Empowerment of Subsistence Craftsmen through the Adoption of Environmentally Friendly Cocodust Production Technology

The adoption of environmentally friendly production technology supports the empowerment of subsistence craftsmen through product diversification. However, a study of cococraft craftsmen in Purbalingga District, Purbalingga Regency Province, Central Java, Indonesia, revealed that the factors restricting the adoption of technology in cocodust production were technological complexity, limited capital, and social rigidity. The craftsmen had little awareness of the functional and economic benefits of cocodust. The adoption of new technology was unsuccessful due to a lack of evaluation of the cocodust characteristic regarding compatible, complex, observable, and triable aspects. Subsistence craftsmen were unsure of the characteristics of the facilitators of new technology, especially concerning economic value, a sense of belonging, production costs, accessibility, and social benefits. The key research output of this in-depth case study was a management scheme that could be used to facilitate technology adoption. The essence of this management scheme was to prompt a change in behavior at each stage of adoption through counseling, networking, sharing, and continuous advocacy. Continuous cocodust productivity would also reduce cococraft waste. Market security and price feasibility were also supporting elements, helping to guarantee additional income and thereby leading to the empowerment of the craftsmen. If the management scheme were to lead to technology adoption, it would provide a solution to the problem of the scarcity of agricultural land. Cocodust products can also be used effectively as a seedling or planting media on organic farms, especially those on the narrow and marginal area.