Adoption and Economics of ICT-Enabled Agricultural Extension and Information Services

The increasing penetration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in agriculture has significantly transformed the design, delivery, and accessibility of extension and advisory services. Tools such as mobile phones, digital advisory platforms, precision agriculture applications, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and data-driven decision-support systems are reshaping the generation, dissemination, and utilization of agricultural knowledge. In many developing regions, particularly in Africa and Asia, ICT-enabled extension services are viewed as a promising solution to overcome traditional constraints such as limited extension personnel, high transaction costs, geographic dispersion of farmers, and delayed information flows.However, despite growing investments from governments, development agencies, and private sector actors, adoption rates of ICT-enabled extension services remain uneven. Questions persist regarding accessibility, digital literacy, gender disparities, affordability, trust, infrastructure readiness, and institutional capacity. Furthermore, there is limited rigorous evidence on the economic implications of these digital extension models, particularly concerning cost-effectiveness, return on investment, productivity gains, financial sustainability, equity implications, adoption economics, income effects, risk reduction, and scalability.In addition, the equity and inequality effects of digital extension remain unclear: these services may reduce inequalities by expanding access for underserved farmers, but they may also widen gaps if benefits accrue mainly to farmers with better connectivity, devices, skills, and resources.Understanding both the adoption dynamics and the economic viability of ICT-enabled agricultural extension services is critical. This topic aims to shape evidence on ICTs, extension, and food security. It seeks to consolidate empirical evidence and theoretical advancements that explain how and why farmers adopt digital extension services and whether these innovations deliver measurable economic and developmental benefits.The primary goal of this topic is to enhance scholarly and policy-relevant understanding of the adoption, determinants, processes, and economic outcomes of ICT-enabled agricultural extension and information services. Specifically, the topic aims to examine the factors influencing farmers’ adoption and sustained use of ICT-based advisory services (including socio-economic, institutional, behavioral, technological, and gender-related determinants); evaluate the economic performance of digital extension models through cost-benefit analyses, cost-effectiveness assessments, and comparisons with traditional extension approaches; assess impacts on agricultural productivity, income, climate resilience, market participation, and risk management; explore business models, financing mechanisms, and public–private partnerships that support sustainability and scalability; and provide insights into the policy, institutional, and regulatory frameworks that enable the effective integration of ICTs into national extension systems.By bringing together multidisciplinary research across agricultural economics, rural development, information systems, behavioral science, and development policy, this topic aims to bridge the gap between digital agriculture innovations and agricultural economics and extension scholarship. It seeks to provide policymakers, development practitioners, investors, and researchers with actionable knowledge and insights that enhance efficiency, equity, and sustainability in agricultural extension delivery.This topic welcomes theoretical, empirical, methodological, and review papers that address adoption patterns and the economic dimensions of ICT-enabled agricultural extension services across diverse contexts. Submissions may focus on, but are not limited to:• Adoption Studies on Digital advisory platforms (mobile apps, SMS services, call centres, chatbots)• Impact evaluation of climate-smart digital extension platforms (e.g., mobile-based advisory, e-extension systems, AI-driven tools, digital climate advisories).• Economic analysis of digital farmer information services, including price information systems and market intelligence platforms.• Cost structures and economic sustainability of ICT-enabled advisory systems• Economic implications of precision agriculture tools and digital decision-support systems.• Behavioural and experimental economics studies on farmer decision-making under digital information environments.• Institutional economics of digital extension governance and regulation.• Value chain integration and transaction cost reduction through ICT.• Economic resilience and risk management through digital climate-smart advisory services.• Data economics, platform economics, and the role of big data in agricultural advisory services.• Comparative analyses between traditional and digital extension systems.• Gendered and youth-focused economic impacts of digital agricultural services.• Equity and inequality impacts of ICT-enabled extension services (i.e., who adopts, who benefits, and under what conditions).The topic encourages interdisciplinary submissions and diverse methodological approaches. Contributions that critically assess scalability, inclusivity, digital divides, and long-term sustainability are highly valued. Papers that offer actionable recommendations for policymakers, extension organizations, private technology providers, and development practitioners will be especially relevant. Topic editors: Oluwasogo David Olorunfemi, Abiodun Olusola Omotayo, Prof. Dixon Olutade Olutade Torimiro, Abeeb Omotoso Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78643/adoption-and-economics-of-ict-enabled-agricultural-extension-and-information-services