Pemanfaatan Teknologi Informasi dan Komunikasi untuk Budidaya Udang Vaname di Kabupaten Cirebon

Abstract

The advancement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has created new opportunities to improve the efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming. However, ICT utilization among shrimp farmers remains suboptimal and is influenced by individual characteristics, stakeholder support, information sources, and farmers' perceptions of ICT. Furthermore, digital transformation in aquaculture depends not only on the availability of technology but also on development communication processes that shape perceptions and encourage ICT utilization. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing farmers' perceptions and ICT utilization, examine the relationship between ICT utilization and shrimp farming productivity, and formulate a development communication strategy to enhance ICT utilization among whiteleg shrimp farmers in Cirebon Regency, Indonesia. This research employed a mixed-methods approach using a sequential explanatory design. Quantitative data were collected through a census of 102 whiteleg shrimp farmers using the JALA App in the districts of Pangenan, Gebang, and Losari, Cirebon Regency. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) and Importance Performance Map Analysis (IPMA). Qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with representatives of JALA, fisheries extension officers, and shrimp farmers to enrich the quantitative findings and to develop a development communication strategy using the Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM). The findings revealed that individual characteristics and stakeholder support had positive and significant effects on farmers' perceptions of ICT, whereas information sources did not have a significant direct effect, although communication among fellow shrimp farmers emerged as the most effective source of information in shaping positive perceptions of ICT. Farmers' perceptions, in turn, had a positive and significant effect on ICT utilization. From the perspective of Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), ICT utilization in whiteleg shrimp farming was manifested through the dimensions of access, network, and voice, with the voice dimension representing the strongest driver of ICT utilization. This finding highlights the importance of strengthening farmers' participation, interaction, and feedback mechanisms to support digital transformation in shrimp farming. Descriptive analysis indicated a tendency toward improved farming productivity; however, SEM-PLS results showed that ICT utilization did not have a statistically significant direct effect on productivity. IPMA identified farmers' perceptions as the construct with the highest importance and performance, indicating that strengthening positive perceptions should be prioritized in future development interventions. The proposed development communication strategy emphasizes strengthening farmers' perceptions of ICT through digital literacy enhancement, continuous mentoring, optimization of interpersonal communication by fisheries extension officers, strengthened collaboration among government agencies, technology providers, extension services, and shrimp farming communities, as well as the development of digital content tailored to farmers' needs. This study contributes to the field of development communication by proposing a perception-based development communication model that explains the mediating role of farmers' perceptions in ICT utilization, extending the ICT4D framework through empirical evidence that identifies the voice dimension as the principal driver of ICT utilization, and developing a Development Communication Strategy Model for the Digital Transformation of Whiteleg Shrimp Farming by integrating SEM-PLS, IPMA, qualitative findings, and the Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM) into an evidence-based framework for participatory and sustainable digital transformation.