Integrative creative economy model in Toure village, Minahasa regency, north Sulawesi Province

Abstract

This study explored the foundations of an integrative creative economy framework for improving the livelihoods of tenant tomato farmers in Toure Village, Indonesia. A qualitative descriptive design was employed, involving five purposively selected informants representing tenant farmers, village government, creative economy actors, and supporting institutions. Data were collected through direct observation and in-depth interviews and analyzed through coding, thematic categorization, and triangulation. Findings identified substantial tomato-based economic potential alongside persistent constraints involving land access, capital, technology, digital literacy, market access, and price instability. The analysis further identified agricultural processing, product innovation, digital marketing, and stakeholder collaboration as interconnected components of the proposed framework. Village government, farmers, creative economy actors, and supporting institutions emerged as key stakeholders. These findings provide an empirically grounded conceptual basis for future development and validation of a locally adapted integrative creative economy model.