SOCIAL NETWORK OF KNOWLEDGE SOURCES AND INNOVATION BETWEEN GENERATIONS FOR CORN ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY IN GORONTALO REGENCY, INDONESIA
Abstract
Knowledge and technology are one of the main keys to agricultural innovation.However, the availability of knowledge as the basis for innovation must be accessible to farmers easily and sustainably.This study aimed to find out the knowledge sources of farmers and how the social network of innovation develops corn farming, especially in the cultivation, processing, and marketing aspects.This study used the grounded theory method through in-depth interviews and then processed using open, axial and selective coding.This study involved 26 farmers, consisting of 12 old farmers (46-65 years old) and 14 young farmers (25-45 years old).The novelty of this study is how intergenerational social networks and access to innovation were used to identify social networks as sources of the invention for both young and old farmers in corn farming practices that have been ecologically sustainable.Based on the results, there were differences in knowledge sources and social network innovation between old farmers and young farmers for corn ecological sustainability.Old farmers had the main source of local and traditional knowledge from previous generations, while young farmers had the main source of knowledge from a combination of local and modern knowledge with innovations from various actors and institutions through social media in developing corn farming.