The Policy, Governance and Administrative Reform Cluster of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, University of Indonesia (PGAR FIA UI) initiates the realization of SDGs in villages, especially in introducing village financial and tourism potential through the Community Service Program (Pengmas). This is because the Village SDGs contribute 74% to achieving Sustainable Development Goals and significantly contribute to the success of village development globally. Said Dr. Afiati Indri Wardani, M.Sc., as a resource person and a member in the community service activities.

This community service also supports the government’s program, namely achieving the Village SDGs goals targeted by December 2030. There are six dimensions of sustainable development goals, namely Prosperous Villagers (free from poverty, hunger, and equal rights to life), Natural balance (protection against nature from the adverse effects of human activities), village prosperity (adequate economic, social, technological and in harmony with nature), peace (social security, fairness, inclusiveness, free from fear and violence), partnership (collaboration with other villages/bumdesma or third parties), and institutional and Village wisdom (solid, protection of indigenous peoples, local wisdom and village culture). Afiati stated this in the Community Service activities carried out by the FIA UI PGAR Research Cluster on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, in Balekambang Village, Sukabumi.

“These six dimensions are the colours in realizing the goals of the Village SDGs. Efforts to achieve village SDGs in the circumstances of the COVID-19 Pandemic are not easy. Because of that, the use of village funds in 2021 is prioritized to finance activities that support the achievement of 10 (ten) village SDGs related to national economic recovery activities, national priority programs, and habit adaptation just a village,” added Afiati.

The 10 SDGs referred to in the situation and conditions of the Covid-19 Pandemic are villages without poverty, villages without hunger, healthy, prosperous villages, involvement of village women, clean and renewable energy villages, equitable village economic growth, consumption and production of environmentally conscious villages, peaceful villages with justice, partnerships for village development, and dynamic village institutions and adaptive village culture.

Afiati said that this activity was a good start, and now it is necessary to continue what has been good. Afiati added that Balekambang Village could be an example of a village that can fulfil the 18 principles of sustainable development goals in the six dimensions. An adequate village and tourism financial governance can support sustainable development within the SDGs framework.

“Village Financial Management Planning is an essential key in developing the financial potential of a village. The principles of village financial management are transparent, accountable and participatory. Village Financial Management Planning is carried out in several stages, namely Village Development Planning, Village RKP Preparation, and Budget Planning,” said Dr. Achmad Lutfi, M.Sc.

Furthermore, Achmad Lutfi explained that the next stage is the Implementation of Village Financial Management, namely the Preparation for the Implementation of Activities and Procurement Implementation. Next is the Administration of Village Financial Management, namely the Administration of Budget Receipts and Administration of Budget Expenditures.

“After that, we need to make a village financial management report, namely the Village APB Implementation Report, Compilation of the Village APB Implementation Report, Compilation of Activity Realization Reports, and Accountability Reports. Currently, there is something called Siskeudes which is a more advanced stage by utilizing information technology to encourage the administration and reporting efforts and, of course, has the potential for development, “said Lutfi.

Supervision of village financial management, said Lutfi, is also a crucial thing to do. Supervision is carried out on Potential Problems in Village Financial Management with the aim of Accuracy in the location of the distribution of Village Funds to Villages entitled to receive, Accuracy of completeness of requirements for Village Fund distribution, Accuracy of distribution of Village Funds, Accuracy of the amount of Village Funds received and distributed, and Accuracy of Village Fund use in accordance applicable provision. The discussion on village financial management is refined with a more in-depth explanation of the tourism context that village officials and communities can utilize to develop village potential.

“In developing village potential, local wisdom is the main spirit that is embodied in society through the value of unique culture and traditions that are owned by the community, the value of authenticity that is ingrained in the culture of the local community, as well as the authenticity of traditional values that appear in society,” said Dr. Muh Azis Muslim, M.Sc.

The development of tourism villages, said Azis, must be focused on the integrated and collaborative development of the five crucial elements of pentahelix, which consist of the community (community), government, industry, academia and the media as a catalyst. Furthermore, tourism villages in Indonesia must be unique in terms of activity programs, target markets, and definitions of branding advertising selling in order to become an advanced tourism villages.

“The approach to developing tourism destinations is through attractions, accessibility and amenities. Village development is categorized into four categories, namely pioneering, developing, advanced, and independent. In developing tourist villages, 2 (two) approaches need attention, namely Community-Based Tourism Development and Sustainable Tourism Development, namely community-based and sustainable tourism development,” he continued.

Sustainable tourism development must meet the requirements: namely, tourism development that balances 3 three aspects, namely the economy, environment, and society, which is sustainable. This sustainable tourism development aims to increase the quality of life, strengthen cultural and community values and provide added value to the community’s economy.

For information, the Community Service Team consists of Dr. Muh Azis Muslim, M.Sc.; Dr. Achmad Lutfi, M.Sc.; dr. Afiati Indri Wardani, M.Sc.; Nidaan Khafian, MA.; Wahyu Mahendra, M.Egov; Debie Puspasari, MPA; and Marcel Angwyn, MPA. Apart from that, Community Service Program is a routine activity every year under the umbrella of the Research Cluster led by Prof. Dr. Eko Prasojo, Mag.rer.publ., as an active and applicable effort to encourage the development of potential government stakeholders.