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Sociology of Agriculture and Food (SAFRIG)

Data centers as big-data infrastructure in agricultural landscapes: A review of social, environmental, and governance implications Ayorinde Ogunyiola*, Ayorinde Ogunyiola,

The rapid expansion of data centers across the United States has become a defining feature of the digital economy, serving as the physical backbone of big data, artificial intelligence, and predictive technologies increasingly embedded in agriculture and food systems. While the energy and environmental footprints of data centers have been widely examined, far less attention has been paid to their siting within agricultural and rural landscapes and the implications this poses for land use, resource governance, and rural communities. As hyperscale “server farms” are increasingly located on or near farmland, they raise critical questions about competition for land, water, and energy, as well as the social and political processes through which these infrastructures are planned, regulated, and contested.

This paper presents findings from a systematic review of peer-reviewed research on data centers and related digital infrastructures in agricultural and rural contexts. Following the ROSES protocol for environmental research, the review synthesizes interdisciplinary scholarship spanning rural sociology, environmental governance, energy studies, spatial planning, and digital agriculture. It is guided by the central question: What does existing empirical literature reveal about the social, environmental, and governance implications of data centers and big-data infrastructure in agricultural and rural landscapes?

Conceptually, the review frames data centers as relational assemblages that reconfigure interactions among land, water, energy, labor, and political authority. The findings identify recurring patterns in energy demand and emissions, land conversion, and agricultural displacement, and also examine governance challenges related to regulatory compliance, participatory decision-making, transparency, and public trust.

By mapping the current evidence base and identifying key empirical and conceptual gaps, this review highlights the need for agriculture-centered research on the siting and governance of digital infrastructure. The paper concludes by outlining a future research agenda focused on farmer perceptions, resource competition, and participatory governance, contributing to broader debates on the social implications of emerging digital technologies in agrifood systems.