Institutional model for social entrepreneurship in rice-based agrotourism

Abstract

Rice field agritourism is a tourist attraction that utilizes natural agricultural landscapes to offer educational experiences related to the agricultural sector. This research aims to develop an ideal rice-based agro-tourism institutional model using a systems approach, employing the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. This study was conducted in the Bunga Raya Sub-district, Siak District, Indonesia. AHP analysis revealed that human resources (0.302) and technology (0.229) were the most important factors for successful agritourism development. The study identified an equal weighting of farmers (0.284) and agritourism management (0.291) in stakeholder roles, while technology development (0.253) and local economic growth (0.272) emerged as key objectives. Among the institutional models evaluated, the Local Public Service Agency (LPSA) emerged as the most suitable framework (0.429), followed by the partnership model (0.237), the Destination Management Organization (0.147), cooperatives (0.118), and Community-Based Tourism (0.068). Local Public Service Agencies (LPSAs) with social entrepreneurship initiatives in the rice-based agritourism sector play a strategic role in enhancing the welfare of farmers, contributing to the optimization of tourism potential, promoting local financial independence, and creating sustainable economic opportunities while protecting local natural and cultural resources.