Digital Skills In The Optimization Of Agricultural Technology Among Milenial 2022 (Description Study on Agricultural Students at Malikussaleh University)
Authors: Hasan Kamaruddin , Masriadi  , Muchlis  , Maruli Aftah R. , Nisfu Syakban M. 
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study is to describe digital literacy skills among millennial students and agricultural alumni in seeing the opportunities and challenges of digital farming-smart farming. Growing Millennials' interest to be ready to become agricultural entrepreneurs who are creative, innovative, professional, competitive and able to absorb agricultural sector jobs. The national labor force survey of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), 20.62% of Indonesian youth worked in the agricultural sector in August 2020, an increase compared to the previous period in 2019 which amounted to 18.43%, and will continue to rise until 2022. The increase in the number of youth in the agricultural sector agriculture can be a momentum to expand it. As many as 85.62% of them are internet users and have the opportunity to become early adopters of digital technology in the agricultural sector. So far, the low digital literacy skills of farmers are because the majority of farmers only graduate from elementary school and high school. The average age is more than 45 years, which makes it difficult to adapt to digital technology. Helplessness when dealing with digital media technology. The increasing number of millennials interested in the agricultural sector is a hope as well as an opportunity to increase the development of the agricultural world based on digital farming-smart farming. Of course, this can be integrated into agricultural extension programs by millennials on the condition that agricultural students and alumni have adequate digital skills. That currently the modernization of agriculture is a necessity. The agricultural sector continues to move towards digital farming-smart farming. Agricultural Digitization facilitates monitoring, marketing, technology and helps accelerate the production process. Implementation of intelligent and critical use of digital media. The critical paradigm is chosen in this research, which is not only looking at what is visible but also exploring the meaning and seeing how there is what is behind a phenomenon. Based on advocacy and criticism become ideals. The assumption is, to know the world, man must make the world his own. The final result of this research is a strategy regarding the phenomenon being discussed. Primary and secondary data were obtained through observation, interviews, Focus Group Discussion and literature review. The theoretical basis, concepts and models as well as scientific contributions are Digital Skills or Digital Literacy, Digital Farming, Smart farming 4.0 and Millennials, namely Agricultural Students and alumni. Research informants consist of agricultural students and alumni, digital skills experts, agricultural academics and stakeholders deemed relevant. Data analysis used snow ball informants and cross checks, synchronization, compression, reduction, display data and conclusion. Primary data collection can be carried out, as well as validation to ensure the relevant and related data has been carried out. Secondary data support can complement the initial data that has been obtained previously. The existing data has been tested for validity and reliability. The results of the study show that students and agricultural alumni of the Malikussaleh University as millennials are active internet users with various media having the opportunity to become early adopters of digital technology in the agricultural sector towards Digital Farming and smart farming. Digitization of agriculture with the active involvement of millennials will facilitate monitoring, marketing, technology and help accelerate the production process by implementing intelligent and critical use of digital media. The stigma of agriculture only for those with low education, seems to still exist. Need to improve understanding of digital farming-smart farming among Millennials. The maximum implementation of smart farming is a big hope for all. Agriculture 4.0 is the implementation of smart farming or precision agriculture which is expected to be able to realize a sustainable agricultural system.