Environmental Challenges (Dec 2024)
Resilience of dryland farm households in the mountains and their adaptability to environmental and social challenges
Abstract
Addressing welfare challenges and poverty in Indonesia's economic development, particularly in the Girisubo Sub-district within the Gunungkidul District, is hindered by socioeconomic deprivation and environmental vulnerabilities intensified by climate change. This study focuses on assessing household resilience concerning economic hardships induced by climate change in the aforementioned region. This research uses a mixed-method approach with a sequential exploratory strategy; the study initially utilizes a resilience index measurement, followed by a subsequent stage involving multiple linear regression analysis. The resilience of households in the Girisubo karst area, Gunungkidul, is represented as 84 % of the Girisubo community having a medium to high resilience index. The multiple linear regression analysis results indicate that education, land area, infrastructure, asset ownership, market accessibility, and social community assistance are significant determinants influencing the food security status of farm households in Girisubo. Local wisdom for social community aid in sumbang menyumbang activities contributes 22 % to household income compared to assistance from the government. The ''sumbang-menyumbang'' tradition is a traditional practice that can be integrated into policy frameworks to address environmental and economic challenges. Future research should focus on the scalability of these adaptive strategies in various regions of Indonesia and similar contexts worldwide. Investigating how community support mechanisms and local wisdom can be effectively replicated or adapted in diverse socio-economic and environmental settings will be crucial. Additionally, variables related to social community aid could be included in evaluating the effectiveness of newly implemented programs, such as free lunch initiatives or other recent assistance programs.
