Almost half of Dutch farmers (48.6%) are active on social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. In 2016, this percentage was still around 44%. Facebook in particular remains popular: as many as 78% of farmers use this platform. This is an increase of over 20% compared to 2016.
This is according to a 2019 survey conducted by AgriDirect among over 800 Dutch farmers and horticulturists. These farmers answered questions about their communication and information behaviour. The results give a good picture of how farmers deal with digital media and information provision.
Active on social media
Of the farmers who are active on social media, almost two-thirds can be found online daily. In addition, 27.7% say they are active weekly. Only 2.6% of those surveyed are rarely or never active. It should come as no surprise that younger farmers are particularly well represented online. For instance, 62.5% of farmers up to 45 years old are active on social media. Yet 42.9% of farmers over 65 are also on the social platforms. This shows that usage is growing generationally.
Facebook remains most popular, Instagram rises sharply
Facebook is still by far the most popular channel. In 2016, 56.7% of farmers used this platform, now 78%. YouTube is also increasingly used: from 27.3% in 2016 to 44.3% in 2019. However, the biggest riser is Instagram. Indeed, its use rose from 2.5% to 13% in three years.
Motion
Farmers mainly use social media for private purposes (67.4%). In addition, 64.3% use it to follow agricultural news, and 21.4% keep abreast of products and machinery through these channels. So: social media are not only used for entertainment, but also increasingly as a source of information.
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