measuring vulnerability: lesson from vulnerable groups along the

Proceedings of the Resilient Cities 2013 congress

Session: C1

Community-based adaptation solutions: Tapping the city’s most valuable

resource

Presentation: Measuring Vulnerability: Lesson from vulnerable

groups along the example of Kampongs in North Jakarta

Simarmata, H.A.1;. Sianturi, H.C.J.A.

2, Yudono, K.

2

Abstracts:

Shifts and increased intensity of rainfall and the expanding of inundated area are seen as the impacts of

climate change that led to the vulnerability. The flooding in Jakarta due to heavy rainfall and tidal activity

in the coastal area has become annual problem to the coastal community who lives there all this time. It

has been happened since 15 years ago, but their places are still inhabited. Although, numerous

quantitative studies have been conducted to measure the vulnerability in recent years, however, the

qualitative ones are still rare. How the communities perceive their exposure to the hazard, their sensitivity

compare to other places, and their adaptive capacities are the main questions to be examined in this

paper. Based on the empirical study in the Kampong Kamal Muara from June to November 2012, this

paper aims to understand local perspective on vulnerability and how the conceptions are institutionalized

in the community. It demonstrates first, the different view of vulnerability can be found in how they assess

their exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity; second, the significant role of social leader in

influencing the perception of vulnerability, and the contribution of knowledge and experiences of

vulnerable groups are the key elements in assessing the level of vulnerability. These preliminary findings

suggest that the vulnerability assessment at the community level should be constructed based on the

perception and meaning that has been institutionalized in the community.

Keywords: vulnerability, institutions, community.

1 Junior Researcher at Zentrum fur Entwickslungforshung (ZEF), Senior Planners at Indonesian

Association of Urban and Regional Planners (IAP)

2 Junior Planners at Indonesian Association of Urban Regional Planners (IAP)

Proceedings of the Resilient Cities 2013 Congress

1. Introduction

Several studies argued that the adaptation programs and activities planned by the government were

not in accordance with the needs of the community because of the lack of community involvement in it,

especially on how they measure their vulnerability by their own value. This paper used the qualitative

approaches to measure the level of vulnerability of local communities. It is expected that the decision

reducing the impact of climate change would be implemented in accordance with the resources

available and the needs of the local community. This paper firstly discusses the flood as the most

climate-exposure of north Jakarta, the rationale of qualitative approach and the methods in

introduction section. Following that is the case study of Kampong as a representative of urban

community in Jakarta in adapting to flood. It would also discuss the local knowledge that produced by

experiencing the floods. This paper finished by concluding the findings and the further research needs.

1.1. The Flood as the most climate-threats of North Jakarta

Sea-level projections in the IPCC Third Assessment Report (2001) estimates that global sea level rise

for 2009 – 2100 can reach 18 – 59 cm (see figure 1). Meanwhile, Center for Development of Coastal

and Marine Areas, PPKL-ITB projected that the sea level on the waterfront of Jakarta will increase to

0.57 centimeters/year (Hadi, Latief, and Riawan, 2012). Within this scenario, some areas of Jakarta,

North Jakarta in particular, will certainly be submerged by 2050. The sea-level rise was identified as

the major threats of climate change that should be awared and managed by stakeholder of Jakarta city

(START-IAP, 2011; Firman et al., 2011).

Figure 1. Global Sea-level Rise Projections


However, the phenomenon of land subsidence and high intensity of land use have significantly

contributed to flood damage. Although it was not part of the impact of climate change (WB-ADB-JICA,

2010), but both phenomenon has attracted various parties to pay more attention on the exacerbated

impacts which would be happened. Based on flood risk mappings of Jakarta, which conducted by

BNPB (2012), BPBD DKI Jakarta (2012), Bakosurtanal (2011), and ITB (Hadi, Latief, and Riawan,

2012), the exposure of north Jakarta to climate change impacts are high because of the combination

of sea level rise and land subsidence. The common flooding events mostly occurred in the kampong

where located adjacent to the coast and along the rivers (Interview Secretary of Penjaringan Sub-

district, November 2012).

