing of bamboo products. Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances. 11: 200056. doi:10.1016/j.rcradv.2021.200056.

    Đỗ Đức (2021). Thách thức trong tiếp cận CNTT vùng đồng bào dân tộc thiểu số. Tạp chí Thông tin và Truyền thông.

    Do Q.D., Nguyen T.K., Tran T.T., Truong T.B., Do N.T. & Hoang L.K. (2023). Determinants of smartphone adoption and its benefits to the financial performance of agricultural households: Evidence from Hoa Binh province, Vietnam. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development. 13(1): 8-15. doi:10.55493/5005.v13i1.4709.

    Đồng Thị Huyền (2023). Một số giải pháp thúc đẩy chuyển đổi số trong ngành nông nghiệp Việt Nam. Tạp chí Kinh tế và Dự báo. 6(17).

    Duc D.T.V. & Nguyen P.V. (2021). The Nexus of ICT, Manufacturing Productivity and Economic Restructuring in Vietnam. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business. 8(9): 235-247. doi: 10.13106/jafeb.2021.vol8.no9.

    El Bilali H. & Allahyari M.S. (2018). Transition towards sustainability in agriculture and food systems: Role of information and communication technologies. Information Processing in Agriculture. 5(4): 456-464. doi.org/10.1016/j.inpa.2018.06.006.

    Geng L. & Xue Y. (2023). Promoting ICT adoption in rural entrepreneurship: more neighbourhood effect or more institutional incentives? Empirical evidence from China. Journal of International Development. 35(6): 1530-1548.

    Hoang G.H. (2020). Adoption of mobile phone for marketing of cereals by smallholder farmers in Quang Dien District of Vietnam. Journal of Agricultural Extension. 24(1): 106-117. doi:10.4314/jae.v24i1.11

    Hoang H.G. (2020). Determinants of the adoption of mobile phones for fruit marketing by Vietnamese farmers. World Development Perspectives. 17: 100178. doi:10.1016/j.wdp.2020.100178

    Hoàng Vũ Linh Chi (2023). Bất bình đẳng số có thể làm trầm trọng bất bình đẳng về xã hội và kinh tế. Tạp chí Thông tin và Truyền thông. Truy cập từ https://ictvietnam.vn/bat-binh-dang-so-co-the-lam-tram-trong-bat-binh-dang-ve-xa-hoi-va-kinh-te-61839.html ngày 30/12/2024

    Huỳnh Thành Đạt (2023). Nhiều rào cản trong việc ứng dụng công nghệ cao vào nông nghiệp. Truy cập từ https://nhandan.vn/bo-truong-huynh-thanh-dat-nhieu-rao-can-trong-viec-ung-dung-cong-nghe-cao-vao-nong-nghiep-post756536.html ngày 15/12/2024.

    International Telecommunication Union (2024). Measuring digital development - Facts and Figures . Retrieved from https://www.itu.int/hub/ publication/ D-IND-ICT_MDD-2024-4/ on December 20, 2024

    Landmann D., Lagerkvist C.-J. & Otter V. (2020). Determinants of Small-Scale Farmers’ Intention to Use Smartphones for Generating Agricultural Knowledge in Developing Countries: Evidence from Rural India. The European Journal of Development Research. 33(6): 1435-1454.

    Leng C., Ma W., Tang J. & Zhu Z. (2020). ICT adoption and income diversification among rural households in China. Applied Economics. 52(33): 3614-3628. doi:10.1080/00036846.2020.1715338

    Liu Y. & Zhou M. (2023). Can rural e-commerce narrow the urban–rural income gap? Evidence from coverage of Taobao villages in China. China Agricultural Economic Review. 15(3): 580-603.

    Loi N.T.N. (2022). Digital agriculture in Viet Nam: Conditions and prospect of development. AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics. 14(3): 43-55. doi:DOI:10.7160/aol.2022.140304

    Mai Thanh Cúc, Mai Tiến Huy, Nguyễn Công Tiệp, Đinh Văn Thắng, Quyền Đình Hà & Mai Thanh Hương (2024). Tổng quan lý luận và thực tiễn về ứng dụng công nghệ WebGIS quản lý thông tin phát triển nông nghiệp ở Việt Nam. Tạp chí Khoa học Nông nghiệp Việt Nam. 22(9): 1224-1233.

    Martin V.L. (2022). OECD Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2022 -. Reforming Agricultural Policies for Climate Change Mitigation. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/ content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2022/06/agricultural-policy-monitoring-and-evaluation-2022 _0969ef7b/7f4542bf-en.pdf on September 15, 2024.

    Mdoda L. & Mdiya L. (2022). Factors affecting the using information and communication technologies (ICTs) by livestock farmers in the Eastern Cape province. Cogent Social Sciences. 8(1). doi:10.1080/23311886.2022.2026017

    Mi J., Nanseki T., Chomei Y., Uenishi, Y. & Nguyen, L. T. (2022). Determinants of ICT and Smart Farming Technology Adoption by Agricultural Corporations in Japan. Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University. 67(2): 249-262. doi:10.5109/4797832

    Mulema J., Mugambi I., Kansiime M., Chan H.T., Chimalizeni M., Pham T.X. & Oduor G. (2021). Barriers and opportunities for the youth engagement in agribusiness: empirical evidence from Zambia and Vietnam. Development in Practice. 31(5): 690-706. doi:10.1080/09614524.2021.1911949

    Ngô Xuân Quyết (2021). Chính sách tài chính, tín dụng hỗ trợ phát triển nông nghiệp công nghệ cao - Kinh nghiệm của một số nước và bài học cho Việt Nam. Tạp chí Thị trường Tài chính Tiền tệ, 14.

