Technology adoption by smallholder farmers: the case of drying technology in the Indonesian seaweed industry

What is it about?

Seaweed farming is a critical source of income for smallholder coastal farmers in Indonesia. As part of the post-harvest processing of seaweed, farmers must dry their seaweed to industry standards before selling it. This paper examines technology uptake by seaweed farmers in two villages in South Sulawesi with a specific focus on drying technologies. This research addresses the benefits and limitations of current methods and proposed alternative methods, and identifies factors inhibiting the application of advanced drying technology. The findings of this paper demonstrate the social, economic, and technical features that influence farmers’ decision-making for uptake of drying technologies. Current methods of using the ground and/or drying platforms are considered the most cost-effective and time-efficient way to dry their seaweed. As farmers do not have price incentives to sell seaweed with lower moisture content, they are not interested in investing in advanced technology. The findings highlight the need to communicate with farmers when designing technology development and extension programs, and indicate that such efforts should be focused on pre-harvest sectors.

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