Information flow among farmers in the acceleration of agriculture 4.0

Abstract

Abstract To adopt agriculture 4.0, farmers need to adapt to a new digital-based environment and the speed of its information flow. Many studies have found that the biggest obstacle to agriculture 4.0 (Smart Farming) in Indonesia is the gap in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills at the farmer level. However, some farmers managed to adopt agriculture 4.0. These farmers come from millennial and non-millennial generations (generation x). This study aims to analyze and describe the flow of information on agriculture 4.0 at the farmer level which enables them to adopt agriculture 4.0. Using multiple-case study approach, this study sought to reveal a holistic picture of the information flow in two cases of horticultural farmers in Ngablak, Magelang, Central Java. The cases studied were information flows among millennial farmers and non-millennial farmers. From the interactive analysis results, this study found several different flow patterns in the process of searching and distributing information related to smart farming and online marketing in both cases. This study also found the role of millennial farmers and the collaboration between millennial and non-millennial farmers in adopting agriculture 4.0. The millennial farmers serve as liaisons and information providers for non-millennial farmers.