From Safety to Sustainability: A Bibliometric Perspective on Technological Transformation in Agricultural Systems

Authors

  • Ghazi Mauer Idroes * Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Abulyatama, Aceh Besar, Indonesia. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6217-9067
  • Mussa Isaack Delya Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) - Kihinga Center, Kigoma P.O. Box 132, Tanzania.
  • Erick Hironimus Kihwili Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) - Tumbi, Tabora, P.O. Box 306, Tanzania.
  • Mhd. Hidayattullah Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Abulyatama, Aceh Besar, Indonesia.
  • Taufiq Karma Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Abulyatama, Aceh Besar, Indonesia.
  • Wildan Seni Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Abulyatama, Aceh Besar, Indonesia.
  • Zahriah Zahriah Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia.

https://doi.org/10.48313/iee.v2i1.69

Abstract

Agricultural systems are undergoing rapid transformation driven by technological innovation, environmental pressures, and increasing demands for sustainable production. However, the integration of worker safety within sustainability-oriented agricultural transitions remains insufficiently understood. This study aims to systematically map the scientific landscape of research related to occupational health and safety, technological innovation, and environmental sustainability in agricultural and agroindustrial systems using a bibliometric approach. Bibliographic data were collected from the Scopus database, resulting in 98 peer-reviewed articles published between 1981 and 2026. Bibliometric and network analyses were conducted using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to identify publication trends, influential contributors, collaborative structures, thematic evolution, and emerging research directions. The findings reveal a substantial increase in research activity after 2016, reflecting growing scientific attention toward integrating worker protection with sustainable agricultural transformation. The field's intellectual structure is dominated by interconnected themes, including risk assessment, ergonomics, climate-related exposure, mechanization, digital agriculture, artificial intelligence, wearable technologies, and environmental management. Thematic evolution analysis indicates a shift from conventional safety concerns to technology-driven, predictive approaches to agricultural risk management. The study also demonstrates that technological advancement simultaneously creates opportunities for improved efficiency and environmental monitoring while introducing new occupational risks and governance challenges. Although research productivity remains concentrated in developed economies, global collaboration is gradually expanding. Overall, the study highlights that future agricultural sustainability depends not only on environmental and technological performance but also on the creation of safe, inclusive, and socially resilient working systems.

Keywords:

Precision governance, Climate resilience, Smart farming, Socio-technical systems, Labor vulnerability

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Published

2026-03-25

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Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026): Innovations in Environmental Economics (IEE)

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Articles

How to Cite

From Safety to Sustainability: A Bibliometric Perspective on Technological Transformation in Agricultural Systems. (2026). Innovations in Environmental Economics , 2(1), 81-103. https://doi.org/10.48313/iee.v2i1.69

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