The role of local government developing participatory learning methods in empowering small farmers

Abstract

Farmers learning process have not increased their awareness to understand their own problems, potentials, and opportunities. The study aimed to analyze participatory learning methods in the implementation of smallholder farmer empowerment programs. The study was designed as a quantitative method by survey methods, and the analysis technique used descriptive statistics. The study results showed that the government's capacity to develop the participatory learning method in small farmer empowerment program was in the low category. The participatory learning method's four indicators including, communication intensity, equality source, dialogical application, and learning material appropriate were in the low category, while the communication method is in the high category. Therefore, the government needs to encourage participatory learning methods in small farmer empowerment programs through some strategies including, increasing the intensity of communication, developing equality and dialogue, adjusting learning materials according to farmers' needs, and developing appropriate learning methods.