Edufarming Communication Strategy for The Diffusion of Smart Farming Innovation: A Qualitative Case Study of SGH Hydroponic

Nur Annisa Putri Nazaruddin, Moehammad Iqbal Sultan, Andi Subhan Amir

Abstract


This study analyzes Edufarming as a communication strategy for diffusing AIoT-based smart farming innovation at SGH Hydroponic in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The study employed a qualitative approach with a descriptive single-case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and documentation. The informants consisted of the founder, co-founder, two technical staff members of SGH Hydroponic, and one participant in the Edufarming program. The researcher also participated directly in the Edufarming program to observe the learning process, interaction patterns, and technology demonstrations. Data were analyzed using an interactive qualitative model consisting of data collection, data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The analysis also applied thematic categorization based on Rogers’ diffusion of innovation attributes and was strengthened through source and methodological triangulation. The findings show that Edufarming functions not only as an agricultural education activity but also as a participatory communication mechanism that connects technology, agribusiness actors, training participants, and market partners within a learning ecosystem. The diffusion process occurs through technology demonstrations, hands-on practice, interpersonal communication, group learning, and direct observation of production outcomes. AIoT-based hydroponics provides relative advantages through production stability, faster harvesting, product consistency, and stronger market trust. Edufarming also improves compatibility, reduces perceived complexity, facilitates trialability, and strengthens observability through visible plant growth, dashboard-based monitoring, and practical learning activities. The study implies that smart farming diffusion requires technological readiness, structured communication, mentoring, digital literacy support, and participatory learning.

Keywords


Agribusiness; AIoT; Edufarming; Innovation Diffusion; Smart Farming

References


Addorisio, R., Spadoni, R., & Maesano, G. (2025). Adoption of Innovative Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture: A Scoping Review of the System Domain. Sustainability (Switzerland), 17(9). 1-28. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094224

Al-Ammary, J. H., & Ghanem, M. E. (2024). Information and communication technology in agriculture: awareness, readiness and adoption in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research, 42(1), 182–197. https://doi.org/10.1108/AGJSR-07-2022-0113

Anteneh, A., & Melak, A. (2024). ICT-based agricultural extension and advisory service in Ethiopia: a review. Cogent Food and Agriculture, 10(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2024.2391121

Appicciutoli, D., Amici, A. S., Bentivoglio, D., Chiaraluce, G., Staffolani, G., & Finco, A. (2025). Cultivating the Future: A Bibliometric Review of Emerging Trends in Soilless Farming. Horticulturae, 11(2), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020140

Bashiru, M., Ouedraogo, M., Ouedraogo, A., & Laderach, P. (2024). Smart Farming Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture: A Review of the Promotion and Adoption Strategies by Smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Sustainability (Switzerland), 16(11), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114817

Becerra-Encinales, J. F., Bernal-Hernandez, P., Beltrán-Giraldo, J. A., Cooman, A. P., Reyes, L. H., & Cruz, J. C. (2024). Agricultural Extension for Adopting Technological Practices in Developing Countries: A Scoping Review of Barriers and Dimensions. Sustainability (Switzerland), 16(9), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093555

Dilleen, G., Claffey, E., Foley, A., & Doolin, K. (2023). Investigating knowledge dissemination and social media use in the farming network to build trust in smart farming technology adoption. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 38(8), 1754–1765. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-01-2022-0060

FAO. (2021). The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture – Systems at breaking point. In The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture – Systems at breaking point (SOLAW 2021). FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb7654en

FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, & WHO. (2024). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024. In The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024. FAO; IFAD; UNICEF; WFP; WHO; https://doi.org/10.4060/cd1254en

Forero, A., Cruz, J. C., & Munoz, C. (2025). Adoption of Agricultural Innovations Within the ‘Farm to Fork’ Strategy: A Realistic Review of Barriers, Paradoxes, and Avenues for Change. Sustainability (Switzerland), 17(21), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219493

Ibarra-Cabrera, M. J., Estrada Torres, I., Aquino Cruz, M., Rentería Ayquipa, R. A., Ochoa, S. F., & Ochoa, J. M. (2024). Tomato Urban Gardening Supported by an IoT-Based System: A Latin American Experience Report on Technology Adoption. Sensors, 24(23), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.3390/s24237620

Irawan, N. C., Irham, I., Mulyo, J. H., & Suryantini, A. (2023). Unleashing the Power of Digital Farming: Local Young Farmers’ Perspectives on Sustainable Value Creation. AGRARIS: Journal of Agribusiness and Rural Development Research, 9(2), 316–333. https://doi.org/10.18196/agraris.v9i2.239

Kendall, H., Clark, B., Li, W., Jin, S., Jones, G. D., Chen, J., Taylor, J., Li, Z., & Frewer, L. J. (2022). Precision agriculture technology adoption: a qualitative study of small-scale commercial “family farms” located in the North China Plain. Precision Agriculture, 23(1), 319–351. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-021-09839-2

