Bridging Formal and Customary Institutions: How District Mentoring Shapes Good Governance in Village Fund Management in Agam Regency

Abstract

This study examines how district-level mentoring translates good-governance principles into village fund management within the dual formal-customary institutional setting of Agam Regency, West Sumatra. A qualitative embedded case-study design was used in three nagari representing different mentoring intensities. Data were obtained from 14 purposively selected informants through semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and limited non-participant observation, and were analyzed using an interactive process of data condensation, display, and verification. The findings show that mentoring generated the clearest improvements in transparency and formal accountability, particularly through more regular disclosure, timely financial reporting, and consistent use of Siskeudes. Participation remained uneven and often procedural, while regulatory compliance depended strongly on administrative capacity. Cross-case comparison further indicates that mentoring quality and continuity, rather than visit frequency alone, explain differences in governance outcomes. Facilitators who maintained sustained contact and understood local customary relations were more effective in encouraging inclusive deliberation. The study positions district mentoring as an institutional bridge that connects formal regulatory demands with local governance practices. Strengthening facilitator capacity, inter-institutional coordination, and context-sensitive assistance is therefore essential for more substantive and sustainable village fund governance.