    Nyarko D.A. & Kozári J. (2021). Information and communication technologies (ICTs) usage among agricultural extension officers and its impact on extension delivery in Ghana. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences. 20(3): 164-172.

    Okello J.J., Kirui O.K. & Gitonga Z.M. (2020). Participation in ICT-based market information projects, smallholder farmers’ commercialisation, and agricultural income effects: findings from Kenya. Development in Practice. 30(8): 1043-1057.

    Oliveira-Jr A., Resende C., Pereira A., Madureira P., Gonçalves J., Moutinho, R., Soares, F., Moreira, W. (2020). IoT Sensing Platform as a Driver for Digital Farming in Rural Africa. Sensors (Basel): 20(12). doi:10.3390/s20123511

    Oyelami L.O., Sofoluwe N.A. & Ajeigbe O.M. (2022). ICT and agricultural sector performance: empirical evidence from sub-Saharan Africa. Future Business Journal. 8(1): 18.

    Patel D. H., Shah K.P., Gupta R., Jadav N.K., Tanwar, S., Neagu, B. C., Attila, S, Alqahtani, F Tolba, A. (2023). Blockchain-based crop recommendation system for precision farming in iot environment. Agronomy. 13(10): 2642.

    Prathap D.P., Murali P. & Venkatasubramanian V. (2020). Barriers to ICT Usage: An Assessment Among the Sugarcane Farmers in Disadvantaged Districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Sugar Tech. 23(2): 286-295.

    Phùng Minh Thu Thủy (2024). Áp dụng mô hình và cơ chế khuyến khích doanh nghiệp tham gia vào phát triển khoa học, công nghệ và đổi mới: Hướng đi cho Việt Nam. Tạp chí Kinh tế và Phát triển. 329(2): 11-19.

    Reissig L., Stoinescu A. & Mack G. (2022). Why farmers perceive the use of e-government services as an administrative burden: A conceptual framework on influencing factors. Journal of Rural Studies. 89: 387-396.

    Sarangi A.K. & Pradhan R.P. (2020). ICT infrastructure and economic growth: A critical assessment and some policy implications. Decision. 47(4): 363-383.

    Smidt H.J. & Jokonya O. (2021). Factors affecting digital technology adoption by small-scale farmers in agriculture value chains (AVCs) in South Africa. Information Technology for Development. 28(3): 558-584. doi:10.1080/02681102.2021.1975256.

    Tal A. (2021). Israeli Agriculture - Innovation and Advancement. In A. Gulati, Y. Zhou, J. Huang, A. Tal, & R. Juneja (Eds.): From Food Scarcity to Surplus: Innovations in Indian, Chinese and Israeli Agriculture. pp. 299-358. Singapore: Springer Singapore.

    Tetteh Kwasi Nuer A., Agbeko D., Worlali S., Mwangi Thiga M., Ndogo Ndung'u S., Wangari Mutiga M. & Babcock L.H. (2018). Why Invest in ICTs for agriculture? (978-92-9081-640-9). Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10568/98499 on September 10, 2024.

    Thar S.P., Ramilan T., Farquharson R.J., Pang A. & Chen D. (2020). An empirical analysis of the use of agricultural mobile applications among smallholder farmers in Myanmar. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries. 87(2). doi:10.1002/isd2.12159

    Ulhaq I., Pham N.T.A., Le V., Pham H.C., & Le T C. (2022). Factors influencing intention to adopt ICT among intensive shrimp farmers. Aquaculture. 547: 737407. doi:10.1016/j.aquaculture.2021.737407

    Uy T.C., Limnirankul B., Kramol P., Sen L.T.H., Hung H.G., Kanjina S. & Sirisunyaluck R. (2024). Social Media adoption for agricultural development: Insights from smallholders in central Vietnam. Information Development. 02666669241261355.

    VTI Solutions. (2024). Ứng dụng IoT tại Việt Nam: Cơ hội bùng nổ hay thách thức lớn? Truy cập từ https://vti-solutions.vn/ung-dung-iot-tai-viet-nam-co-hoi-hay-thach-thuc/ ngày 14/12/2024.

    Vu T.T. & Trinh H.H.H. (2021). Blockchain technology for sustainable supply chains of agri-food in Vietnam: a SWOT analysis. Science & Technology Development Journal: Economics-Law & Management. 5(1): 1278-1289.

    Vũ Văn Ngân (2024). Đẩy mạnh ứng dụng công nghệ thông tin hỗ trợ phát triển kinh tế-xã hội vùng dân tộc thiểu số và miền núi hiện nay. Tạp chí Nghiên cứu Dân tộc. 13(1): 51-56.

    Yaseen M., Ahmad M.M., Soni P., Kuwornu J.K.M. & Saqib S.E. (2021). Factors influencing farmers’ utilisation of marketing information sources: some empirical evidence from Pakistan. Development in Practice. 33(1): 3-15..

    Zeng M. & Lu J. (2021). The impact of information technology capabilities on agri-food supply chain performance: the mediating effects of interorganizational relationships. Journal of Enterprise Information Management. 34(6): 1699-1721.