Village Roads, the Gateway to Progress

In several villages in Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi, cocoa and shallot farmers have long faced a problem that sounds simple but has a very real impact: their harvests are difficult to transport due to damaged and narrow roads. Trucks cannot enter, while the cost of using motorcycle taxis to transport produce to the main road takes a significant cut from the profits farmers should receive. Conditions like these may not be widely reported in the media, but they are experienced daily by thousands of farmers in remote areas of Sulawesi.

This issue of farming access may seem minor from a distance, but upon closer inspection, it lies at the heart of development problems. Basic infrastructure is not merely a physical matter; it is about whether a community has sufficient foundation to grow and develop.

According to Rostow’s stages of economic growth theory, before a society can achieve economic take-off, it must pass through a crucial phase: the preconditions for take-off. In this stage, a focus on the infrastructure sector and increasing agricultural productivity is key. Regions that successfully improve their basic access tend to move more quickly towards sustainable growth compared to those that neglect it.

Sigi Regency is one of the areas in Central Sulawesi where the majority of the population depends on the agricultural sector. Commodities such as cocoa and shallots form the economic backbone for residents. However, this great potential has not yet been fully realised, partly because agricultural road infrastructure has not evenly reached all areas. In several sub-districts, farm roads are still unpaved tracks that become impassable for four-wheeled vehicles when the rainy season arrives.

When road access is limited, the supply chain becomes long and inefficient. Farmers are forced to sell their harvests to village-level middlemen at prices far below market value because they have no other choice. The profits that should go to the farmers are instead absorbed along the distribution chain. This is not a matter of laziness or lack of hard work, but a problem that can only be solved through targeted infrastructure development.

Both local and central governments have implemented farm road programmes through various plans, including the Village Fund, a portion of which is allocated for agricultural infrastructure. This step aligns with Rostow’s theory that productive investment in agriculture and infrastructure is a primary prerequisite before a region’s economy can advance to a higher stage. However, the sustainability and equitable distribution of this programme must be maintained to ensure it reaches the most remote villages.

Also worthy of appreciation is the spirit of mutual cooperation that still thrives in many villages in Sigi. Residents who independently repair footpaths to their farms are proof that communities are not passively waiting. However, this spirit requires consistent policy support so it does not run out of steam due to resource limitations.

Rostow’s theory reminds us that the journey towards economic progress begins with the most basic things. For farmers in the interior of Central Sulawesi, proper farm roads are not a luxury, but a prerequisite for their hard work to truly bear fruit. When basic infrastructure is fulfilled, the agricultural potential that has long been held back can finally emerge and provide broader benefits for the regional economy.

It is hoped that attention to agricultural infrastructure in areas that are rarely highlighted like this will be maintained. Because true take-off starts from the bottom, from the villages, from the farms, and from the footpaths that connect farmers to their hopes.