Leveraging ICT for Knowledge-Driven Agripreneurial Innovations: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals in Rural Economies

Mukul Bhatnagar, Sanjay Taneja, Ercan Özen, Sabina Sehajpal

Abstract

Keywords: green innovation, green entrepreneurship, sustainable farming, digitalisation, technology

Introduction

High-tech upgradation in agricultural accomplishments is essential for the expansion of rural economies (Kroupová et al., 2025). For the advancement of agriculturalists, it's vital to foster an environment grounded in suitable knowledge attainment that can ensure the longevity of their methods (Zossou et al., 2020), which is only possible if innovation is encouraged in the working style of the farming sector of the economy (Onegina et al., 2025). The promotion of Information and Communication Technology can be significantly helpful in promoting digitalisation amongst farmers (Paul & Jena, 2024). ICT is pivotal, as there is currently no viable substitute for digitalisation in achieving success (Chandio et al., 2024), and it is essential to establish a connection between every success and sustainable development to prevent progress at the expense of the environment (Requelme & Afonso, 2023).

The current study examines the impact of “access to ICT infrastructure, “knowledge acquisition for sustainable practices”, and “ICT literacy” on “sustainable agricultural innovation adoption.” The findings obtained through a methodical evaluation will be useful in reducing the digital gap and encouraging legislators to advance procedures related to sustainable farming with ICT.

Table 1
Important Definitions

Source: authors’ own work based on the sources listed with each definition.

Understanding the context in which terms are used in the present research is significant for grasping the essence of the results obtained. Table 1 presents a conceptual understanding of the variables, supporting clearer comprehension of the subsequent sections of research.

This study is structured into six main sections. Following the introduction, a literature review is presented, leading into the research methodology and Data Analysis. The findings are then discussed in comparison with previous studies. The paper concludes with a summary in the final section.

Need for Study

The study is imperative to address the critical need for empirical insights into how access to ICT infrastructure, ICT literacy, and Knowledge acquisition synergistically drive sustainable agripreneurial innovation adoption, thereby catalysing rural socio-economic transformation and advancing Sustainable Development Goals in under-resourced regions.

The present study will also help create a framework for the development of an agrarian class of the economy. Agricultural development plays a significant role in the development of the entire economy, as the primary sector is the base for the development of the secondary and tertiary sectors. It is therefore essential to stress the need to bring innovations in the farming sector that further support sustainable development.

Research Gap

Despite the increasing global emphasis on leveraging ICT for sustainable development, a significant research gap persists in comprehensively examining how ICT infrastructure accessibility (Hasan et al., 2023) and ICT literacy together influence both knowledge acquisition and the adoption of sustainable agribusiness innovations-particularly within the nuanced socio-economic and environmental contexts of rural economies (Banhazi et al., 2012).

Literature Review

Literature review in research is significant to have an assessment of available texts that serve as the basis for the identification of necessary variables that form part of the conceptual model in the present research. The Literature review section in this paper is divided into three parts:

• background of the study
• theoretical framework
• related studies.

Background of the Study

The study emanates from the pressing imperative to address systemic inefficiencies, structural inequities, and resource paucity within rural economies by exploring how the transformative nexus of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and agripreneurial innovation can be harnessed within knowledge-driven ecosystems, expanding digital infrastructure, and adaptive capacity-building. Together, these dynamics aim to recalibrate socio-economic frameworks, fortify ecological resilience, and accelerate the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) amidst the complex challenges posed by globalisation, climate volatility, and demographic transitions.

Background of the Study

Theories are the foundation of a research paper's structure. The conceptual model (Figure 2) of the present research is based on the integration of five theories, as shown in Table 2. By borrowing the principles of these theories, the present research attempts to explore the Adoption of Innovation in Sustainable Agriculture.

Table 2
Theoretical Framework

Source: authors’ own work based on the sources listed with each theory.

Behind levying pertinent theories, it is also essential to scan related studies of present research. The subsequent division furnishes an exhaustive discussion of the hypothesis and ex-literature connected to it, recreating a paramount position in approximating recent developments with earlier consequences, in order to devise a research framework for prospective examinations.

Related Studies

The present research contains five hypotheses, shown in Table 3, each assuming a relationship between two variables, which will be tested by running Bootstrapping in the Data Analysis section of the Present research. Table 3 also contains several studies supporting the reasoning behind framing a specific hypothesis.

Table 3
Related Studies

Source: authors’ own work based on the sources listed with each related study.

