Strengthening Village Governance through a Workshop on Politically-Informed Participatory Development Planning

Participatory village development planning is often treated as a technical-administrative routine. In practice, however, planning is inseparable from political dynamics that shape who participates, whose interests prevail, and how scarce resources are allocated. This community empowerment program (PKM) in Kedung Udi Village, Trawas District, Mojokerto Regency, East Java, aimed to strengthen village governance by enhancing the capacity of village officials and community representatives to design and facilitate participatory planning while explicitly addressing the political dimension of planning. The main intervention was a workshop conducted on 22 August 2025, preceded by coordination and situational observation. Workshop modules emphasized: (1) planning as a political decision; (2) navigating dual arenas: formal (Musdes/Musrenbang and RPJMDes, RKPDes, APBDes) and informal (elite networks and gatekeeping); (3) multi-level contestation and policy alignment; and (4) practical tools, including power–interest mapping, programmatic agreements, program tagging for alignment with district planning documents, and transparency/anti elite capture mechanisms. The program resulted in improved participant literacy regarding power relations in planning and produced a follow-up action plan oriented toward institutional advocacy, continuous social control, and routine capacity reinforcement through a university and village partnership.