Village Day: Driving national progress from the village

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia celebrated its first Village Day on January 15 this year. Presidential Decree No. 23 of 2024 designating the day was signed last year by the country's seventh president, Joko Widodo.

Explaining the significance of the day, the decree states that it reflects Indonesia's respect and recognition of the central role played by rural regions in national development.

Through the Village Day celebrations, the government also aims to strengthen the nation's commitment to sustainable development in villages.

Minister of Villages and Disadvantaged Areas Development (PDT) Yandri Susanto has repeatedly emphasized that the presence of thriving villages is essential for Indonesia to realize its dream of becoming a more advanced and prosperous nation.

According to data released by Statistics Indonesia (BPS) in 2024, Indonesia is home to a total of 84,276 village administrative regions, which are home to approximately 73% of the total population.

Taking note of this, Susanto said progress in the villages is a prerequisite for national success.

Reflecting on the theme “Building Villages, Building Indonesia” for the first Village Day, the minister noted that some crucial issues related to villages await concrete action from the government.

At the launch event of the Village Day commemoration in West Java's Subang district on January 14, he highlighted that 22,544 villages have yet to enjoy uninterrupted internet services.

At the same time, 2,919 people do not have access to electricity and 10,463 are still considered underdeveloped or seriously underdeveloped regions, he noted.

Member of the House of Representatives (DPR), Yanuar Arif Wibowo, agreed with the minister, saying that rural regions constitute the backbone of the country's development.

He added that it would be rational for the government to pay even more attention to villages.

Twelve action plans

To solve rural problems and support President Prabowo Subianto's sixth priority mission to develop Indonesia from the village level, the PDT Ministry has designed 12 action plans.

The first plan includes measures such as revitalizing village enterprises (BUMDes) and encouraging them to play a more active role in maximizing the potential of villages by supporting the work of farmers and fishermen.

This also includes running the food barns and providing materials and ingredients for the free nutritious meal program.

To this end, the ministry has taken the initiative of organizing training sessions for these companies.

The second action plan concerns measures aimed at strengthening food security and self-sufficiency of villages.

To achieve this goal, the government issued a regulation requiring rural officials to allocate at least 20 percent of village funds disbursed by the central government to food security initiatives.

The third and fourth plans focus on strengthening the capacities of villages to independently meet their energy and water needs.

At the same time, the fifth action plan emphasizes the importance for BUMDes to improve the quality of their products to penetrate export markets.

The sixth plan concerns the empowerment of rural youth.

Under the plan, the ministry seeks to help young villagers hone their talents and skills through sports activities, vocational training and internship programs.

The seventh plan involves synchronizing village programs implemented by other state institutions, with the aim of achieving an equitable economy and reducing poverty.

Eighth, the government intends to continue digital transformation in villages and develop tourist villages.

Under the plan, the PDT Ministry plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs and the Ministry of Public Works to bring reliable internet services to all villages in the country.

DPR lawmaker Reni Astuti expressed support for the plan, saying digitalization efforts would lead to the emergence of “smart villages.”

Through the ninth action plan, the PDT ministry will seek to stimulate village investments and promote cooperation with national cooperatives and foreign investors.

Under the tenth action plan, the ministry will continue its partnerships with the National Police (Polri), National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Attorney General's Office to ensure transparency in the use of village funds.

This would also ensure that the funds serve the interests of rural residents.

The eleventh plan includes measures to develop the resilience of villages to the impacts of climate change and disasters, while the twelfth concerns efforts to accelerate the development of underdeveloped villages.

Given the government's perception of the value of villages, it is safe to say that Village Day, which was celebrated by Minister Susanto by planting corn seeds in Subang, is an impetus for the nation to reflect on the myriad challenges and opportunities facing its rural residents. residents.

As the nation's progress is closely linked to rural life, Indonesia should understand that villages are more than just administrative regions.

The nation must realize that villages are irreplaceable pieces of the puzzle of Indonesian national development.

The creation of Village Day can be seen as a way for the government to remind officials, the private sector and all citizens, including those living in urban areas, of their shared responsibility to advance villages.

Villages can emerge as catalysts advancing Indonesia's economic, cultural and environmental interests, provided all elements of the nation align their efforts toward the same goal.

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