Smart Village Development Strategy In Pakuli Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province

Smart village has become an important policy instrument for rural development in Indonesia, yet empirical evaluations of its implementation, particularly outside Java, remain limited. This study aims to (1) identify the potentials and challenges of smart village implementation, (2) determine development priorities, and (3) formulate strategic recommendations for Pakuli Village, Gumbasa District, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi. A mixed methods explanatory sequential design was applied using scoring analysis, the Cobweb Model, Gap Analysis, and SWOT Analysis. Data were collected through questionnaires from 25 purposively selected respondents, field observations, interviews, and documentation. The instrument covered seven smart village dimensions and 17 indicators, demonstrating acceptable validity (r = 0.421–0.821) and high reliability (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.92). The findings indicate that Pakuli Village remains in the Poor category (mean = 2.23), with only Smart Living (3.84) and Smart Governance (3.51) classified as Good. Gap Analysis identifies Smart Tourism, Smart Economy, Smart People, and Smart Environment as very high priorities, while Smart Mobility is a high priority. SWOT analysis recommends a WO strategy emphasizing digital literacy, village-owned enterprise revitalization, environmental management, and tourism awareness development.