The Strategy of the Local Government in Developing Independent Village Based on Economic and Social Resilience in East Flores Regency

A qualitative approach with SWOT analysis method is used in this research to explore the reality of the community development in order to realize the village’s autonomy in East Flores Regency. It is described through the study of Local Government’s Strategy in Developing Independent Village Based on Economic and Social Resilience with the emphasis on the village innovation program as the government’s program in realizing Independent Village. The village innovation program is an innovation policy as the government’s effort in realizing an independent village through the development of a productive economy based on the potential possessed by the village itself. The result of the research shows that among 229 villages in East Flores, there are only 155 villages joining the village innovation program, and the coordination from the program committee such as the Village Assistants or Village Innovation Team with the village government has not been implemented well. In the commitment decision for this village innovation program, the village government has not comprehended this program so well that it seems that in making the commitment, almost all villages have the same kind of commitment, and in making the commitment the village government also seems not focusing on the potential of the village. Among the 155 villages joining the village innovation program, there are only 43 villages incorporating Village-owned Corporations (BUMDesa) as one of their innovations. Meanwhile, the main target of the village innovation program is the incorporation of BUMDesa as the village innovation. The appropriate strategy in the government’s strategic decision in developing independent village by using SWOT analysis is holding a workshop to improve the community capacity using the village fund, Village-owned Corporations (BUMDesa) management, tourism village development, and agricultural product management training. Therefore, the East Flores Regency government needs to monitor and evaluate the implementation of village innovation program so that it will always be accommodated in the upcoming Regional Government Budgets (APBD). The East Flores Regency Government requires to periodically perform capacity strengthening in the form of training and Village-owned Corporations (APBD) optimization as a form of social power and as an effort to improve the economy of the community