Inclusive Governance in Semi-Urban Villages through the Harmony of Technology, Agriculture, and Culture

Abstrak

Abstract, This study explores inclusive governance in Cibunar Village, Tarogong Kidul Subdistrict, Garut Regency, a semi-urban village undergoing modernization and digitalization. It examines aspects such as community participation, transparency, accountability, service effectiveness and efficiency, rule of law, responsiveness, consensus-building, equality, and inclusivity, alongside the unique challenges faced by agrarian communities. The research adopts a descriptive qualitative approach, drawing on in-depth interviews, observations, official village documents, and relevant scholarly literature.The results reveal that community participation remains largely formal and directive, transparency is confined to regulatory compliance, and the accountability of village officials is limited by human resource capacity. Improvements in public service effectiveness and efficiency have emerged through the use of accessible tools such as WhatsApp, Google Drive, and Siskeudes, which facilitate coordination, record-keeping, and practical monitoring. While village legal regulations remain predominantly administrative, responsiveness and consensus are shaped by the heterogeneous population. Notably, equality and inclusivity have advanced through straightforward digital communication, reaching women, youth, and other vulnerable groups. Cibunar Village is navigating a transition from its agrarian roots toward semi-urban governance, with simple technologies serving as strategic enablers for sustainable development.The study concludes that leveraging simple technology can reinforce inclusive, responsive, and adaptive governance in semi-urban contexts. It recommends strengthening deliberative consultation mechanisms, expanding technology-based outreach and monitoring, broadening legal instruments, enhancing human resource capacity, and implementing a hybrid governance model that blends traditional agricultural practices with digital innovation. These insights offer guidance for other agrarian villages seeking to utilize simple technological solutions for sustainable and inclusive development.Keywords: Inclusive Governance, Semi-Urban Village, Digital Transformation, Community Participation, Accessible Technology, Sustainable Development