PLURIACTIVITY AND THE PARADOX OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN URBAN AGRICULTURAL REGENERATION: A STUDY OF YOUNG FARMERS IN SUKABUMI CITY

Abstract

Farmer regeneration is a crucial challenge for sustainable food security, particularly in urban areas where the agricultural sector competes strictly with industrial sectors. This study aims to analyze the profile of young farmers in Sukabumi City based on socio-demographic characteristics, economic rationality, and technology adoption behavior. This study utilizes a mixed-methods design, primarily employing a quantitative descriptive approach. A proportionate stratified random sample of 79 respondents was drawn from a population of 363 young farmers in Sukabumi City. The results indicate that young urban farmers are predominantly productive-age individuals with relatively high levels of education. An economic rationality phenomenon known as pluriactivity was observed, in which the majority of respondents treat agriculture as a secondary source of income to mitigate economic uncertainty. Furthermore, a behavioral paradox was identified, characterized by high digital literacy for market information access but low adoption of physical production technology and financial inclusion due to risk aversion toward banking credit schemes. These findings imply that urban agribusiness development policies must be adaptive to the characteristics of part-time farmers through low-risk technology investment schemes.