Government Analytical Capacity in Salt Industry Development in Jeneponto Regency

Abstract

The development of the salt industry is determined not only by the availability of land and production potential but also by the government's capacity to use data, evaluate needs, and formulate policies objectively. This study aims to analyze the analytical capacity of the Jeneponto Regency Government in salt industry development. The study used a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and document analysis, with informants selected purposively from the Department of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Regional Development Planning Agency, salt farmers, and business actors. Data analysis used an interactive model that included data condensation, data presentation, and the drawing and verification of conclusions. The results indicate that the local government's analytical capacity has been established but has not yet reached an optimal level as a basis for strategic decision-making. In the dimension of data-driven policy formulation, the government has used sectoral data and field information, but this data remains disparate and has not fully served as a basis for determining policy priorities. In terms of needs and impact evaluation, government programs have partially addressed the needs of fish farmers and business owners. However, their impact remains limited to operational aspects and has not yet addressed structural issues such as production quality, price stability, access to capital, technology, and business sustainability. In terms of objective policy analysis, stakeholder engagement has been conducted, but actor input has not yet developed into a systematic mechanism for evaluating policy alternatives. This study concludes that the Jeneponto Regency Government's analytical capacity is in a transitional stage, demonstrating data-informed, programmatically responsive, and coordinative-consulting capacity, but has not yet reached evidence-driven, structurally evaluative, and systematically objective capacity.