Farmers’ Barriers to Digital Technologies Adoption in Rural Area: Empirical Evidence from Horticultural Farmers in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia

Yogyakarta is recognised as the province with the highest digital literacy index in Indonesia. However, paradoxically, farmers in the region have not widely adopted digital technology. This situation indicates that there are barriers hindering the digitalisation process, particularly at the farmer level. Based on this context, this study aims to evaluate the intensity and pattern of digital technology adoption among farmers, identify the main barriers they face and analyse the degree to which these barriers influence their decisions to adopt digital technologies in agricultural activities. A total of 104 shallot farmers from rural coastal areas were randomly selected and interviewed. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results show that only 53.85% of farmers have adopted digital technologies, with basic devices such as smartphones and mobile phones being the most commonly used. The primary barriers identified include limited knowledge and experience, insufficient access to information, inadequate digital infrastructure and sociocultural constraints. Therefore, efforts to accelerate digital technology adoption should be closely aligned with local cultural practices, particularly in communities where traditional customs remain highly influential in daily agricultural activities.