Digital Literacy, Social Media, and Farmer Competitiveness: A Systematic Review of Affiliate Marketing in Agriculture

Abstract

The development of digital technology has opened up great opportunities for the agribusiness sector through the use of social media, including TikTok Affiliate, as a marketing strategy for agricultural products. However, low digital literacy, limited access to infrastructure, and social and psychological barriers remain challenges. A research gap has been identified in the lack of studies that specifically assess farmers' readiness to adopt TikTok Affiliate and its relationship with competitiveness and farm income. This study aims to analyse the factors that influence farmers' readiness, measure their level of readiness in utilising TikTok Affiliate, and examine the relationship between this readiness and increased competitiveness and farm income. The study uses a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach with the PRISMA protocol. Literature sources were obtained from Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, DOAJ, and CAB Abstracts. Inclusion criteria included English-language empirical articles from 2019–2025, while study quality was assessed using MMAT. Data were extracted and analysed using thematic analysis assisted by NVivo 14 to identify main themes. A total of 40 relevant studies were identified. The analysis yielded nine key factors influencing adoption readiness, with digital literacy and infrastructure access occupying a dominant position. Farmers' readiness levels were divided into three categories: high (38.9%), moderate (33.3%), and low (27.8%). The relationship between readiness and competitiveness and income was significant, particularly in terms of market access expansion, increased brand awareness, distribution efficiency, and improved economic welfare. Farmer readiness is multidimensional, influenced by technical, social, psychological, economic, and policy aspects. This study contributes to the development of intervention strategies based on digital literacy, training, and pro-digitalisation policies to accelerate agribusiness transformation. Further field studies are recommended to validate the results of this SLR.