Research Methodology

Multi-stage sampling was employed to collect responses from the state of Maharashtra, India, to achieve the research objectives. Given its heterogeneous agro-climatic conditions, progressive adoption of agritech innovations, and robust digital infrastructure bolstered by extensive rural connectivity initiatives, Maharashtra emerges as a quintessential locus for examining the intersection of agripreneurial innovation, sustainable resource management, and ICT-driven knowledge dissemination. Multi-stage sampling is a blend of stratified and convenience sampling. In Stratified sampling, groups are made from regions of research on a specific basis, and then data is collected from those groups on a random basis. However, instead of choosing respondents randomly, in the present research data is collected from them on the basis of convenience.

Table 4
Demography of Respondents

Source: authors’ own work.

Table 4 contains a demographic breakdown of the respondent's profile, with the sample stratified based on four regions: Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Aurangabad. These regions are strategically significant due to their distinct agro-ecological zones, substantial smallholder farmer populations, burgeoning agritech hubs, and well-established institutional frameworks that collectively facilitate the gathering of diverse, representative and nuanced data sets essential for comprehensively analysing ICT-enabled agripreneurial innovations. The sample size is 368 respondents, which is appropriate for G*power software as per calculations shown in Figure 1. According to the software, the minimum sample size is 164, so the sample size in this case is more than double the minimum sample size.

Figure 1
Minimum Sample Size

Source: authors’ own work.

The respondents were given the research instrument as in the attached Appendix. The data on this research instrument was collected using the direct personal investigation method, as the farmers from the area needed detailed information regarding the essence of the question. To ensure that the respondents grasped the question appropriately, each question was explained systematically to the respondents before recording their responses.

After following the methodology stated in the current section, the next step was to run data in SMART PLS 4 software. The next section shows the results of running data in the required software, which forms the basis for further discussion.

The following processes are applied to obtain the results:

Data Analysis

Data analysis is a dual stage process in current research:

• PLS Algorithm
• Bootstrapping.

Figure 1
PLS Algorithm/Conceptual Model

Source: authors’ own work.

The results depicted in the PLS structural model (Figure 2) illustrate the relationships and influence of ICT literacy and access to ICT infrastructure on knowledge acquisition for sustainable practices and its subsequent impact on sustainable agripreneurial innovation adoption. The path coefficients (e.g. 0.330, 0.205, 0.161) indicate the strength and direction of relationships, the R² values (0.206 and 0.283) demonstrate the explanatory power of dependent variables, and the outer loadings validate the constructs’ reliability, highlighting significant contributions of SDG-aligned variables such as ease of learning, cost-effectiveness, and technical support to sustainability goals.

Table 5
Construct Reliability and Validity

Source: authors’ own work.

The construct reliability and validity results (Table 5) indicate strong internal consistency and convergent validity for all constructs. This is evidenced by high Cronbach's alpha (ranging from 0.873 to 0.937) and composite reliability (rho_c ranging from 0.904 to 0.955), along with average variance extracted (AVE) values exceeding the threshold of 0.50 (ranging from 0.614 to 0.842), confirming that the measurement model is robust and reliably captures the intended dimensions of access to ICT infrastructure, ICT literacy, knowledge acquisition for sustainable practices, and sustainable agripreneurial innovation adoption.

Table 6
HTMT

Source: authors’ own work.

The Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT) values (Table 6), all below the recommended threshold of 0.85 (ranging from 0.369 to 0.495), confirm the discriminant validity of the constructs, indicating that access to ICT infrastructure, ICT literacy, knowledge acquisition for sustainable practices, and sustainable agripreneurial innovation adoption are empirically distinct while maintaining meaningful interrelationships.

Table 7
Hypothesis Testing

Source: authors’ own work.

The hypothesis testing results in Table 7 confirm that all the hypothesised relationships are statistically significant, as indicated by high t-statistics (ranging from 2.735 to 5.944) and low p-values (≤ 0.006). This demonstrates that access to ICT infrastructure positively influences both knowledge acquisition for sustainable practices (β = 0.194, p = 0.001) and sustainable agripreneurial innovation adoption (β = 0.205, p = 0.002), ICT literacy significantly impacts knowledge acquisition (β = 0.330, p = 0.000) and innovation adoption (β = 0.161, p = 0.006), and knowledge acquisition strongly drives sustainable agripreneurial innovation adoption (β = 0.312, p = 0.000), thereby validating the critical role of ICT resources and literacy in fostering sustainability-aligned innovations.

