The evolution of agricultural machinery and the transition to digital automation in agriculture are closely linked to the stages of industrial revolutions, which have constantly and significantly changed the technological capabilities of humanity and social needs. The relevance of this topic stems from the need to study the processes during which the historical development of industrial transformations influenced the modernization of agricultural practices and shaped the current state of smart agriculture. In an era of dynamic global change, the issues of food security, adaptation to climate challenges and sustainable use of resources remain a priority, which leads to the active introduction of the latest agricultural technologies, the origins of which date back to the stages of previous industrial revolutions.

This study aims to trace and specify how each wave of the industrial revolutions (First to Fourth) influenced the degree of transformation of agricultural machinery – from primary mechanization to the introduction of digital and automated solutions in the modern agricultural sector. The achievements of some prominent agricultural scientists in terms of their contribution to the development and formation of agricultural machinery are emphasized.

Archival documents from the funds of the Central State Scientific and Technical Archive of Ukraine have become a valuable historical source for reconstructing a wide range of problems and tasks that were solved in the industry. A step-by-step analysis of the impact of industrial revolutions on the development of agriculture was carried out. In particular, it is shown how the First Industrial Revolution contributed to the introduction of mechanized tools to reduce human physical effort; the Second Industrial Revolution increased production efficiency through the use of engines and chemical innovations; the Third Industrial Revolution pioneered the use of digital technologies and satellite systems, while the Fourth Industrial Revolution created new opportunities through the integration of artificial intelligence, robotics and precision data management systems, radically changing approaches to agricultural production. The analysis reveals the cumulative impact of industrial progress on agricultural practices, where each stage not only contributed to the emergence of new tools but also changed production systems and agriculture.

The conclusions emphasize that the historical context of the industrial revolutions forms an important basis for understanding the current digital transformation of agriculture, contributing to a more informed and targeted introduction of technology into agricultural practice. This understanding is essential for the development of effective policies and innovative solutions aimed at ensuring that technological progress is accessible to all stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