Figure 2. Land Inundation of Jakarta


Figure 3. Jakarta Risk Map Scenario Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)


Figure 4. Flood Risk Map 2011 of Jakarta BNPB


Figure 5. Jakarta Flood Scenario Map BPBD DKI Jakarta


Figure 6. North Jakarta Flood Incidents Map Bakosurtanal


1.2. Rationale of Qualitative Approach

The qualitative Vulnerability Assessment (VA) is needed because first, each individual in the kampong

social have a bond that can be a contributing factor in creating a disaster-resistant neighborhood

(EA&DEFRA, 2009), Second, the kampong has its own system in dealing with the problems that exist

in neighborhood, including disaster issues, And third, the kampong became part of the system of

coordination between citizens and local government, both in terms of provision of information, to the

distribution of aid in time of disaster. Qualitative approach will allow these three things can be well

elaborated. Moreover, the interaction in the long term between researchers and communities can

develop a sense of trust that increases the value of the data on the results of this study. This approach

is expected to show different way of VA in defining whether a community is vulnerable and what

actions can be done to fix this condition. The role of local knowledge and social dimension has been

acknowledged are important in measuring vulnerability (Birkmann and Hartman, 2009) and numerous

qualitative methods are available to do so, the question now is what kind of tools that properly used to

measure it.

1.3. Methods of Measuring Vulnerability

This study applied the exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity as the defining variable of

vulnerability, which measured by the experiences of kampong people. The foci are how the stories,

histories, and customs of the local people used in measuring the value of their vulnerability.

Identification of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity is conducted by root cause analysis,

community mapping, and problems discussion forum to engage with the people of Kampong in every

process and deliver what they know as much as possible. Root cause analysis helps them in

classifying the causes and effects of floods, where factor "causes" would be the value of exposure and

factors "impact" would be the value of their sensitivity. All findings by both methods can be confirmed

by conducting in-depth interview to all the sources accompanied by participant observation. The

validity of obtained data is defined if consistent to the results of interviews and discussion forums.


Figure 7. Root Cause Analysis and Community Mapping

Figure 8. Qualitative Approach

2. Kampongs and the role of social leaders in adapting to flood

Kampong Kamal Muara (KKM) is part of Penjaringan Sub-district. It was known as native village of

Betawi tribe that settled for more than 60 years in the coastal areas in North Jakarta. Kampong’s


community started their live as fishermen. Currently, fishermen becomes less attractive profession to

resident result of reduced fishing income and another attraction from industrial area which is located

not far from the village. The kampong currently has 1,480 households with a close kinship but some of

them also have a family relation with other kampong residents.

Figure 9. Map of Kampong Kamal Muara

Kampong is an informal and dense settlement that represents the urban-village community in many

Indonesian cities, including Jakarta. Kampong is administratively formed by the RW (RW stands for

Rukun Warga), which has several RTs (RT stands for Rukun Tetangga). RT covers roughly 50

households. The RW is established in order to have better access to the government programs where

the RW represents residents who lived in the neighborhood to create the better neighborhood. This

institution firstly appeared in 1944 in the Japanese colonial period with name of Tonarigumi (RT) and

Azzazyokai (RW), which functioned for the Japanese military government (Kartodirjo, 1977). This

culture adapted in social groups of settlements where RW and RT provide services to citizens in giving

a voice to the citizens.

Head of RW and RT elected by all the residents in KKM, which accommodated KKM's people

aspirations and gained their trust on both head of RW and RTs. The organization of KKM through RW


and RTs was legalized by the decree of the mayor. Furthermore, RW and RTs would represent the

people of KKM by involving them in the activities, programs, meetings, or other socialization programs

from government of Jakarta province. In addition to facilitate the aspiration of people of KKM to

government, the organization of LMK (Lembaga Masyarakat Kelurahan), a formal social Institution,

was established. LMK has a dual role as the village staffs that implement or socialize programs/

activities and as agent of local community in delivering their aspirations to the government.

Unfortunately, representatives of LMK in KKM were not well performed in optimizing their rights and

obligations as stated. Therefore, the existence of LMK flicks the social conflict within the KKM.

Figure 10. Kampong Institutions

However, social leaders in KKM are identified not only come from formal institutions, but also from

informal institutions which led by social leaders, such as Pengajian (Islamic recitation groups), PKK

(Driver of Empowerment and Family Welfare), and PAUD (early childhood education). In the context of

flood responses, these social leaders are capable in running and keeping the institution by utilizing

their own resources. Pengajian has collecting system on money every week which the is used to fix

the place they use. PKK directly involved in the procurement of dapur umum (emergency kitchen)

when flooding occurs. PAUD engaged in the provision of early childhood education in healthy living to

children in early age.

This informal institutions are tends more effective rather than musrenbang3 as formal media in

collecting actions of people of KKM in coping and adapting to flood. Based on our observations and

3 Musrenbang is one of events organized by the government annually; government’s way to open the door for

people’s aspiration, especially in the field of improvement of neighborhood and community development. Musrenbang is attended by RW and RT and facilitated by the LMK. Through this process, community can give their opinion about what activities need to be carried out in their neighborhood. (source: Bappenas, 2004)


several interviews, people of KKM often complain the results of musrenbang because it was not

consistent to what they already proposed. To these shortcomings, RW and RT have the initiative to

undertake self-help actions by promoting gotong royong4 traditions to do the social adaptation. For

example, KKM conducts regular events to clean settlements of garbage or repairing the damaged

neighborhood facilities with their own resources to prepare for frequent tidal flood events.

