Participatory monitoring in farmer field school program through Whatsapp among indigenous farmers in rural Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper aims to assess the use of WhatsApp Group for participatory monitoring in a System of Rice Intensification – Farmer Field School (SRI-FFS) program involving the rice farming community in the rural Bidayuh village of Tebaro in Sarawak, Malaysia. Descriptive analysis was performed on a 182-day WhatsApp Group chat taking place from 17 September 2019 to 16 March 2020. The data were analyzed using two online softwares to generate data visualizations. The study revealed that the strengths of participatory monitoring using WhatsApp Group were found in the principles of flexibility and methodologically eclectic. For flexibility, four factors indicated were technical sharing, personal sharing, comments on current events, and the addition of new members. The methodologically eclectic elements were identified as messages in the forms of texts, media, emoji and links. Limitations for participatory monitoring were in the elements of participation and negotiation due to the role-based group structure. To effectively promote the use of digital platforms, agricultural policies must promote inclusiveness and prioritize equitable access to ICT devices and facilities. Current findings show that social media can enhance active multi-stakeholder participation but should be complemented with non-ICT means of communication for rural farming communities.