Digital transformation of agricultural machinery and its impact on the development of agriculture in Russia

Introduction. Digital transformation of agricultural machinery is expected to contribute to the modernization of the agricultural sector. However, current studies suggest ambiguity or lack of any significant impact from the use of advanced technologies by farmers. Purpose. This study aims at analyzing the impact of digital transformations in the Russian agricultural machinery on agricultural development and identifying quantitative and qualitative changes. Materials and Methods. To characterize digital transformations in agriculture, indicators related to the use of ICT were referred to. A correlation analysis was conducted to identify relationships between the indicators of agricultural machinery digitalization and the modernization indicators. Results. Various digital technologies implemented in the domestic agricultural machinery have varied impact on the growth of some agricultural sectors. These technologies demonstrate both direct and indirect correlations with the agricultural sector. Qualitative transformations in the agricultural sector of the economy are primarily associated with the introduction of smart solutions. Other digital solutions demonstrate a stronger connection with quantitative metrics. The cost of training employees and the cost of software show a weak correlation with the indicators of agricultural development. Digital communication technologies have a limited effect on the performance of agricultural production. At the same time, agribusiness shows strong feedback between the cost of digitalization and financial performance. Conclusions. The strength and direction of the relationship between digitalization in agriculture and the use of various types of digital technology in different sectors of agriculture largely depends on the specific technologies used. This illustrates the need to introduce business models in agricultural machinery that could provide tailored solutions for farmers, considering the specific natural, climatic, and landscape factors. These findings are significant in determining the directions for digital development of domestic agricultural equipment as part of the transition towards Agriculture 4.0.