Journal of Tropical Rural Development
Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026): April 2026

The Impact of Digitalization on Household Food Security of Rice Farmers in Kraksaan District, Probolinggo Regency

Rajendra, Rexi (Unknown)
Hery Toiba (Unknown)
Moh Shodiqur Rahman (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
20 Apr 2026

Abstract

Background and purpose - Digital connectivity provides smallholders with agricultural and livelihood information, but access remains uneven. This study examines factors associated with internet use and its relationship with food insecurity among rice-farming households in Kraksaan District, Probolinggo Regency, East Java. Methodology - A cross-sectional survey of 98 rice-farming households was conducted in September 2025. Food insecurity was measured using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). A probit model identified socioeconomic and farm characteristics associated with internet use. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) with stratification compared food insecurity between internet users and non-users, accounting for observed differences in household characteristics to improve comparability between the two groups. Findings - Most sampled households were food secure. Education, household size, and cultivated land area were positively associated with internet use at the 1% significance level. The PSM results report an ATT of -0.105 (SE 0.042; t = -3.169), indicating a significantly lower food-insecurity score among internet-using households after matching on observed characteristics. Implications - Digital inclusion can complement conventional agricultural and food-security interventions when connectivity is accompanied by practical digital literacy, locally relevant content, and extension support that helps farmers convert online information into production and household decisions. Originality - The study links the determinants of internet use with an experiential food-security measure and evaluates adjusted differences in food insecurity using PSM in a local Indonesian rice-farming setting.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jtrd

Publisher

Subject

Agriculture, Biological Sciences & Forestry Economics, Econometrics & Finance Education Social Sciences Transportation

Description

Journal of Tropical Rural Development JTRD is an academic journal published by Universitas Brawijaya. The journal focuses on advancing scholarly understanding of rural development issues in tropical regions through rigorous research and interdisciplinary perspectives. JTRD covers a wide range of ...