Instagram Reels in Farm Technology Transfer in India Content, Engagement, Institutional Support and Emerging Agripreneurial Opportunities— A Narrative Review

Abstract

Instagram Reels have emerged as a highly visible short-video format for sharing agricultural practices, technologies, schemes and farm-enterprise experiences in India. This narrative review examines their potential role in farm technology transfer through four connected dimensions: content, engagement, institutional support and agripreneurial opportunity. The evidence base was updated in August 2026 through targeted scholarly searches of publisher and DOI-indexed sources on agricultural social media, digital extension, farmer communication, adoption and misinformation, supplemented by primary ICAR and Government of India documents and an explicitly descriptive August 2026 snapshot of selected Indian agricultural Instagram accounts. The evidence indicates an opportunity-capacity gap. In a study covering 145 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), 15.33% reported an Instagram presence, compared with 97.33% participation in farmer WhatsApp groups. Selected creator accounts also show substantial heterogeneity in followers and estimated average Reel views. These platform metrics indicate visibility and interaction, not scientific credibility, unique farmer reach, knowledge gain or adoption. Reels appear most defensible as an awareness, demonstration and discovery layer within a broader extension system. Local validation, risk-specific advice, trial and sustained adoption still require technical institutions, demonstrations and interpersonal follow-up. The review therefore proposes an integrated model in which institutions validate agricultural messages, creators and trained communicators translate them into accessible regional-language short videos, and extension systems provide referral, follow-up and outcome verification. It also outlines potential roles for agricultural graduates in evidence-based content creation, digital advisory, training, agrimarketing and technology-enabled services. Future studies should use reproducible account sampling, platform-native analytics and farmer-level longitudinal measures that distinguish exposure from verified practice change.