Devina Prima K.
Yogyakarta - Participatory Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (PVCA) is a tool used to map the vulnerabilities, capacities and hazards within a community and region. This participatory disaster risk assessment is essential for capturing the real conditions of an area and for identifying the needs, roles, and follow-up actions to be taken by target groups in implementing the Community Resilience Partnership Program (CRPP). The participatory disaster risk assessment has been conducted in five groups: Family Welfare Group (PKK) in Mertelu Village, PKK in Jurangjero, Women Farmers’ Group (KWT) of Rejeki Laris, KWT Tani Manunggal, and KWT Kartika Sari, from 16 to 19 June 2024. The aim of this activity is to generate initiative ideas to address the vulnerabilities in the assisted communities.
The expected outcomes of this activity include obtaining a real picture of the current conditions of the area, mapping the actors and their roles in each region, and formulating action plans and follow-up steps for each assisted group, as well as formulating the results of the disaster risk assessment related to climate in each region from the perspective of women's groups.
Prolonged Drought, Drought Issues, and Long-Tailed Macaques
Based on the results of the assessment in the five villages, drought and prolonged dry seasons have become priority issues for the community to address. Drought affects infrastructure, such as damaged roads and buildings. In addition, drought impacts the health and livelihoods of the community, causing issues like Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI), irritations among children, the older people, and other vulnerable groups, as well as dry agricultural land, crop failure, and more.
Drought has a particular sensitivity for low-income households, as it forces them to bear additional expenses to purchase water at prices ranging from IDR 150,000 to IDR 350,000 per water tank. This situation is exacerbated by crop and livestock failures caused by the drought, reducing their income. Therefore, efforts to find alternative livelihoods are needed to secure additional income for the household economy.
Long-tailed macaques, a protected species, have become a threat to farmers in Gunungkidul, especially in the five villages that participated in this assessment. Climate change and reduced food supply in their natural habitat have altered their behavior, causing them to forage in community farmlands. This monkey pest problem has been occurring since before 2019 and increased around 2023. Farmers now face not only crop failure due to drought but also reduced agricultural yields due to attacks by long-tailed macaques.
Community Resilience Actions to Combat Drought and the Long-Tailed Macaques Crisis
Based on the PVCA conducted in the five villages, the community has developed resilience action plans to mitigate the impacts of these vulnerabilities. Some of these plans include conserving artificial lakes through reforestation and dredging in areas with lakes. In villages where the water supply comes from the Water Supply Company (PAM), pipe installation is needed for hamlets that have no access to water. Participants also recommended the installation of communal rainwater storage (PAH) at several points in the village to make it easier for residents to collect water and to facilitate water distribution by water trucking.
In the economic sector, the community recommended training in climate-adaptive farming. Some villages, such as Girimulyo and Mertelu, suggested providing food sources in forests for long-tailed macaques to prevent them from invading community farms. They also recommended training on the production of alternative animal feed to ensure the availability of livestock feed during prolonged dry periods.