Agricultural Horizons: Research, Technology and Sustainable Development Vol. 5

Agricultural extension is increasingly delivered through networked digital environments in which farmers, extension personnel, researchers, input suppliers and peer communities exchange information in real time. Social media has particular appeal because it can combine low-cost distribution, multimedia demonstration, interpersonal interaction and farmer-to-farmer learning at scales that conventional face-to-face extension often cannot sustain. This critical narrative review examines how social media influences agricultural information flows, who it reaches, and whether observed changes extend from access and knowledge to farming practices, productivity and livelihoods. Literature published from 1 January 2010 to 18 July 2026 was examined, while earlier methodological sources were retained when necessary. The synthesis distinguishes social media from broader mobile and digital advisory services and evaluates direct social-media evidence alongside stronger causal evidence from adjacent digital-extension research. Across the literature, the most consistent advantages concern speed, responsiveness, peer exchange, multimedia communication and the ability to maintain contact between visits. Evidence for expanded reach is substantial but conditional: device ownership, data cost, connectivity, digital literacy, language, age, gender, education and pre-existing social networks shape who participates and who remains invisible. Evidence for farmer outcomes weakens along the causal chain. Knowledge, attitudes and reported practice changes are frequently positive, but many studies rely on cross-sectional surveys, selected users, self-reported outcomes or short pre-post designs. Direct causal evidence that social media alone improves yield, income or welfare remains limited. The review therefore argues that social media is best understood as a socio-technical extension layer rather than a substitute for extension systems. Its value depends on expert moderation, local relevance, trusted relationships, inclusive access, feedback mechanisms and integration with field-based support. Future research should prioritise comparative and cluster-randomised designs, objective agronomic and economic outcomes, network spillovers, equity, misinformation, cost-effectiveness and governance.