Abstract

This study investigates the impact of internet use on chili farmers’ performance and the gender yield gap in Indonesia, utilizing nationally representative data from the 2018 Horticulture Cost Structure Survey. Employing OLS, Propensity Score Matching (PSM), Multidimensional Distance Matching (MDM), and Inverse Probability Weighted Regression (IPWRA), the results show that internet use significantly increases yield (0.78–1.39 tons/ha) and improves technical efficiency. Importantly, the study finds that digital engagement is not homogeneous; farmers who "bundle" informational and transactional uses—combining cultivation data with both input and output e-commerce—achieved the highest gains. Conversely, a clear gender gap in adoption exists, explaining a meaningful share of the yield differential. These findings suggest that policy must shift from providing basic digital access to fostering integrated digital ecosystems. To maximize productivity and bridge gender inequalities, interventions should prioritize "all-in-one" platforms and targeted training that move farmers beyond simple information-seeking toward multifaceted, high-intensity digital integration.