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Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution is transforming agricultural production systems worldwide. Often described as Agriculture 4.0, this transformation involves the integration of artificial intelligence, robotics, sensor networks, and digital platforms into farming practices. While these innovations promise improvements in productivity, efficiency, and market connectivity, their social implications, particularly for rural labour systems and gender equality, remain insufficiently understood. This study examines the intersection of digital agricultural transformation, gendered labour relations, and local governance within the context of horticultural agriculture in Indonesia. Drawing on qualitative policy analysis, institutional review, and secondary data, the research explores how local communities negotiate the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies and how these processes reshape rural labour structures. The findings show that technological adoption is often selective and socially mediated. Rather than fully automating production, farmer groups frequently integrate digital tools in post-harvest processing and marketing while retaining labour-intensive practices in cultivation stages to preserve employment and community welfare. The research further highlights the critical role of local governance institutions, such as farmer groups and cooperatives, in shaping inclusive technological transitions. The study contributes to scholarship on digital agriculture by integrating workforce planning theory, feminist political economy, and governance analysis to explain how technological change is negotiated within rural societies. It concludes that inclusive digital agricultural transformation requires coordinated governance frameworks, gender-responsive policies, and community-based approaches to technology adoption that prioritise social equity alongside technological innovation
Figure 1 Figure 1. Conceptual framework of digital transformation and labour restructuring in agriculture 4.0
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APA 7th edition
In-text citation: (Gatiningsih et al., 2026)
Reference: Gatiningsih, G., Prihandono, A., & Rusfiana, Y. (2026). Gendered labour and local wisdom in digital agriculture workforce planning. Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics, 10(2), Article 12. https://doi.org/10.20897/femenc/18846
AMA 10th edition
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Gatiningsih G, Prihandono A, Rusfiana Y. Gendered labour and local wisdom in digital agriculture workforce planning. Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics. 2026;10(2), 12. https://doi.org/10.20897/femenc/18846
Chicago
In-text citation: (Gatiningsih et al., 2026)
Reference: Gatiningsih, Gatiningsih, Aris Prihandono, and Yudi Rusfiana. "Gendered labour and local wisdom in digital agriculture workforce planning". Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics 2026 10 no. 2 (2026): 12. https://doi.org/10.20897/femenc/18846
Harvard
In-text citation: (Gatiningsih et al., 2026)
Reference: Gatiningsih, G., Prihandono, A., and Rusfiana, Y. (2026). Gendered labour and local wisdom in digital agriculture workforce planning. Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics, 10(2), 12. https://doi.org/10.20897/femenc/18846
MLA
In-text citation: (Gatiningsih et al., 2026)
Reference: Gatiningsih, Gatiningsih et al. "Gendered labour and local wisdom in digital agriculture workforce planning". Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics, vol. 10, no. 2, 2026, 12. https://doi.org/10.20897/femenc/18846
Vancouver
In-text citation: (1), (2), (3), etc.
Reference: Gatiningsih G, Prihandono A, Rusfiana Y. Gendered labour and local wisdom in digital agriculture workforce planning. Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics. 2026;10(2):12. https://doi.org/10.20897/femenc/18846
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