KKM's case demonstrated that social leaders were able to move community to utilize their resources

to adapt to the flood tide through informal institutions that already embedded in their local knowledge

This institution also provides the convenient room for people of KKM to submit their opinions and

complaints related to the adaptation to social leader. On the other hand, social leader’s initiative is also

able to encourage people to act together to carry out adaptation events. Indirectly, kampong’s

community has resolved as disaster-response community.

3. Defining local knowledge in measuring vulnerability

Local people have their own knowledge that derived by their own experiences. The lived experiences

have leaded them to the situation where and when they should act and react adapting the flood and

post-flood situation. The local knowledge in KKM has been produced by sharing experiences among

them and dominated by social leaders in defining one case and comparing to other cases. The

knowledge will continue to develop following the neighborhood changes and human activities. These

changes develop the knowledge of community in taking better action than before. Based on our group

discussion, we recognized that people of KKM has learned using the sandbags in building small dikes

in front of their houses. They experienced that the sandbags could not last long because it was easily

damaged. They always modified the sandbags from time to time to make it stronger by putting small

rocks and limestone inside. Therefore, the local knowledge flows by following the dynamic changes

that occur in the community and why local knowledge can become a critical value in VA.

3.1. Kampong’s exposure

The local knowledge of KKM recognized from their understanding on the exposure of their location.

They realized that basin-like topography becomes one of the reasons why their area was considered

to have a severe impact to high level of risk to floods. This basin provides space for the incoming

4 Gotong royong is the original habits of village people where everyone works together for mutual benefit

(Koentjaraningrat, 1983) because people basically requires good relationship between each other (Bintarto, 1980).


seawater into kampong area when the tidal flood occurred (Interview Pak Oyok, Leader of RT 05,

October 2012). Before 2002, KKM had no history of flooding. The flood events firstly occurred in KKM

in November 2002. As time passes, the flood water level is getting higher and the intensity of flooding

significantly increased. In the past, the flood occurred following the full moon phenomenon happens

once a month. Each year, floods are getting worse and increasing in intensity to 3-4 times a month

(Interview Pak Ustad Syahroni, October 2012). However, since the dikes was built by the end of 2012,

they perceived that the height of the flood waters began to decline, although the intensity of flooding

still remains.

Figure 11. History of Flood in Kampong Kamal Muara

Not only creates pools of water, the flood brings trash and sewage into the kampong area. As a result,

the entire kampong settlements covered by garbage, wastes, and puddles that disrupted comfort and

health of the community. The condition of kampong becomes so damaged because the floods cause

most areas of kampong submerged by water inundation, both the neighborhood and people's houses.

Therefore, for them, the flood had significantly exposed their health and amenity, but still not enforces

them to leave their living place.


Figure 12. Inundation in Kampong Kamal Muara

3.2. Kampong’s sensitivity

People of KKM understood that their condition also contributed to their vulnerability. The irregular

house buildings, the low quality of infrastructures, and the lack of resources of their community are the

main factors that make the impact of floods tend to be worsened. The different elevation of houses'

floor and lack of green or open space has made the flood stayed longer. The high intensity of floods is

continuously damaged their neighborhood, especially the low quality of roads which makes them hard

to not let themselves getting wet by using the roads. However, lack of resources causes them not able

to perform sustainable adaptation measures.

In the other side, the poor condition of most people of KKM has led them to the paradox that they have

no economic valuable things that need to be protected well so they don't need risk protection from

other parties, but it also made them could not comprehensively overcome the problems that caused by

frequent flood. Realizing this condition, the people of KKM pushed to act more responses to the

incoming flood. Community has to repeatedly perform adaptation activities to repair their damaged

homes. However, the increased intensity of floods makes community do not have enough time to

repair their condition to their previous condition and prepare themselves for the coming flood. This is

why community started to realize that the impact of flooding would be more severe if the community

does not have sufficient resources.


3.3. Adaptive capacity in Kampong

Most of the community generates more activities that are not sustainable. It causes them to conduct it

repeatedly. Therefore, their adaptive capacity still located in the short-term basis. The role of social

leader in addressing this behavior is highly seen by inviting people to do more collective adaptation

activities like gotong royong and other activities, particularly in improving the road infrastructure is

considered has the most important value. Using wooden boards, bamboo, shells or sack did road

improvement as one outcome of the social leader involvement. Although it won’t last long, collective

events are proven to benefit all the parties and require lower cost.

