Farmers' Lived Experiences of Adopting Digital Technologies in Agriculture
Main Article Content
Abstract
The integration of digital technologies in agriculture has gained significant attention as a means to improve productivity and resilience. However, existing research predominantly focuses on technical outcomes, overlooking the subjective experiences and perceptions of farmers. This study addresses the knowledge gap by exploring the lived experiences of farmers in adopting digital technologies in agriculture, focusing on the socio-cultural and personal factors that influence this process. We employ a phenomenological approach, specifically Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), to gain a deeper understanding of the meanings that farmers attach to their interactions with digital tools. Through in-depth interviews with 15 farmers, we identify key themes such as the generational divide, infrastructure limitations, and the role of community influence in technology adoption. To ensure the trustworthiness of the findings, member checking, peer debriefing, and systematic coding procedures were employed throughout the analysis process.Our findings reveal that the adoption process is not purely technical but is heavily shaped by social and cultural dynamics, emphasizing the need for contextually relevant and culturally sensitive approaches to technology integration. These results contribute to a more nuanced understanding of digital technology adoption in agriculture, highlighting the importance of addressing the human aspects of technology integration in future research and policy development.
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Antonić, J. J., Srok, A., & Vretenar, N. (2024). Blended Learning in the Spotlight of Educational Management-A Scientometric Analysis. Journal of Information and Organizational Sciences, 48(2), 279–294. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.31341/jios.48.2.3
Carreiras, H., & Castro, C. (2012). Qualitative methods in military studies: Research experiences and challenges (p. 194). Taylor and Francis. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203099223
Daly, K. J. (2007). Qualitative methods for family studies & human development (p. 293). SAGE Publications Inc. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452224800
Debernardini, M., Candel, J., & Schulte, R. P. O. (2025). From the ground up: Exploring European carbon farming through social practice theory. Journal of Rural Studies, 120. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103850
Dzalbe, S. (2025). Disrupted spaces: The impact of economic crisis on everyday life. Emotion, Space and Society, 57. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2025.101121
Erişen, Y., & Bavlı, B. (2026). Can we really teach the Generation Z? Opportunities and challenges at secondary level. Qualitative Research Journal, 26(1), 55–71. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-03-2024-0060
Fife, W. (2020). Counting as a Qualitative Method: Grappling with the Reliability Issue in Ethnographic Research (p. 140). Springer International Publishing. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34803-8
Hegarty, B., Jops, P., Gare, J., Greig, J., Aeno, H., Nosi, S., Holmes, A., Hezeri, P., Kabiu, D., Melepia, P. U., Majumdar, S. S., Kal, M., Du Cros, P., & Kelly-Hanku, A. (2025). Gendered knowledge practices and human-animal-ecological health in Papua New Guinea: A qualitative study during a zoonotic tuberculosis investigation. Social Science and Medicine, 380. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118151
Hillman, W., & Radel, K. (2018). Qualitative methods in tourism research: Theory and practice (p. 294). Channel View Publications. Scopus. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85050434848&partnerID=40&md5=7ea1e3f0b2027993b53f6a795804ee51
Illés, Z. S. (2025). Tacit knowledge of place: Sensory and artistic approaches for capturing and communicating tacit ecological knowledge. Art, Design and Communication in Higher Education, 24(1), 105–115. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1386/adch_00111_1
Iosifides, T. (2016). Qualitative Methods in Migration Studies: A Critical Realist Perspective (p. 266). Taylor and Francis. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315603124
Johansson, E., & van Beek, L. (2025). How crop models and government visions foreclose imaginaries of agroecological futures. Futures, 174. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2025.103701
Kawamura, Y. (2020). DOING RESEARCH IN FASHION AND DRESS: An Introduction to Qualitative Methods, 2nd edition (p. 166). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Scopus. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85188589040&partnerID=40&md5=b3db406659cd1ea5b20e05664bec39a3
Longhofer, J., Floersch, J., & Hoy, J. (2012). Qualitative Methods for Practice Research (p. 224). Oxford University Press. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195398472.001.0001
Lua, Z. Z., Seow, C. K., Chan, R. C. B., Cai, Y., & Cao, Q. (2025). Automated Bitcoin Trading dApp Using Price Prediction from a Deep Learning Model. Risks, 13(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3390/risks13010017
Lutz, W., & Knox, S. (2014). Quantitative and qualitative methods in psychotherapy research (p. 448). Taylor and Francis. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203386071
McNabb, D. E. (2015). Research methods for political science: Quantitative and qualitative methods: Second edition (p. 426). Taylor and Francis. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315701141
Migdal, A. B. (2018). Qualitative Methods in Quantum Theory (p. 460). CRC Press. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429497940
Mukhlis, L. (2025a). A Phenomenological Study of Personal Spiritual Experiences in Navigating Religious Pluralism within Interfaith Communities. Irfana: Journal of Religious Studies, 1(6), 212–220.