Lakhiar, I. A., Yan, H., Syed, T. N., Zhang, C., Shaikh, S. A., Rakibuzzaman, M., & Vistro, R. B. (2025). Soilless Agricultural Systems: Opportunities, Challenges, and Applications for Enhancing Horticultural Resilience to Climate Change and Urbanization. In Horticulturae, 11(6), 1-47. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11060568

Liu, H., Chen, Z., Wen, S., Zhang, J., & Xia, X. (2025). Impact of Digital Literacy on Farmers’ Adoption Behaviors of Green Production Technologies. Agriculture (Switzerland), 15(3), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15030303

Mardiana, H., & Kembauw, E. (2021). The role of diffusion of innovation in agricultural to compete in asean community. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 755(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/755/1/012074

Melaku, B. S., Sefereh, E. Y., Emunu, M. H., & Wassie, D. Y. (2024). Application of communication strategies in the diffusion of agricultural innovations and technologies: the case of Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute, Ethiopia. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2306704

Miles, M., Huberman, M., & Saldana Johnny. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Miller, T., Mikiciuk, G., Durlik, I., Mikiciuk, M., Lobodzinska, A., & Snieg, M. (2025). The IoT and AI in Agriculture: The Time Is Now A Systematic Review of Smart Sensing Technologies. Sensors, 25(12), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25123583

Mulungu, K., Kassie, M., & Tschopp, M. (2025). The role of information and communication technologies-based extension in agriculture: application, opportunities and challenges. Information Technology for Development, 31(4), 1117–1146. https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2025.2456232

Osumba, J. J. L., Recha, J. W., & Oroma, G. W. (2021). Transforming agricultural extension service delivery through innovative bottom-up climate-resilient agribusiness farmer field schools. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(7), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073938

Purwanto, E., Rahmah, A., Rohmatunisa, R. N., Farisal, U., & Oktarina, S. (2025). Komunikasi Digital dalam Pemberdayaan Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT) melalui Teknologi Smart Farming. CONVERSE Journal Communication Science, 1(4), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.47134/converse.v1i4.3855

Raj, M., & Prahadeeswaran, M. (2025). Revolutionizing agriculture: a review of smart farming technologies for a sustainable future. In Discover Applied Sciences, 7(9), 1-24 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-07561-6

Rizzo, G., Migliore, G., Schifani, G., & Vecchio, R. (2024). Key factors influencing farmers’ adoption of sustainable innovations: a systematic literature review and research agenda. Organic Agriculture, 14(1), 57–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-023-00440-7

Rogers, E. M. (2003). “Diffusion of Innovations” (5th ed.). Free Press.

Steinke, J., van Etten, J., Müller, A., Ortiz-Crespo, B., van de Gevel, J., Silvestri, S., & Priebe, J. (2021). Tapping the full potential of the digital revolution for agricultural extension: an emerging innovation agenda. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 19(5–6), 549–565. https://doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2020.1738754

Strong, R., Wynn, J. T., Lindner, J. R., & Palmer, K. (2022). Evaluating Brazilian Agriculturalists’ IoT Smart Agriculture Adoption Barriers: Understanding Stakeholder Salience Prior to Launching an Innovation. Sensors, 22(18), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22186833

Thilakarathne, N. N., Abu Bakar, M. S., Abas, P. E., & Yassin, H. (2025). Internet of things enabled smart agriculture: Current status, latest advancements, challenges and countermeasures. In Heliyon, 11(3), 1-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42136

Timpanaro, G., Foti, V. T., Cascone, G., Trovato, M., Grasso, A., & Vindigni, G. (2024). Living Lab for the Diffusion of Enabling Technologies in Agriculture: The Case of Sicily in the Mediterranean Context. Agriculture (Switzerland), 14(12), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14122347

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, P. Division. (2022). World Population Prospects 2022 2 Summary of Results. https://population.un.org/wpp/

Wolfert, S., Ge, L., Verdouw, C., & Bogaardt, M. J. (2017). Big Data in Smart Farming – A review. Agricultural Systems, 153, 69–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2017.01.023

Wulandari, A. M., Utami, Y. S., Fariszy, R., & Kusumo, Y. W. (2025). Persuasive Communication Model Attracts Youth Interest in Becoming Millennial Farmers in Bantul. SHS Web of Conferences, 212, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202521202007




DOI: https://doi.org/10.37046/jaj.v7i2.38587

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Nur Annisa Putri Nazaruddin, Moehammad Iqbal Sultan, Andi Subhan Amir

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Jambura Agribusiness Journal (P-ISSN: 2685-5860, E-ISSN: 2685-5771) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Powered by Public Knowledge Project OJS