Social Media Usage Can Improve Information Dissemination and Labor Productivity on Indonesian Rice Farms

Source: Endiarjati Dewandaru Sadono and Ilham Unggara, "Improving Agri-Food Sector Productivity in Indonesia through Information and Communication Technologies," Asian Development Bank (ADB), ADBI Working Paper Series, no. 1455, (June 2024).

Commentary: The productivity in Indonesia's agricultural sector has been stagnant for the past decade due to reduced technological innovation. However, there is evidence that information and communication technologies (ICT) such as social media may be reversing this trend. In a recent working paper, Endiarjati Dewandaru Sadono and Ilham Unggara found that social media sites such as YouTube and WhatsApp increase the dissemination of information to the Indonesian rice farmers who use them. Specifically, knowledge about productivity-enhancing products, including organic fertilizers and pesticides, increased by between 23 to 27 percent. Additionally, there is evidence that social media can have a direct effect on farm productivity when used by rice farmers for over one year.