HUBUNGAN PEMANFAATAN MEDIA SOSIAL FACEBOOK TERHADAP KEBERDAYAAN PETANI SEMANGKA DI DESA AMANDETE KECAMATAN AMONGGEDO KABUPATEN KONAWE

Abstract

This study has the following objectives: (1) to examine how Facebook is utilized by watermelon farmers in Amandete Village, Amonggedo District, Konawe Regency; (2) to investigate the empowerment of watermelon farmers in Amandete Village, Amonggedo District, Konawe Regency; and (3) to explore the connection between Facebook usage and the empowerment of watermelon farmers in the same area. The research was conducted among all watermelon farmers in Amandete Village who use Facebook to support their farming activities. The research location was selected purposefully, considering that the village is home to several watermelon farmers who rely on Facebook for farming-related information. The study is scheduled for November 2024. It will employ class interval analysis and Spearman's Rank Correlation, using SPSS version 24. The findings indicate that the use of Facebook (for information, communication, and learning) and the empowerment of watermelon farmers in Amandete Village are both at a high level, as reflected in the farmers' knowledge, skills, and their ability to solve challenges in watermelon farming. Additionally, a significant relationship was found between Facebook usage and the empowerment of watermelon farmers in the village.