The social capital and innovative behaviors of the farmers in Bantaeng Regency

Abstract

Farmers who adopt an innovation will collaborate with other parties through the innovation information network relationship and farmers who have a wider network will easily obtain information about the innovation. Thus, they have high social capital and an opportunity to adopt innovations. This study aims to analyze the relationship between farmers’ social capital and the innovative behavior of highland farmers in Bantaeng Regency. The samples were chosen by simple random technique. The data analysis used correlation analysis of the Chi-square Test. The data were measured by a Likert Scale with the scoring of 1 and 2. The scales were constructed based on the questions of each independent variable previously determined. The results showed that there was a relationship between the elements of social capital (social networks, mutual trust, and reciprocity) with the elements of the innovative behavior of farmers (creativity and risk-taking) at various levels of significance. The social capital elements of social networks tend to show a real relationship with creativity and risk-taking (elements of innovative behavior). Farmers’ social networks in economic activities, social, and high environmental activities tend to be related to the level of creativity and level of risk-taking of farmers. Mutual trust and reciprocity social capital elements show the relationship with the element of risk-taking.