With the youths, we executed participatory mapping
Ruang Inovasi 2018
Participatory Mapping combined with Integrated Geographical Information System
Merancang Ilir is located on the side of Segah River in Berau District, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The river is one of the biggest rivers in Berau. It is usually used by palm oil and coal mining company barge ships to carry Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and coal. Majority of the villages administration area across this river is acquired by those companies up to 80% of its administration area. But Merancang Ilir is a unique village, the people still believe that without those companies the people still have prosperity through agriculture. They also believe that by letting those companies in, it will not answer how to increase economic equality. To support those dreams we intend to help them to be economically independent in agriculture system. Before we begin to act, we need to do participatory mapping to gain more detailed knowledge of the current potential and problems of the village. Using GIS and conducting its basic training for the villagers, the people can establish strategies of development based on sustainable agriculture and agribusiness.
- The village and its administration understand the concept and basic technique of mapping its potential resources after GIS basic training was held by us.
- From the results of the mapping, the village understands how to construct a medium term plan.
- Village administration understand about rules of village development area (conservation area, agribusiness area, and research area).
- The villagers understand the concept and the mission from those plans and become active actors for their execution.
- Using the most familiar and simplest words and deconstructing complex ideas into bricks of simple example and analogy to be explained to local people.
- The locals understand how to construct a mapping plan, such as which data they are gathering, how to compile those data, and how to make basic analysis of those data and implement it into local policies and village development plan.
- Besides spatial (general information of geographical condition and administrative border), social (general information of population profile), and sectoral mapping (specific information of village potential or condition such as agriculture, education, health, etc), key leader mapping must be executed in order to run the program smoothly; in addition, the next person in charge/leader must be from the local community to ensure the future sustainability of the program.
- Understand which government agencies need to be collaborated with and how to establish a good relationship between the village and those agencies.