<![CDATA[Rural Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) increasingly face a structural gap between established production capabilities and limited digital capacity to capture market value directly. In rural agribusiness settings, this challenge is compounded by intermediary dependence, uneven digital literacy, and fragmented institutional support. This study examines how a rural entrepreneurial ecosystem can strengthen SME competitiveness through the integration of smart farming, village institutions, market connectivity, and digital transformation in Desa Cibodas, West Java, Indonesia. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed, combining a survey of 95 agricultural SME actors with qualitative case study analysis based on interviews with 14 key informants and documentary evidence. The findings show that digital adoption readiness, institutional support, and smart farming capability jointly contribute to SME competitiveness, with digital capability emerging as the strongest predictor. Qualitative findings further identify five interconnected themes and show how BUMDes, smart farming, packaging infrastructure, and emerging digital marketplace initiatives interact within a four-layer rural entrepreneurial ecosystem. The study contributes by conceptualizing digital transformation as a connecting ecosystem-level capability that links production and institutional strengths with market-oriented competitiveness. The findings highlight the need for integrated digital marketplace development, stronger BUMDes coordination, and targeted digital capacity building to improve rural SMEs' market autonomy and competitiveness.]]>
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