KEMITRAAN DALAM PROGRAM ASIMILASI KEBUN SAE GUNA MENDORONG SMART FARMING DI LAPAS KELAS IIA KUPANG

Abstract

This study examines the partnership pattern in the Kebun SAE assimilation program and the socio-technical factors that influence the implementation of smart farming at the Class IIA Correctional Facility of Kupang. The program equips inmates with agricultural skills, yet farming practices still rely on conventional methods and the region faces a semi-arid climate with long dry periods. This study used a descriptive qualitative approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eleven informants from the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Corrections in East Nusa Tenggara, Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic, the correctional facility, and inmates, supported by non-participant observation and document review. Data were validated through source and technique triangulation and member checking, then analyzed using the Quadruple Helix model and the socio-technical systems theory. The results show that the four actors have distinct and formally defined roles, but the partnership is centered on the correctional facility as the main connecting node rather than forming an equal multi-directional network. Knowledge transfer was effective in the early training phase, yet post-training assistance was not institutionalized and no extension of the cooperation agreement was found. Drip irrigation, the only smart farming technology applied, no longer functioned optimally and most watering returned to manual methods. The socio-technical factors include technical vulnerability to heat and calcareous water, uneven technological literacy and capacity, inmate turnover, and the absence of specific policy and budget. The sustainability of smart farming therefore depends on the balance among technology, human resources, and institutional support.