Empowered Villages and the SDGs: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Community-Based Entrepreneurial Development in Indonesia

Abstract

Rural development remains central to Indonesia’s sustainable transformation, particularly as villages function as key sites for poverty reduction, entrepreneurship, and resilience. This article examines the effectiveness of Program Desa Berdaya (Empowered Villages Program) in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Desa framework, with a focus on its entrepreneurial dimensions. While rooted in a case study of Desa Bangah, Sidoarjo, the analysis is generalized to illustrate broader lessons for rural empowerment. A qualitative descriptive case study was employed, drawing on program documents, interviews, and observations, and analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s framework of data reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. Findings reveal that the program strengthened institutional capacity, mobilized resources for local entrepreneurship, and contributed to several SDGs Desa indicators, including economic resilience, social well-being, and adaptive village institutions. However, challenges remain, particularly in sustaining entrepreneurial initiatives beyond initial funding, developing market-oriented strategies, and ensuring long-term innovation. The study highlights the dual role of empowerment programs: addressing immediate welfare concerns while fostering grassroots entrepreneurial ecosystems. Theoretically, it contributes to debates on the intersection of empowerment, entrepreneurship, and SDGs localization. Practically, it offers policy insights for designing programs that balance financial support with capacity-building, innovation, and institutional resilience. Future research should explore comparative and quantitative evaluations across multiple regions. Ultimately, Program Desa Berdaya demonstrates both the potential and limitations of linking community-based entrepreneurship with sustainable development in Indonesia’s villages.