Farmers’ Perception on Social Media for Farming and Subsidy Scheme at Lele Valley of Godawari Municipality, Lalitpur

Abstract

This study looks at farmers' attitudes and use of social media to get agricultural information and government subsidy schemes in Lele Valley, Godawari Municipality, Lalitpur. With the increased use of digital technology in rural Nepal, social media platforms have arisen as promising instruments for agricultural extension and subsidy distribution. However, there is scant information on how commercial farmers in periurban areas use these platforms. The study takes a mixed-methods approach, combining descriptive and causal-comparative methodologies, with data obtained via structured surveys and semi-structured interviews from 112 commercial farmers who actively use social media for farming. Key findings reveal a transitional phase in information-seeking behavior, where traditional media (radio 82.1%, newspapers 70.5%) remain dominant, but digital platforms like YouTube (69.6%) and Facebook (66.1%) are gaining traction, particularly for agricultural content (52.7%). The farming community is predominantly middle-aged (mean age 44.96) with balanced gender distribution (51.8% male) and varied educational backgrounds (33% higher education, 9.8% illiterate). While 62.5% of respondents receive support from local institutions, nearly 30% report no institutional assistance, highlighting gaps in subsidy distribution. Subsidies primarily consist of tools (64.3%), but bureaucratic inefficiencies lead to dissatisfaction, with most farmers receiving support only once (45.5%). Statistical analyses show significant correlations between digital platform usage and subsidy access, with messaging apps like WhatsApp playing a pivotal role. Regression models identify gender, location, and family structure as key predictors of agricultural income (29%) and farming experience (45%) variance explained. These findings contribute to ongoing discussions about digital agriculture in Nepal and provide evidence-based insights for policymakers aiming to bridge the digital divide in rural farming communities. The study concludes that social media presents valuable opportunities for agricultural communication and subsidy access Its effectiveness is constrained by infrastructure limitations, varying digital literacy levels, and institutional inefficiencies. Hence, local government must enhancing digital literacy programs, streamlining subsidy delivery mechanisms, and integrating social media with government extension services. Farmers are encouraged to perform social networking for sharing collective knowledge and subsidy related information.