EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURAL SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS ON TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY: A CASE STUDY FROM ORGANIC RICE FARMERS IN INDONESIA

This study examines the critical role of improving farming technical efficiency in agricultural development and investigates the impact of social media group participation on this efficiency. Using data from a survey of 249 organic rice farmers in Indonesia, this research employed a stochastic production frontier to estimate technical efficiency. Additionally, a two-stage predictor substitution approach was used to assess the influence of social media group participation on technical efficiency. The findings indicate that the technical efficiency of organic rice farming in the sample was approximately 64.8%, a relatively low level. The study also found a significant positive impact of social media group participation on technical efficiency. Farmers who participated in these groups demonstrated higher technical efficiency compared with those who did not. These results suggest that social media platforms have the potential to enhance agricultural practices and efficiency. The findings imply that social media groups contribute positively to farmers’ technical capabilities through information exchange, knowledge sharing, and networking.