Discussion

The conclusions from our analysis indicate a significant favourable consequence of access to ICT infrastructure and ICT literacy on knowledge acquisition for sustainable practices, which in turn entirely influences sustainable agribusiness innovation adoption. These associations are in line with the academic bases that underpin the adoption of Information and Communications Technology integrated resolutions in farming and green growth of the agricultural sector. The robust association amongst access to ICT infrastructure and knowledge acquisition for sustainable practices reveals that augmented access to Information and Communications Technology infrastructure equips agrarian agripreneurs with a practical understanding of sustainable approaches, a consequence that is uniform with previous analyses (e.g. Maniriho, 2024) that highlight how potent Information and Communications Technology infrastructure enables bridge knowledge apertures, particularly in resource-constrained agrarian backdrops. Additionally, the connection between Access to ICT infrastructure and sustainable agripreneurial innovation adoption demonstrates that enhanced digital connectivity and technical accessibility facilitate the adoption of ingenious and sustainable agrarian practices. This finding parallels the developments of Klimova et al. (2016) and Somers and Stapleton, (2012) who discovered that agriculturalists with steadfast internet access and Information and Communications Technology resources were more willing to incorporate environmentally amicable techniques and progressive agri-tech resolution.

Case Study for Policy Implications

Additionally, a case study of E-Choupal has been included to provide a practical perspicuity into agripreneurial innovations ameliorated by ICT. The case mentioned provides an assessment of how leveraging ICT can help achieve the SDGs through the development of rural economies (Mathew, 2018).

E-Choupal combines information technology and agricultural practices to foster the development of an agripreneurial class, enabling informed decision-making based on knowledge-driven practices. The platform is established by ITC (Indian Tobacco Company). The e-Choupal initiative epitomises the transformative integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in agripreneurial ecosystems, facilitating a paradigm shift in rural agricultural practices by empowering farmers through digital enablement—leveraging decentralised kiosks that provide real-time meteorological insights, market intelligence, and agronomic advisories, thereby circumventing traditional supply chain bottlenecks, enhancing price discovery mechanisms, and fostering agripreneurial self-reliance in an era marked by technological convergence and disruptive innovation in the global agribusiness landscape. The given platform provides access to ICT infrastructure, which is not possible for an individual farmer or a group of farmers to develop. This accessibility provides reliable and pocket-friendly information to farmers, accompanied by technical support to inform their decision-making. The presence of the most up-to-date and accurate information brings innovation to agricultural ventures, facilitating the sustainable adoption of farming practices. If a farmer (agripreneur) can acquire ICT literacy, knowledge of sustainable practices becomes practical, promoting innovative advancements in sustainable agriculture.

Limitations of the Study

The present study provides meaningful insights into introducing sustainability to the lives of farmers through ICT-based decision-making, but there are a few limitations that need to be specified, despite their relatively minor impact. The present study employs the PLS SEM quantitative research technique while excluding qualitative statistical methods, as they were outside the scope of the current study. The technique of the PLS Algorithm and Bootstrapping is applied in the current research, rather than CB-Based SEM, as it does not involve an exact application of the theory. The present study demonstrates high internal consistency and convergent validity, ensuring that the constructs accurately reflect their underlying concepts; however, it over-relies on internal consistency metrics without addressing potential response biases. Additionally, the application of HTMT may result in conceptual overlap, although multiple tests confirm that the constructs are distinct and well-defined, provided they are grounded in more robust qualitative validation.

Conclusion

The present research shows a statistically significant connection between the dependent and independent variables. The results obtained from the analysis provide beneficial insights by clarifying the terms of policy-making for achieving sustainability in farming, while at the same time, in framing policies, maximum importance must be given to knowledge acquisition, as it has a maximum beta value of 0.312, which means that knowledge has the most decisive influence on innovation adoption in sustainable farming. The second most influential predictor is Access to ICT, which impacts sustainable agriculture, as well as statistically significantly influences the response variable and should therefore play a significant role in the policy framework for rural development. The ICT infrastructure must be accessible to all farmers and should be within their purchasing power, considering their economic status, with the government supposed to give subsidies or interest-free loans to farmers who are willing to adopt ICT infrastructure. The last explanatory variable is ICT Literacy, which is also found to be statistically significant but with the lowest beta value of 0.161. However, despite the minimum value of beta, its contribution to impacting the dependent variable cannot be ignored, as it has a p-value of less than 0.05, making it necessary to develop a practical framework to raise awareness about the usage and benefits of ICT in achieving the goal of sustainable agriculture. In a nutshell, it is essential to embrace all input variables in policy formulation to achieve a robust impact on sustainable entrepreneurial innovation adoption.

Appendix

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