FACTORS THAT STRENGTHEN THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LEARNING PROCESS IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Abstract

Environmental, social, and economic crises are pushing farmers to find ways to survive and grow their farms. These conditions challenge farmers to go beyond their usual practices and continue developing entrepreneurial skills. This research seeks to explore the learning process underlying the development of entrepreneurial skills, thus contributing to filling the gap in the entrepreneurship learning literature. This research uses a qualitative case study approach, focusing on several farmers seeking to develop their entrepreneurial competencies. In this research, we take the concept of learning from the existing literature. The farmers in this study sought to develop a self-concept that is more in line with the changing times and their new role as entrepreneurial farmers. The first stage in this entrepreneurial learning process is for farmers to gradually develop their entrepreneurial identity and competencies, so they feel confident in their farming. The second stage is an effort to reduce production activities and increase their social interactions and perspectives on further business development. The third stage is to accept new people into their circle, who bring new knowledge, experience, skills, and perspectives that will enrich farmers' entrepreneurial competencies. Based on our findings in this study, we argue that entrepreneurship development for farmers should not focus solely on technical skills. Of course, understanding technical skills is important, but how farmers can use these skills to develop their businesses remains a major challenge for future research on entrepreneurship in agriculture.