DIGITAL TRACEABILITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT AS DRIVERS OF FARMER BARGAINING POWER AND FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE IN EMERGING AGRIBUSINESS MARKETS

Abstract

The article presents a secondary review of the influence of digital traceability and psychological empowerment on the formation of sources of power, such as bargaining power among farmers, and on the resilience of food supply chains in emerging agribusiness markets. It has a selectively split evidence design. Only the review and theory articles are dedicated to developing the conceptual lens. In contrast, the results are based on 20 main empirical studies on traceability systems, blockchain, Internet of Things adoption, e-commerce, smart farming, contract farming, and the resilience of the digital economy. The thematic analysis reveals that traceability can reinforce bargaining power by transforming product origin, product quality, and transaction records into reliable information that farmers can use to negotiate. Nevertheless, digital records rarely alter the power balance. This is advantageous to farmers when systems enhance competence, perceived control, channel choice, and confidence in entering into contracts, cooperatives, direct sales, or premium markets. Powerful ones comprise surveys of large farms, panel data, structural equation modelling or case evidence, but numerous studies are cross-sectional, intention-based, China-centred and weakly causal in identification. The review concludes that traceability is not a disinterested technical solution. Under inclusive institutional circumstances, it can facilitate visibility, market access, and resilience. Under imbalanced terms, it may exacerbate compliance expenses and supplier monitoring.