Building from the Village as the Prabowo-Gibran Government Strategy for National Economic Equality
By: Dzul Ilmi Muis)*
The Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka administrations emphasized the importance of building from the village as the main strategy to realize national economic equality.
President Prabowo is committed to making villages the center of competitive economic growth. His government understands that the economic disparity between villages and cities has become an obstacle to efforts to create prosperity evenly throughout Indonesia. Concrete steps to overcome this disparity begin with empowering villages as active subjects of development.
BPIP Geopolitical and Geostrategic Expert Council, Prof. Dr. Ermaya Suradinata explained that the new government brings a vision of poverty eradication and economic equality with a community-based development approach, or bottom-up development .
Through this vision, the village is positioned as the main driver of development that is not merely an object, but also a subject that has a central role in creating inclusive development. This approach pays attention to empowering local communities as agents of change that can determine the direction of progress in their region.
In many areas, villages are often seen as marginalized areas in the context of national development. So far, policies that tend to focus on urban areas have left many villages behind in terms of infrastructure, access to public services, and economic opportunities.
This has resulted in a high urbanization phenomenon, where rural communities flock to the city in search of a better life. The Prabowo-Gibran government is trying to address this condition through fairer policies by channeling significant resources and budgets to villages.
The new government stressed that villages should be given top priority in budget distribution. The long-standing Village Fund program will be strengthened, especially with better oversight and management.
Through the fund, the government hopes to provide basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity, clean water, and internet. This infrastructure will open up village access to wider markets and the latest technology, thereby increasing the productivity of its people. This program is the first step to building independent villages that are no longer dependent on the city.
On the other hand, village economic development will also utilize the potential of natural resources and agriculture. The majority of rural communities still depend on the agricultural sector for their livelihood. Therefore, modernizing the agricultural sector is a major agenda, by providing training for farmers and encouraging the adoption of more advanced agricultural technology.
President Prabowo acknowledged that food security is an important pillar for the welfare of rural communities. Modernization of agriculture not only increases agricultural productivity but also opens up opportunities for farmers to engage in highly competitive agricultural businesses.
Professor of Economics from Gadjah Mada University, Gunawan Sumodiningrat, said that village development strategies must be carried out through collaboration across relevant ministries and institutions (K/L).
According to Gunawan, the concept of national development based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution is in line with the vision of economic equality promoted by Prabowo and Gibran. Village development based on the creative economy, which was once the cornerstone of New Order development, is expected to be continued and perfected by the new government. This strategy is believed to be able to improve the welfare of village communities while strengthening the local economy.
In addition, human and social capital also receive attention in the vision of eradicating poverty in the village. The Prabowo-Gibran government recognizes the importance of creating a skilled village community with strong community solidarity.
Therefore, education and health will be the focus of the development program. Quality education will create a young generation that is able to adapt to changing times, while adequate health services will ensure that rural communities can be productive and contribute to economic activities. The government is determined to provide more inclusive access to health, especially in remote areas that have been difficult to reach.
BPIP’s Director of Socialization and Communication, Agus Moh. Najib, emphasized the importance of synergy and mutual cooperation between ministries, institutions, and the community in realizing this economic equality program.
All elements of the nation need to join hands so that villages in Indonesia can develop evenly. Solid synergy between ministries/agencies, especially the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Villages, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, and Ministry of Social Affairs, is the key to success in building strong and independent villages. President Prabowo emphasized that village development is not only the responsibility of one ministry or institution, but requires comprehensive cooperation from all parties.
In the long term, the program is expected to reduce the dependence of villages on cities and create an independent economic ecosystem. Information and communication technology (ICT) will be introduced in villages as part of modernization.
Through the application of this technology, rural communities will have easier access to market information, online education, and remote health services. This technology is seen as a bridge to connect villages with the outside world, so that products and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the village can develop in a wider market.
The government’s commitment to developing villages as a strategy for economic equality reflects a grand vision for a more prosperous and just Indonesia. This vision aims to reduce long-standing economic inequality and empower rural communities to be independent and productive.
Strong villages are believed to be the foundation for a developed country. With greater attention to villages, the Prabowo-Gibran government brings new hope for a more equitable and sustainable future for Indonesia.
)* Alumni of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Airlangga University
