A narrative that frequently emerges in national agricultural discussions is the assumption that our farmers are lagging behind because they are reluctant to adopt modern technology. Spraying drones, soil sensors, and weather apps are regarded as untouchable luxury goods simply because farmers are deemed too traditional or too comfortable with old ways. However, this view tends to oversimplify a much more complex reality on the ground.
BPS (Statistics Indonesia) data from 2023 shows that millions of our farmers still operate in regions with inadequate internet infrastructure. The presence of agritech startups offering AI-based solutions often overlooks ground realities, such as uneven 4G coverage or the scarcity of capable smartphones among farmers in remote areas.
In addition to access barriers, the issue of opportunity costs serves as a major hurdle. With average land ownership under 0.5 hectares, farmers' profit margins are razor-thin. Investing in technological devices or app operational costs becomes a risky economic burden, where any misstep could threaten their family's survival the following week.
Another crucial, often overlooked factor is the issue of trust. Farmers share a collective memory of government programs or past technologies that promised progress but ended up causing dependency on high production costs or broken equipment left without repair support. This breeds skepticism toward "top-down" approaches designed behind office desks without directly involving the farmers as active participants.
To break this cycle of failure, the government needs to overhaul its digitalization strategy. Instead of forcing technology, innovation must be driven by the real needs of farmers in the field. Literacy training must go hand in hand with the deployment of equitable infrastructure. Trust cannot be built through presentations or efficiency jargon, but rather through tangible proof that technology serves as a tool capable of solving their everyday problems.
