Initiatives of the Indonesian Government for Digital Transformation in Rural Areas

¹ Universitas Islam Syekh-Yusuf, Tangerang, Indonesia, 15118
² National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta, Indonesia, 12710

^* Corresponding author: dida001@brin.go.id

Abstract

Indonesia is undergoing a digital transformation with a strong focus on building digital infrastructure and harnessing digital technologies to drive sustainable economic growth. Digital literacy and information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructures are important to this shift. The Indonesian government also encourages rural development by improving the connectivity and accessibility of rural people to ICT, giving them more power over their development. To achieve a beneficial influence on rural communities, rural peoples must treat the use of ICT in rural regions cautiously and strive to understand its socio-cultural effects. This article aims to study government activities in Indonesia for building ICT infrastructure in rural regions and to acquire a thorough understanding of ICT developments. The research objective is to comprehensively depict ICT development within Indonesia’s rural regions and examine its potential implications for the indigenous population. The Indonesian government should increase competitiveness among its population in the public and private sectors. The government should actively oversee and enhance the digital skills of economic actors in rural areas, offer incentives for innovation, develop communication strategies, and close the digital divide for mountain communities.