Figure 13. Gotong Royong as Tradition in Kampong

The repeatedly actions spend most of the community’s income, whilst floods disrupt economic

activities so that their income reduced. This condition will bring them to a position where they won’t

have any more resources and only could bring people to the deeper poverty (Annan, 2003). In

response, there are government agencies that assist local community in improving their

neighborhoods. Over the last two years, PNPM (National Program for Community Empowerment)

assistance to improve the some livelihood assets of Kampong Kamal Muara.

Based on the interpretation of their meaning, table 1 showed how people of KKM generated the

meaning of vulnerability, especially in dealing with the effects of flooding, how residents are not able to

cope with any flood impacts their ability. As a result there is damage only left alone by the citizens.

The existence of inundated area is considered the most damaging because it damaging houses and

roads that disrupt their activities.


Table 1. The Status of Vulnerability of KKM

Asset Exposure Sensitivity Impact Adaptive Capacity

Human Disease Children and senior

residents are more

vulnerable to fever, cold,

and other skin disease

Children and senior

residents cannot move

freely into inundated area

Wear boots or avoid

the flooded area

Social Institution Local institutions do not

have enough resource to

make a proper adaptation

action

The results are more short-

term solution that are not

sustainable

-

Financial Access Flood close the access to

the workplace

Residents have to walk

through the flood or decide

to stay at home

Walk through the

flooded area or just

skip for a day

Physical Flooded area Inundation damages

houses, roads, and other

physical assets

Many houses have bad

condition. Roads are

damaged.

Build small dikes or

raise the house’floor

Natural Environment No trees, mangroves,

swamp or other natural

assets that could protect

them from floods

Range of the flood area

becomes wider because no

more vegetation that could

hold it

-

Source: FGD, October 2012. Interpreted by authors (2013)


4. Conclusion and further steps

There are two most interesting revelation delivered by community in assessing their vulnerability.

Firstly, they considered that the flood tide is common pheromone, but they also realize that this

incident still gives a big loss for them. Secondly, they prefer to do only short term adaptation actions

because it is hard for them to see the adaptation in long-term context if their most important assets,

the roads, are still damaged and disturb their activities. In the context of disaster management, social

capital can become positive factor in creating disaster-resistant neighborhood. This paper

demonstrated that the existence of a social leader is able to gather people to the same perception and

move collectively to adapt to the flood.

The vulnerability assessment at the community level should be conducted based on the perception

and meaning that has been institutionalized in the community. Based on KKM’s case, government’s

adaptation programs do not fit the needs of the KKM due to the lack of transparency and community’s

involvement in it. The adaptation of people of KKM is based on the extension of self-reliance action

(SWADAYA) in the community and the extension to which outside parties can intervene to help them.

Also, the dynamic changing of local knowledge can modify more qualify VA model (King & MacGregor,

2000). This paper suggested that the realm of vulnerable people should be constructed at the first time

to make sure that vulnerability assessment has been conducted properly and concurrently to the need

of community.

Acknowledgement:

Authors would like to thank the PICAS (Planning of Integrated Coastal Adaptation Strategies for North

Jakarta) program, a cooperation between Indonesian Association of Planners and International

Secretariat of START funded by US-AID, for providing financial and technical assistances.


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The Authors:

BEm MSc

Hendricus Andy

Simarmata

Urban Studies Postgraduate

Program

University of Indonesia

Gedung Pascasarjana UI,

4th Floor, Jalan Salemba

Raya No. 4 Jakarta Pusat

+62 21 3908264

[email protected]

ST

Herry Candi J. A. Sianturi

Planner/Reseacher Indonesia

Association of Urban and

Regional Planners (IAP)

[email protected]

ST

Karina Yudono

Student of Urban Ecological

Planning Master Program

NTNU

[email protected]

Bio:

Hendricus Andy Simarmata

He is lecturer and researcher at the University of Indonesia. He is also the certified urban and regional

planners who has lead several vulnerability studies and adaptation planning in Indonesia

Herry Candi J. A. Sianturi

He has been following his interest in climate change and community development on his first research

about climate change impact in coastal community in Muara Angke, Jakarta in 2012. Currently working in

IAP’s program related to climate change and capacity building.

Karina Yudono

She had been working for one year in Indonesia’s National evelopment Agency (Bappenas) as a

supporting staff. Currently, she is continuing her study in one of NTNU’s Master Program in Urban and

Ecological Planning

mailto:[email protected]