Communication Strategy in Disseminating Agricultural Innovation through Instagram: a Comparative Study on BSIP Indonesia and Rural Development Administration South Korea

Abstract

The digital transformation in agriculture has encouraged public institutions to utilize social media as a strategic channel for disseminating innovation. This study explores and compares the communication strategies of the Agricultural Instrument Standardization Agency (BSIP) in Indonesia and the Rural Development Administration (RDA) in South Korea through their respective Instagram accounts. Using a mixed methods approach, the research combines quantitative content analysis of Instagram posts from January to December 2024 with qualitative interviews involving key informants from both institutions and experts. The study identifies differences in content focus, visual style, audience targeting, and branding consistency. BSIP emphasizes formal institutional narratives and food security themes, while RDA adopts a youth-oriented strategy with visual storytelling and interactive content. The findings highlight the importance of adaptive communication strategies in digital agricultural outreach. Recommendations include enhancing content variety, improving visual identity, and aligning messaging with audience preferences to strengthen innovation dissemination through social media.

Researchers have increasingly acknowledged agricultural innovation as a catalyst for sustainable development, especially through the Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) framework (Adekunle & Fatunbi, 2013; Sirnawati & Syahyuti, 2019). Nevertheless, the delivery subsystem, which is essential for ensuring innovations reach their intended users, has received relatively little attention. In the Indonesian context, institutions have shown strong capabilities in producing innovations, yet they continue to face challenges in dissemination due to weak strategic communication and low levels of public trust (Indraningsih, 2017; Lakitan, 2013).

Public institutions have increasingly utilized digital platforms such as Instagram to disseminate agricultural information (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010; Vargas et al., 2022). However, research-based on the strategic communication of innovation via social media remains limited. Existing studies predominantly address technical aspects of ICTs or general dissemination practices (Steinke et al., 2021; Zhang et al., 2016), without examining how communication strategies influence audience engagement and message effectiveness. To address this gap, this study employs Laswell's communication model (Wenxiu, 2015) to analyse and compare the strategic elements (communicator, message, channel, audience, and effect) used by BSIP Indonesia and RDA South Korea on Instagram, offering insights into institutional approaches to innovation dissemination across national contexts. RDA was chosen as a comparative account due to its similar institutional role, parallel Instagram adoption timeline, and South Korea’s top-tier digital public service ranking.

This study employed a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative content analysis of Instagram posts from BSIP Indonesia and RDA South Korea (January–December 2024) with qualitative interviews. Key informants included BSIP public relations officers, RDA account administrators, agricultural communication experts, and a lecturer specializing in Korean language and culture, with experience in cross-cultural teaching in Indonesia. Lasswell’s communication model guided the analysis of strategic elements (communicator, message, channel, audience, and effect) while triangulation ensured data validity through multiple sources and techniques.

Content analysis (Table 1 and 2) showed that @bsipkementan had a higher upload frequency (22 posts/month) but lower engagement (0.54%), dominated by performance reporting and formal institutional messaging. BSIP’s PR officer explained, “We are working more on mandatory tasks… downstream information to build public trust.” The account follows a “one day one content” policy, emphasizing consistency and branding through official logos and slogans.

In contrast, @rdakorea posted less frequently (11 posts/month) but achieved higher engagement (1.96%), focusing on educational content and smart agriculture. The account admin stated, “Instagram is popular among youth, so we use it to share agricultural information with them.” A Korean language and culture lecturer added, “Public institutions must present relevant and useful content, this determines how often people engage.”

@bsipkementan maintains formal visual consistency using institutional logos and slogans to reinforce credibility and branding. In contrast, @rdakorea applies thematic segmentation and informal visuals to appeal to younger audiences. A BSIP officer noted, “The logo is a form of accountability for the information we share,” while an Indonesian official observed, “RDA has a blueprint and moves in one direction, we (Indonesia’s institution) haven’t reached that level yet.”

Despite BSIP’s intensive posting strategy, key informants acknowledged the risk of social media fatigue due to repetitive content. In contrast, RDA’s selective and thematic approach enhances content relatability and retention. These differences reflect how institutional constraints, audience targeting, and strategic planning shape communication effectiveness on Instagram. These findings are consistent with previous research on the impact of content characteristics and visual identity on engagement (Henisa & Wilantika, 2021; Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010; Kaur & Kaur, 2021), as well as the risks of social media fatigue from repetitive posting (Lee et al., 2022). The importance of content diversity and interactivity for building trust and engagement is also highlighted by Lovejoy & Saxton (2012) and Santini et al. (2020).

The two accounts demonstrate distinct content priorities. @bsipkementan primarily focuses on performance reporting (30.04%), showcasing institutional achievements and alignment with government programs such as food self-sufficiency. This reflects its role in fulfilling mandatory tasks and building public trust. In contrast, @rdakorea emphasizes agricultural information (52.10%), using Instagram as an educational tool to promote smart and sustainable farming practices, particularly among younger audiences. This strategic difference highlights how each institution aligns its content with national objectives and target demographics.

Content analysis of @bsipkementan and @rdakorea’s Instagram accounts reveals distinct strategies: @bsipkementan posts more frequently with formal, institution-focused content but achieves lower engagement, while @rdakorea’s selective, educational, and youth-oriented posts generate higher interaction. These differences reflect how institutional goals and audience targeting shape communication effectiveness. To enhance engagement, public institutions should balance posting frequency with content value, diversify content types, tailor messages to audience needs, and use data-driven insights for continuous improvement. This study contributes practical recommendations for optimizing social media strategies in public sector communication.