Agricultural innovations for sustainable environment and profitable farming

Abstract

There has been much research on innovations that have emerged in global agricultural systems, including greenhouse farming, hydroponics, precision agriculture, and organic farming. However, much of the research to date has focused on measuring these technologies separately or using very limited performance metrics (e.g., yield). This lack of context, combined with the lack of information regarding the degree to which different technologies may be adopted, creates challenges related to understanding the economic feasibility of different agricultural innovations as well as evaluating their role in sustainable transitions. Purpose: This study systematically reviews and critically examines major agricultural innovation pathways and their role in enabling sustainability transitions. Using Socio-Technical Transition Theory (STT) and Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), it evaluates the environmental and economic sustainability of agricultural innovations reported in peer-reviewed literature published between 2003 and 2025. Method: A PRISMA-aligned, qualitative literature review was conducted using a variety of databases like Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Wiley Online Library, and Google Scholar to identify published studies focused on agricultural innovation initiatives for which the author had access to full-text articles. Thematic synthesis of the collected data was used to interpret: 1) innovation performance, 2) institutional alignment with innovation, and 3) adoption pattern of the above innovations. Findings/Results: No single agricultural innovation emerged as universally superior in terms of sustainability performance. While greenhouse farming and hydroponics achieve high productivity and resource efficiency, they require considerable investments to attain economic viability. Precision agriculture improves input management and reduces production risks but demonstrates greater effectiveness in large-scale farming systems than in smallholder settings, highlighting the context-specific nature of agricultural sustainability transitions. Substantial heterogeneity (I² > 90%) highlighted environmental and management influences but did not negate consistent positive breed performance. Overall, the evidence confirms that the Kalahari Red goat integrates productivity and resilience, supporting its strategic role in climate-smart genetic improvement programs.