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Cultivating Change: Empowering Communities Among Elderly Through Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Smart Urban Farming

Nasreen Khan, Anusuyah Subbarao, Shereen Khan, Aysa Siddika

Abstract


Malaysia is gradually experiencing a demographic shift, evolving into an aging society. The problem arises concerning the economic sustainability of urban farming ventures undertaken by elderly individuals. Limited attention has been given to incorporating social science perspectives to understand its broader social and cultural implications, especially for the intergenerational aspects of urban farming, specifically among the elderly. This research investigates the adoption of smart urban farming (SUF) to enhance senior citizens' social and economic well-being (SEW). The study involved 130 elderly participants from Klang Valley, Malaysia. Data was collected through surveys and subsequently analyzed using the SPSS statistics tool. The study reveals that while Social Entrepreneurship alone may not be enough to encourage elderly adoption of SUF when combined with social innovation, it significantly increases adoption. The study also indicated that the adoption of SUF enhances the elderly SEW. This study represents a valuable addition to the existing body of literature on the adoption of SUF, particularly in its impact on the social and economic aspects of elderly individuals' lives. This study further advances the current understanding of SUF adoption, utilizing established theories such as the Resource-Based View Theory (RBT) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to reinforce its conclusions. The findings offer practical insights for governments and local authorities in developing policies to promote and facilitate SUF.

 

Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2024-05-03-012

Full Text: PDF


Keywords


Social Entrepreneurs; Social Innovations; Social and Economic Well-Being; Smart Urban Farming; Elderly.

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DOI: 10.28991/HEF-2024-05-03-012

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