1. Melnychenko, S., Morozova, O., & Bohadorova, L. (2021). Spatial-temporal dynamics of qualitative changes in efficiency of agricultural production in agricultural holdings of Ukraine in 2015 and 2019. Bulletin of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Economic Series, 101, 45–58. https://doi.org/10.26565/2311-2379-2021-101-05 [In Ukrainian].
2. Melnychenko, S. G., Bohadorova, L. M., & Markeliuk, A. V. (2021). Spatial-temporal changes in the growing of grain and leguminous plants in Kherson region. Man and Environment. Issues of Neoecology, 35, 140–150. https://doi.org/10.26565/1992-4224-2021-35-13 [In Ukrainian].
3. Koliadenko, S. V., Saulko, D. P., & Mazur, V. V. (2024). Formuvannia smart-promyslovosti v ahrarnomu sektori ekonomiky na osnovi tsyfrovoho rozvytku [Formation of smart industry in the agricultural sector of the economy based on digital development]. Internauka. Seriia: Ekonomichni nauky – Internauka. Series: Economic Sciences, 2 (82), 94–102. https://doi.org/10.25313/2520-2294-2024-2-9653 [In Ukrainian].
4. Bila, S. (2020). Stratehii vyrobnytstva ahrarnoi produktsii: svitovyi dosvid [Strategies for agricultural production: world experience]. Ekonomichnyi visnyk universytetu – University Economic Bulletin, 45, 7–21. https://doi.org/10.31470/2306-546X-2020-45-07-21 [In Ukrainian].
5. Dubiei, Yu. V. (2023). Tekhnika ta tekhnolohiia v systemi determinant sotsialno-ekonomichnoho rozvytku suspilstva [Technology and equipment in the system of determinants of socio-economic development of society]. Ekonomichnyi visnyk Dniprovskoi politekhniky – Economic Bulletin of the Dnipro Polytechnic Institute, 4, 53–57. https://doi.org/10.33271/ebdut/84.053 [In Ukrainian].
6. Kopytko, M., & Zaverukha, D. (2021). Kliuchovi aspekty vplyvu industrii 4.0 na ekonomichnu bezpeku derzhavy [Key aspects of the impact of Industry 4.0 on the economic security of the state]. Sotsialno-pravovi studii – Socio-legal studies, 4 (4), 117–122. https://doi.org/10.32518/2617-4162-2021-4-117-122 [In Ukrainian].
7. Markina, M. (2024). Evoliutsiinyi rozvytok zemlekorystuvannia ta yoho rol u prostorovomu planuvanni v Ukraini [Evolutionary development of land use and its role in spatial planning in Ukraine]. Modeling the Development of the Economic Systems, 4, 296–303. https://doi.org/10.31891/mdes/2024-14-39 [In Ukrainian].
8. Ostapchuk, O., & Mykolaichuk, V. (2024). Tekhnolohichni innovatsii yak kliuchovyi chynnyk konkurentospromozhnosti na hlobalnomu rynku [Technological innovations as a key factor of competitiveness in the global market]. Visnyk Khmelnytskoho natsionalnoho universytetu. Seriia: Ekonomichni nauky – Bulletin of Khmelnytskyi National University. Series: Economic Sciences, 332 (4), 181–187. https://doi.org/10.31891/2307-5740-2024-332-26 [In Ukrainian].
9. Negrej, M. V., & Klimenko, N. A. (2024). Cifrova transformaciya silskogo gospodarstva: analiz agrotehnologichnogo landshaftu Ukrayini [Digital transformation of agriculture: analysis of Ukraine's agro-technological landscape]. Agrosvit, 5. 61–69. https://doi.org/10.32702/2306-6792.2024.5.61 [In Ukrainian].
10. Balyshev, M. A., & Holubkina G. S. (2024). Novi funkcionalni ta metodologichni pidhodi u diyalnosti Centralnogo derzhavnogo naukovo-tehnichnogo arhivu Ukrayini [New functional and methodological approaches in the activities of the Central State Scientific and Technical Archive of Ukraine]. Nauka ta naukoznavstvo – Science and Science of Science, 2. 126–145. https://doi.org/10.15407/sofs2024.02.126 [In Ukrainian].
11. Bondarchuk, Ya. (2024). Heneza ta potochnyi rozvytok lanok promyslovoi revoliutsii [Genesis and current development of industrial revolution stages]. Ekonomika ta suspilstvo – Economy and society, 64. 175–180. https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2024-64-72 [In Ukrainian].
12. Balyshev, M. A., & Holubkina G. S. (2024). Rozvitok konstruktorskoyi diyalnosti v Ukrayini v 1930-h – 1970-h rokah na prikladi retroinformaciyi z fondiv CDNTA Ukrayini [Development of design activity in Ukraine in the 1930s - 1970s on the example of retroinformation from the funds of the Central State Scientific and Technical Archive of Ukraine]. Arhivi Ukrayini – Archives of Ukraine, 3. 97–116. https://doi.org/10.47315/archives2024.340.097 [In Ukrainian].
13. Balyshev, M. A., Alekseenko, A. O., & Koval, Yu. Yu. (2018). Silskogospodarska tehnika u dokumentah CDNTA Ukrayini: dovidkovo-informacijne vidannya [Agricultural machinery in the documents of the Central State Scientific and Technical Archive of Ukraine: a reference and information publication]. Kharkiv: CSSTA of Ukraine [In Ukrainian].
14. Nikitin, D. V. (2022). Svitovi promyslovi revoliutsii yak osnova nanotekhnolohichnykh transformatsii [World industrial revolutions as the basis for nanotechnological transformations]. Upravlinnia zminamy ta innovatsii – Change management and innovation, 3, 61–65. https://doi.org/10.32782/CMI/2022-3-11 [In Ukrainian].
15. Chu, A. C., Peretto, P. F., & Wang, X. (2022). Agricultural revolution and industrialization. Journal of Development Economics, 158. 1–15 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2022.102887 [In English].
16. Derkach, O. P. (2025). Stanovlennia teoretychnykh osnov vyprobuvan zemlerobskykh mashyn v Ukraini (druha polovyna XIX – pochatok XX st.) [Formation of theoretical foundations of testing of agricultural machinery in Ukraine (second half of the nineteenth – early twentieth century)]. Istoriia nauky i biohrafistyka – History of science and biography, 1, 22–38. https://doi.org/10.31073/istnauka202501-02 [In Ukrainian].
17. Groumpos, P. P. (2021). A critical historical and scientific overview of all industrial revolutions. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 54(13), 464–471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2021.10.492 [In English].
18. Thomes, P. (2022). Industry–Between evolution and revolution: A historical perspective. In Handbook Industry 4.0. Law, Technology, Society. (pp.1119–1138). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-64448-5_58 [In English].
19. Sparrow, R., & Howard, M. (2021). Robots in agriculture: Prospects, impacts, ethics, and policy. Precision Agriculture, 22, 818–833. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-020-09757-9 [In English].
20. Frankelius, P., & von Rosen, M. (2023). Towards the fifth innovation era in agricultural innovation. In Agricultural Bioeconomy. Innovation and Foresight in the Post-COVID Era. London, England: Academic Press (pp.205–229). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90569-5.00003-2 [In English].
21. Ziatdinov, R., Atteraya, M. S., & Nabiyev, R. (2024). The fifth industrial revolution as a transformative step towards society 5.0. Societies, 14(2). 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14020019 [In English].