Digital technologies and social inequalities in agriculture and rural contexts: a gap-oriented systematic mapping review

The digital transformation of agriculture has generated a rapidly expanding body of research, alongside growing concerns about its social and spatial implications for rural areas. While digital technologies such as precision farming, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and big data are widely promoted as drivers of efficiency and sustainability, their implications for social inequality and inclusion remain unevenly examined. This paper investigates research gaps in the literature on digital technologies in agriculture and rural contexts, with specific attention to how social, institutional, and distributive dimensions are addressed. Using a multi-level review design that combines bibliometric analysis, a meta-review of existing reviews, and a gap-oriented systematic mapping of original empirical studies, the paper synthesises international research published over the last decade. The findings reveal a highly fragmented field in which technical and performance-oriented studies predominate, while social and governance-related aspects remain inconsistently integrated. Although recent research increasingly addresses issues such as gender, smallholder inclusion, and contextual diversity, significant conceptual, methodological, and governance-related gaps persist. Drawing on insights from digital inequality theory, technological justice, and the capabilities approach, the discussion interprets these gaps and identifies priority directions for future research and policy aimed at supporting more inclusive and equitable digital transitions in agriculture and rural areas. By identifying persistent research gaps and uneven empirical attention to rural inequalities, the study contributes to ongoing debates on inclusive digital transitions in agriculture and rural development.