Mukhlis, L. (2025b). Spiritual Grounds for Economic Growth: A Qualitative Exploration of Rural Indonesian Women’s Transformative Journeys Through Mosque-Led Empowerment Programs. Servina: Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat, 1(8), 289–298.
Mukhlis, L., & Abdullah, M. N. (2025). Hukum Keluarga Islam di Indonesia (1st ed.). Mukhlisina Revolution Center.
Mukhlis, L., Arifin, T., Ridwan, A. H., & Zulbaidah. (2024). Integrating Artificial Intelligenceand Maqāṣid al-Syarī‘ah: Revolutionizing Indonesia’s Sharia Online Trading System. Computer Fraud and Security, 2024(11), 301–309. https://doi.org/10.52710/cfs.238
Mukhlis, L., Arifin, T., Ridwan, A. H., & Zulbaidah. (2025). Reorientation of Sharia Stock Regulations: Integrating Taṣarrufāt al-Rasūl and Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah for Justice and Sustainability. Journal of Information Systems Engineering and Management, 10(10s), 58–66. https://doi.org/10.52783/jisem.v10i10s.1341
Mukhlis, L., Arifin, T., Ridwan, A. H., Zulbaidah, Rosadi, A., & Solehudin, E. (2025). Reformulation of Islamic Stock Law: The Application of Taṣarrufāt al-Rasūl and Maqāṣid al-Syarī‘ahto Develop a Dynamic and Sustainable Islamic Capital Market in Indonesia. Journal of Posthumanism, 5(3), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.63332/joph.v5i3.913
Mukhlis, L., Janwari, Y., & Syafe`i, R. (2023). INDONESIA STOCK EXCHANGE: THEORETICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF MUDHARABAH AND MUSYARAKAH CONTRACTS. Yurisprudentia: Jurnal Hukum Ekonomi, 9(2), 243–264. https://doi.org/10.24952/yurisprudentia.v9i2.8466
Mukhlis, L., Maryam, S., & Sormin, S. A. (2023). Model Pembelajaran Living History Berbasis PjBL Untuk Meningkatkan Keterampilan Histografi Mahasiswa. Jurnal Educatio FKIP UNMA, 9(4), 1800–1809. https://doi.org/10.31949/educatio.v9i4.5595
Mukhlis, L., & Saidah, Y. (2025). Dynamics of Nature-Based learning in Developing Children’s Motoricic Skills: Teacher and Parent Perspectives. HUMANISMA: Journal of Gender Studies, 9(1), 64–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.30983/humanisme.v4i2.9366
Mukhlis, L., Suradi, Janwari, Y., & Syafe`i, R. (2023). Sosialisasi Saham Syariah sebagai Instrumen Pengembangan Ekonomi Masyarakat di Badan Kontak Majelis Taklim (BKMT) Kabupaten Mandailing Natal. Jurnal Pengabdian Multidisiplin, 3(2), 2–9. https://doi.org/10.51214/japamul.v3i2.604
Ren, W., Liu, R., Li, Y., Tang, X., Han, R., Jin, F., Huan, L., & Pollard, M. (2025). High tin or high lead: Distinctive alloying practices of the pastoral Yuhuangmiao culture in Northeast China during the first millennium BCE. Archaeometry, 67(4), 1040–1056. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.13068
Rosyadi, I., Athief, F. H. N., & Rizki, D. (2022). Islamic Solution on the Agricultural Land Leasing Problem: Case of Excessive Time Dispute. Jurnal Ilmiah Al-Syir’ah, 20(2), 139–156. Scopus. https://doi.org/10.30984/jis.v20i2.1679
Saputra, N., Putera, R. E., Zetra, A., Valentina, T. R., & Mulia, R. A. (2024). Capacity building for organizational performance: A systematic review, conceptual framework, and future research directions. Cogent Business and Management, 11(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2434966
Shata, A., & Hartley, K. (2025). Artificial intelligence and communication technologies in academia: Faculty perceptions and the adoption of generative AI. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 22(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-025-00511-7
Tang, H., Liang, J., Liu, J., Shen, M., & Liu, X. (2025). From Visibility to Trust: The Impact of Agricultural Product Packaging Images in Livestreaming on Consumer Perception and Repurchase Intention. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 20(3). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer20030248
Yodsurang, P., Insisiengmay, S., Tansukanan, P., Uekita, Y., Daungthima, W., Nakamura, M., Sihalarth, P., & Shimizu, I. (2025). Intangible heritage and rituals of spirit purification embedded in the cultural landscape of riverfront communities in Southern Laos. International Journal of Intangible Heritage, 20, 82–96. Scopus. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105009266717&partnerID=40&md5=e799e8560e81926ad42d2d7c5466ece4
Zolfaghari, A., Somogyi, S., Thomas-Francois, K., & Fesharaki, M. H. (2025). Beyond technology: Multidimensional consumption values in phygital retailing; a mixed method approach. Electronic Markets, 35(1). Scopus. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00776-w