Deputy Minister of Agriculture Urges Village Heads to Strengthen Village Roles in Promoting Inclusive Economy
Purwokerto (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono has urged village heads affiliated with the Indonesian Red White Village Heads Association (PKMPI) to strengthen the role of villages in promoting more inclusive and equitable economic growth.
At the PKMPI Central Java Provincial Inauguration and Consolidation in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, on Sunday, he stressed that villages hold a strategic position as the spearhead of national development, particularly in the agriculture sector and community empowerment.
“If you can be united, we can deliver benefits. I need village heads to build together, because the village is the most important political stage,” he said.
According to him, Indonesia’s economic growth, which has hovered around five percent per year, has not been fully enjoyed equitably by all segments of society, especially at the village level.
He likened the national economy to a “warung” that continues to grow, but the profits from that growth have not been fully felt by small-scale communities.
He assessed that this situation presents a shared challenge for the government and local leaders to ensure that development outcomes are felt fairly.
The Deputy Minister also highlighted the ongoing increase in the number of poor people in certain conditions, indicating the need for improved distribution of development results.
“If growth is not enjoyed equitably, what happens is inequality. This is what we must fix together,” he said.
On that occasion, he also emphasised the importance of synergy between the central government and villages in implementing various programmes, including in the agriculture sector and resource management.
He stated that the current government is continuously working on improvements, including regulating business permits that do not comply with rules and addressing practices that harm the state.
After the event, Sudaryono said the activity was a channel for the aspirations of village heads in Central Java who initiated a joint forum to strengthen coordination and communication.
“The aim is the aspiration from fellow village heads in Central Java. So they formed an association, and I was asked to attend and guide,” he said.
He affirmed that village heads are important figures at the grassroots level who have a strategic role in conveying and implementing government programmes to the community.
“Village heads are important, village figures, so they are heard by the people. Therefore, I think it’s necessary for programme synergy to reach village communities and for the benefits to be felt,” he said.
“If there are things that need to be reported, aspirations can also be accommodated through this association. I think this is a positive association, and of course, I welcome it positively,” he said.
He hopes that various central government programmes can be implemented effectively down to the village level through strengthening such synergy.
“The main point is how to execute those programmes well at the village level, so that good programmes at the centre are then carried out well in the field,” said Sudaryono.