Digital Inclusion in Rural Areas: A Case Study in Two Indonesian Villages

Abstract

The acceleration of digital transformation is an unavoidable challenge for all countries worldwide, including in rural areas. However, there is a digital divide between rural and urban areas. Digital inclusion is a condition that needs to be achieved to close the gap. This study aims to measure digital inclusion based on four key dimensions: access, skills, use, and supportive environment, which are represented by several indicators and variables at the village level. We compare two cases in Indonesia, namely Tamansari Village initiated by the government and Melung Village initiated by the local community. Our results show that digital inclusion in both cases already has the dimensions of access and actual use which tend to be suitable for the majority of the households. However, the skills and supportive environment dimensions still need to be improved in the two study areas. It is indicated because the approach are still focused on providing access, not improving skills through optimizing the benefits of digital technology.