Abstract

Digital culture and digital agriculture have prompted a shift from traditional to modern farming methods, posing challenges for farmers in adapting to this transformation. While digital champions emerge as potential catalysts for community progress, their characteristics remain unclear. By exploring their experiences and perspectives, this study aims to identify the key characteristics of digital champions and understand their role in facilitating the transition to modern agricultural practices. This article employs a qualitative methodology, primarily consisting of in-depth interviews, to investigate the distinct traits of digital champions among paddy farmers in the digital culture and agriculture era. The research collects data from interviews with ten paddy farmers engaged in the agriculture drone businesses. The findings show that the three main components of professional digital champion consist of digital business, general mindset, and social attitudes that could shape the farmer role with the digital culture environment in the future. The findings of this research will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by farmers in the digital era as well as offering valuable insights for developing targeted remedies based on solid evidence.